Abstract:From the perspective of knowledge complementarity, a model of complex product R&D network formation has been built by identifying the relationship between task decomposition, cooperation mode and the knowledge complementarity between enterprises. The paper reveals how the degree of task decomposition and cooperation mode influences the formation of complex product R&D network by numerical simulation method. The results show: In a complex product R&D network, enterprises’ behaviors of pursuing complementary knowledge contribute to the scale-free characteristics of the whole network. The network structure shows “chain-shape”, in which the team cooperative R&D network presents a “ring-chain” like structure, while the outsourcing network presents a “star-chain” structure. The degree of task decomposition has a significant impact on the network structure. The higher the degree of task decomposition, the larger the scale of the chain structure. The cooperation mode moderates the relationship between the degree of task decomposition and the network structure.