Systematic literature review on networks of innovative teams: Current trends and future research avenues

Although the number of studies on innovation and teams has increased significantly, there is still a paucity of consolidated understanding of how innovations emerge within a team. Prior reviews at the intersection of innovations and teams have not explored the network implications for innovation, thus warranting a literature review to provide avenues for further research. This study systematically reviews 93 articles on networks and innovative teams published in management journals over the last 30 years. Adopting a network lens, we propose to analyze our findings through four themes to address the essential characteristics of innovation: network characteristics, network team characteristics, network team management, and network flow. A research agenda is discussed, focusing on the various opportunities for research around innovative teams' space, time, and disrupted contexts.