Analysis of TV Drama Creator Networks: Why does Collaboration Fail?

ABSTRACT

1. We empirically analyze the relationship between a workers’ social network in a company and the company’s performance. Specifically, using the method of social network analysis we reveal the relationship between the social network of TV drama program creators, and the commercial value of TV drama programs, which are the results of collaboration between the creators.

2. Regarding how a social network and innovation are related, sociologists have accumulated many theoretical and empirical works for long time. Recently, economists also are studying social networks applying game theory, and the results can be quite different from the argument by sociologists. This paper will focus on these differences.

3. Sociologists argue that innovation occurs by information exchange among agents, while economists argue that many agents’ free-riding on some agents’ ideas can increase the benefits of the entire social network. Our empirical results support the latter. Regarding creative works such as TV drama program production, there is a possibility that collaboration does not lead to high performance.