在知識經濟來臨的現今，許多企業為了在市場上獲得一席之利無所不用其極，也為了在當前的企業表現中取得進展做了相當多的努力。此研究選定了蘋果公司為主要目標企業，建構其企業內部及企業間網絡對其企業表現及創新的影響。此外，該研究還增加了社會網絡分析的中心性對其進行進一步的預測。此研究的方法是隨機從2017年美國專利商標局收集的匯總數據。該研究樣本是52家與蘋果公司相關的科技類相關企業。研究自變數是公司內部(intra)和公司間(inter)網絡，應變數是企業績效和創新，並了解社會網絡所扮演的中介效果。
研究測試的結果表明，公司內部網絡對企業表現和創新有顯著的影響。然而，我們發現，與前者相比，單憑公司間網絡顯示的結果並不理想。當添加社交網絡分析(SNA)工具加入分析時，此研究意外發現了值得探討的現象。
最後，這項研究還包括企業網絡的相關討論，知識轉移和信息交換的效率和可行性也是此研究提及的部分，這可能會使網絡分析更好地確定它是否會對企業表現和創新產生更大的影響。該建議希望能為未來的研究提供前瞻性意義。

With the coming of the knowledge-based economy nowadays, many companies have made considerable efforts to bring prosperities and to make progress in current firm performance. This research selected Apple as the main target company and built its own intra and inter-firm network to figure out whether or not it has impact on firm performance and innovation. In addition, the research also adds the social network centrality to make further predictions. The research methodology was a pooled data randomly collected from the USPTO for the year 2017. The research sample is 52 technology related companies related to Apple. The research independent variables are intra-and- inter network. The dependent variables are firm performance and innovation, used for measuring the mediating effects of social network.
The results of the research tests show that the firm's internal network has a significant impact on firm performance and innovation. However, we found that compared with the former, the results displayed by the inter-firm network is not ideal. When social network analysis (SNA) tool was added to the analysis, this research unexpectedly discovered a phenomenon worth investigating.
Finally, this research also included discussions within the firm’s network, the efficiency and feasibility of knowledge transfer and information exchange, which may allow network analysis to be better determine whether it would have more impact on firm performance and innovation. The proposal also provides forward-looking significance for the future research.

Content
List of Table  III
List of Figure IIV
1. Introduction  1
1.1 Research background 1
1.2 Research Motivation  3
1.3 Research Goals  5
1.4 Research questions and Framework  6
2. Literature review 8
2.1 Social Network  8
2.1.1 Social Network Theory  8
2.1.2 Social Network Analysis 9
2.2 Knowledge Network  14
2.2.1 Intra and inter knowledge network  14
2.2.2 Transfer  17
2.2.3 Sharing  17
2.2.4 Creation 19
2.3 Knowledge management  20
2.4 Innovative Network  22
2.4.1 Diffusion of innovation 23
2.5 Performance  25
2.6 Apple Inc. . 26
3. Hypothesis development  29
4. Methodology  35
4.1 Sample: Snowball network  35
4.2 Designs  36
4.3 Statistical methods 37
4.3.1 Descriptive analysis  37
4.3.2 Pearson correlation analysis  37
4.3.3 Regression analysis  38
4.3.4 Social network Analysis-Degree, between and close centrality 38
4.3.5 Analysis tools 38
4.4 Variables and Data Collection 40
4.4.1 Independent Variables:  40
4.4.2 Dependent Variables  42
5. Data analysis  46
5.1 Descriptive Statistics  46
5.2 Correlations  49
5.3 Regressions 53
5.4 Hypothesis results  74
6. Conclusion 79
6.1 Discussion and conclusion  79
6.2 Suggestions 85
6.3 Limitations 87
References  89

List of Table
Table 1. Descriptive statistics  46
Table 2. Correlation matrix 49
Table 3. Summary of regressions of intra- and inter- firm network on firm performance 53
Table 4. Summary of regressions of intra- and inter- firm network on firm innovation 54
Table 5. Hypothesis 1 and 2 Testing 55
Table 6. Summary of regressions of social network centrality on firm performance56
Table 7. Summary of regressions of social network centrality on firm innovation 57
Table 8. Hypothesis 3 and 4 Testing  58
Table 9. Summary of regressions of intra-and-inter firm network on social network centrality 59
Table 10. Hypothesis 5 Testing  60
Table 11-1. Summary of regressions of intra-firm network and degree centrality on firm performance 61
Table 11-2. Summary of regressions of intra-firm network and between centrality on firm performance 62
Table 11-3. Summary of regressions of intra-firm network and close centrality on firm performance 63
Table 12-1. Summary of regressions of inter-firm network and degree centrality on firm performance 64
Table 12-2. Summary of regressions of inter-firm network and between centrality on firm performance 65
Table 12-3. Summary of regressions of inter-firm network and close centrality on firm performance 66
Table 13-1. Summary of regressions of intra-firm network and degree centrality on firm innovation  67
Table 13-2. Summary of regressions of intra-firm network and between centrality on firm innovation 68
Table 13-3. Summary of regressions of intra-firm network and close centrality on firm innovation 69
Table 14-1. Summary of regressions of inter-firm network and degree centrality on firm innovation 70
Table 14-2. Summary of regressions of inter-firm network and between centrality on firm innovationn71
Table 14-3. Summary of regressions of inter-firm network and close centrality on firm innovation 72
Table 15. Hypothesis 6 to 9 Testing  73
Table 16. All hypothesis testing results 74

List of Figure
Figure 1. Research framework  7
Figure 2. Example of in-degree and out-degree 12
Figure 3. Hypothesis Framework 34
Figure 4. Whole network  75
Figure 5. Degree centrality network 76
Figure 6. Between centrality network 77
Figure 7. Close centrality network 78

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