Innovation and business networking processes through a time lens

Change in a business and innovation network is enacted through processes, which are often unpredictable and develop in an irregular manner. Coping with change in networks focused on innovation and commercialization processes involves joint actions between technological, business and other potential actors in order to make sense and succeed. Understanding this networked notion of process requires a relevant temporal lens that elaborates how joint activity is emerging and how and why processes unfold. The paper offers a conceptual dynamic approach and a longitudinal case that develops our current understanding about change and development in innovation networks. The approach treats time and process in a many-sided manner - time is conceptualized as being human and event based in nature and in constant emergence as different irregular occurrences and Kairotic moments are faced in conjunction with features of an existing past-present-future. The conceptual approach is used in analyzing a biofuel innovation process as it unfolds and faces the temporal realities in its objective to commercialize technology processes in Australia.