Team assembly mechanisms determine collaboration network structure and team performance.” Science 308

Agents in creative enterprises are embedded in networks that inspire, support, and evaluate their work. Here, we investigate how the mechanisms by which creative teams self-assemble determine the structure of these collaboration networks. We propose a model for the self-assembly of creative teams that has its basis in three parameters: team size, the fraction of newcomers in new productions, and the tendency of incumbents to repeat previous collaborations. The model suggests that the emergence of a large connected community of practitioners can be described as a phase transition. We find that team assem-bly mechanisms determine both the structure of the collaboration network and team performance for teams derived from both artistic and scientific fields. Teams are assembled because of the need to incorporate individuals with different ideas, skills, and resources. Creativity is spurred when proven innovations in one domain are introduced into a new domain, solving ol