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The purpose of this paper is to compare the development dynamics of two business networks initially created to promote the internationalization of its members. Wines of Brasil – a Brazilian wineries network – was established in 2002 and remains active, while Vitrocristal (VtC) – a Portuguese network of glass producers – was established in 1994 and is already closed.

Data were collected from 14 interviews, with network managers and representatives of companies with different sizes and participation times. Information obtained was compared with the life cycle model of Wegner et al. (2015) and enabled the authors to understand the dynamic development of each network and its current stage in the life cycle.

The results allowed the authors to describe the development pattern of both business networks, showing that the Brazilian network is in the consolidation stage while the Portuguese one finished its activities in 2007 after a period of financial constraints due to the end of governmental support.

The comparison of the two cases shows that the experience of the Portuguese business network may be useful for networks in emerging markets, as it displays several difficulties that the management of such networks may face during their life cycle.

This study provides a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the dynamics of change in business networks. The cases confirm the life cycle stages proposed by Wegner et al. (2015) and shed more light on the development process of business networks, by describing how exogenous variables such as public support may affect cooperation.

This study aims to analyze the dynamics of the institutional change and institutional stability undergone by strategic networks (SNs) in the pharmaceutical industry.

The authors performed a case study with four Brazilian SNs which followed different patterns of institutional change and institutional stability. Twenty network managers and network members from the pharmaceutical industry were interviewed, and documents were analyzed.

The results show how and why institutions changed or remained the same. More specifically, exogenous shocks can negatively impact the competitive environment influencing institutional change in SNs. Moreover, endogenous shocks may prevent institutional change and stimulate institutional stability. Continuous interaction between institutions and SNs is the key to institutional change, especially if public and private policies are considered a source of political institutions.

Research has highlighted the endogenous influence of SNs on firms in selecting their partners and arranging their positions in the SNs, but little attention has been paid to how SNs themselves respond to institutions or promote institutional change. This study explains how and why change fails at the network level, additionally pinpointing the main sources of the institutional change and inertia in SNs. As such, network members may use different strategies to stimulate institutional change or stability according to their interests.

Few studies have analysed how to actively manage strategic networks (SNs) to achieve individual and collective goals and create value. This paper aims to examine the influence of network management on the value created by SNs and the mediation role of resources and relationship quality.

The authors distributed a survey to 126 companies linked to SNs in the Brazilian information and communication technology sector. This study tested the hypothesized relationships using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

This study found that network management directly influences value creation. Furthermore, the exchange and combination of resources mediate the relationship between the two constructs. Surprisingly, the quality of the relationships does not mediate the relationship between management and the value created. However, it positively impacts the exchange and combination of complementary resources.

This study provides a new interpretation of the determinants of value creation in SNs. The results contribute to the theory by demonstrating that the relationship between network management and value creation is strengthened when the exchange and combination of resources between network participants occur. In turn, these are positively influenced by the quality of relationships established in the network, thus providing a new interpretation of the determinants of value creation in SNs.

Although the governance and management of networks are deeply intertwined, there is a lack of empirical studies on how strategic networks (SNs) configure both realities for higher performance. This paper aims to analyze the array of governance and management sets adopted by high-performing SNs.

The authors bridge the research gap by using qualitative comparative analysis on the governance (decision-making process, formalization, specialization, incentives and control) and management (strategy, structure, processes and leadership) dimensions of 73 Brazilian SNs.

The authors found that high-performing SNs adopt one of two governance/management configurations. “Piloted SNs” rely on specialized working teams, have structured decision-making processes and avoid using incentives. Conversely, “atomized SNs” run on incentives and control while eschewing specialization and rigid decision-making procedures. The authors also found that both configurations adopt formal procedures and leverage all four management dimensions.

The study’s results offer pathways for SNs to increase their performance and attract new members, as well as insights into the theory of SN governance.

This paper aims to analyze the influence of governance mechanisms in the generation of relational rents for supplier in short food supply chains (SFSCs).

This study used data from a survey of 181 organic producers in SFSCs, using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with the aid of the SmartPLS® 3 software for the analysis.

The results show the relationship between formal and informal governance mechanisms and relational rents. The predominance of informal mechanisms enabled a higher explanatory power than that provided by formal governance mechanisms. Further, the authors found that the complementary use of governance mechanisms has a stronger impact on generating relational rents. However, contextual factors such as relationship time, power asymmetry and uncertainty in demand have not shown any influence on governance mechanisms for generating relational rents.

