Authors: Cristina Baptista; Joao Mota; Luis de Castro
Abstract
In the context of industrial networks, firms are seen as actors inserted or embedded in networks of relationships, directly and indirectly connected. In a recent paper, some authors suggested that networks, or parts thereof, might be usefully classified according to the degree of (in)determinacy of the value systems in which participating firms deliberately involve themselves and the degree of innovation strategically sought, from current to renewal to emerging business nets (Möller and Svahn, 2006 Möller and Rajala, 2007). By revisiting the permeability of firms’ boundaries from a capabilities perspective, the paper suggest that generative relationships, as particular combinations of capabilities with the potential to create new artifacts, capabilities, perspectives or even actors (Lane et al, 1996 Eneroth and Malm, 2001), may operate, despite their low visibility, even in the so called current nets. It is also suggested that parts of networks, or nets, may differ in their prevalence of generative relationships thus suggesting the presence of different degrees of indeterminacy.
Keywords: generative relationships – innovation in networks – business interfaces – value nets
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Conference: Glasgow, Scotland (2011)