Innovation networks and knowledge clusterisation depends largely on the capacity of companies to acquire and assimilate external knowledge. The capacity of business to absorb scientific knowledge is associated with the disciplinary profile of its human resources. To explore the relationship between disciplinary absorption capacity, networks and innovation products, we suggest the concept of critical mass in science and technology-oriented human resources and compare two types of companies distinguished by differences in the profile of their critical masses. The results show that a relation does exist between the discipline-related makeup of the critical mass, the types of products obtained and the types of partners in innovation networks.

El objetivo general de esta investigación ha sido explorar empíricamente algunas dimensiones clave que permitieran caracterizar e interpretar el sistema vasco de conocimiento a partir del análisis del papel que este capital humano juega en nuestra comunidad y en la dinámica de los agentes de investigación e innovación (empresas; grupos científicos y centros tecnológicos).