The result sheds new light on the relevance of governance mechanisms to foster relational rents to suppliers in SFSCs. It also shows that contextual factors that affect relationships in traditional supply chains do not play a relevant role in SFSCs due to their specific characteristics.

The importance of government policies in the formation and development of strategic networks has been widely recognized. Many countries have designed specific government policies with the aim to support network creation. However, the influence of these different government policies on the development process of strategic networks has never been considered so far. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how different government policies influence the development process of strategic networks.

This research uses a multiple case study design with a descriptive and processual case study approach. The study compares two strategic networks where different government policies have been implemented: on the one hand, policies aimed to promote networking through the support of trade association and the design of specific laws; on the other hand, public policies providing financial support for network development.

The comparative analysis of two networks shows how the different activities along the development process are carried out based on the different support received, and it highlights that financing network creation and exerting a control function is not enough to stimulate network development and sustain its success.

Considering the limited generalizability of this exploratory study because of the analysis of two cases, future studies with a larger number of strategic networks can expand the understanding of the effects of different types of public support for network development.

The results contribute to make entrepreneurs and public bodies aware of the importance of a managerial support to strategic networks’ development. The authors provide a series of evidences to academics and practitioners regarding how the development process of strategic networks may be shaped depending on the different government support they receive.

The value of this contribution lies in demonstrating the influence of different government policies in the development process of strategic networks, which has not been investigated yet, despite the great attention governments are devoting to networking.

Based on the growing interest devoted to knowledge management (KM) in inter-organizational contexts, the purpose of this paper is to systematize existing literature and understand how it developed over time, thus tracing its roots and evolution to unveil gaps and suggest new promising areas for future research.

This study used bibliographic techniques to analyze a sample of 85 studies along three main periods (1998-2010, 2011-2014 and 2015-2019). In particular, this study focused on co-occurrences of keywords to identify the most dominant themes, as well as connections among these themes.

Overall, the review shows the main outlets that have published papers on the topic of KM in inter-organizational contexts, as well as the theoretical background this research builds on. The temporal analysis exhibits the core topics that have persisted and grown consistently over time as the links between KM, innovation and networks. In addition, the review highlights new emerging themes, such as the human and social side of KM, and new interesting contexts of study (e.g. coopetition and open/user innovation), which opens exciting avenues for new research opportunities.

This study illustrates the conceptual structure of the field in three distinct periods and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the key topics and their interrelatedness within the area of KM in inter-organizational contexts. Both researchers and practitioners can profit from the study because it reveals consolidated topics while identifying areas that still need to be investigated to foster KM in inter-organizational settings.

This study aims to perform a meta-analysis about network capabilities (NCs) and how they influence firm performance. Previous studies present distinct results regarding this relationship due to samples, cultural and contextual differences.

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 33 papers published between 2008 and 2019.

The results contribute to theory and practice by (1) synthesizing previous research, testing the relationship between NCs and firm performance; (2) confirming the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on NCs; (3) showing how contextual variables affect the relationship between NCs and firm performance; (4) suggesting that NCs moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance.

Furthermore, the authors also offer managerial implications. Firms should consider investing in developing NCs to foster performance. Moreover, the contextual variables we investigated show that firms in specific contexts may experience a higher relevance of their NCs for firm performance.

This meta-analysis contributes to the management literature by offering a set of empirical generalizations, including relationship direct, mediation and moderation effects about network capabilities.

Although a body of studies investigates how networking capabilities (NCs) form and maintain interorganizational relationships that affect firm performance, little is known about this relationship in crisis contexts. This article explores managers' perceptions of environmental uncertainties and how this perception influences NC development and subsequent firm performance, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

The authors used a quantitative research approach to complete this objective, utilizing primary data from a survey of North American firms (N = 212), mostly (62.3%) small- and medium-sized. Data were analyzed via the partial least squares structural equation modeling technique.

The authors found that managers' perception of environmental uncertainties positively impacts the NCs to initiate and develop relationships, which is associated with better firm performance during crises. The capability to initiate and develop relationships supports the firm's access to relevant resources that may be converted into business performance.

By analyzing managers' perceptions of environmental uncertainties and the development of NCs, the study results expand upon previous research by highlighting that starting new relationships and developing existing ones may be an efficient managerial response immediately after a crisis occurs.