Extending the Business Network Approach (eBook)

Peter Thilenius is Professor of Business Studies at Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests include business relationships in various fields of marketing and international business, and his recent projects have focused upon the impact of information technology on an industrial setting, and the internationalisation of banks.Cecilia Pahlberg is Professor of Business Studies at Uppsala University, Sweden where she conducts research within international business and marketing. Her current research focuses on the impact of socio-political actors on multinationals in emerging markets, competition and cooperation in business relationships, the development of IB, and the business network approach as a scientific field. Virpi Havila is Professor of Business Studies at Uppsala University, Sweden. Her research interests include mergers and acquisitions, management of project ending, and ending/reactivating business-to-business relationships. She has published in journals that include Industrial Marketing Management, International Marketing Review, Journal of Management Studies, and Journal of Strategic Marketing.            

Acknowledgements 8
Contents 10
List of Figures 14
List of Tables 16
Notes on Contributors 18
Part I: Introduction 25
1: Approaching and Extending Business Networks—An Agenda for  New Research Challenges 26
Introduction 26
Approaching Business Networks 29
Extending Business Networks 32
New Directions 34
New Territories 35
New Technologies 36
New Terms 37
New Times 39
An Agenda for New Research Challenges 39
Bibliography 40
2: The Emergence of the Business Network Approach 43
An Old Phenomenon Attracting Current Research Interest 43
Some Early Contributions 46
The Uppsala Research 48
The Core Business Network Research Field 51
Concluding Remarks 54
Acknowledgements This research has been supported by a grant from the Swedish Research Council (Grant (324-2009-6717). 55
Bibliography 55
Part II: New Territories 61
3: From Anonymity to Identity: Network Transformation in Economies and Industries in Transition from Plan to Market 62
Introduction 62
The Concept of Networks 63
Institutional Changes 65
The Nature of Networks in Planned Economies 66
Hierarchical Structure 66
Static Networks 67
Anonymous Firms 69
Summary 69
Movements Towards a New Network Logic 70
From Hierarchy to Mutuality 71
Movement to Collision of Plans 71
Movement to Mutuality 72
From Static Networks to Stable Networks 73
Movement to Turbulent Networks 73
Movement to Stable Networks 74
From Anonymity to Identity 76
Movement to Discovery 76
Movement to Identity 77
Discussion 79
Bibliography 82
4: Extending the Role of Consumers: From Marketing Targets to Participants in Business Networks 88
Introduction 88
Extending the Business Network Approach: The Empirical Exploration 90
Business Representative Perspectives 90
Consumer Perspectives 93
Infomediaries: User Forums and Price Comparison Sites 94
Manufacturers: For Example, Apple, Samsung 96
Retailers’ Online Stores: For Example, MediaMarkt, Amazon 96
Features and Applications 97
Knowledge and Experience 98
Trustworthiness 99
Concluding Discussion: From End User to an Active Network Participant 100
Bibliography 102
5: The Role of NGOs in Business Networks: Partnership in Innovation 104
Introduction 104
Incorporating the Non-business Actors in the Business Network 106
Method 109
The Empirical Setting 110
The Buses of Brazil: Connectivity–Transport Solution in Curitiba 110
The Project Outcome 112
Analysis and Discussion 113
Competencies and Resources 114
Conclusion and Implications 115
Bibliography 116
6: Why Expatriates’ Private Relations Matter 119
Introduction 119
Theoretical Foundation 120
The Social Networks of Expatriate Managers 120
A Model of Private-Relation Development 122
The Russian Context 123
Method 124
Research Design 124
Data Collection 125
Empirical Findings 126
Case 1: CEO of a Swedish Recruiting Company 126
Case 2: Corporate Relationship Manager in a Swedish Bank 127
Case 3: CEO of a Swedish Automotive Company 128
Case 4: CEO of a Swedish Advertising Company 129
Case 5: Partner in a Swedish Law Firm 130
Analysis 131
Creation 131
Use 132
Outcomes 132
Conclusions and Implications 133
A Revised Model of Private-Relation Development 133
Appendix 136
Bibliography 139
7: The Internationalisation of Swedish Banks and Their Business Networks: Push Versus Pull Strategies 141
Introduction 141
Internationalisation of Banks 143
Method 146
Three Examples of Swedish Banks Expansion Abroad 147
Nordea Enters Poland 147
Volvo Chooses SEB Instead of Handelsbanken 148
MAN Attracts Handelsbanken and the  Business Network Reacts 150
Discussion and Conclusions 151
Bibliography 155
Part III: New Technologies 158
8: Digitalisation and Service Innovation: The Intermediating Role of Platforms 159
Introduction 159
The Platform Concept 160
One Company’s Perspective: Intermediating in Practice 161
Notes on Method 163
An Empirical Case Illustrating Intermediation and Platform-Based Innovation 164
The Connected Vehicle 164
Intermediaries, Intermediation and Processes of Intermediating 166
The Intermediaries and Intermediation Concepts 166
The Role of Technical Platforms (and Devices) as New Intermediaries 168
Intermediating as a Dynamic Network Process 168
The Transformative Role of Intermediating 169
Concluding Discussion and Suggestions for Further Research 171
The Intermediation Concept: From Intermediation to Intermediating 172
Further Conceptual Research 173
Bibliography 174
9: Innovation Through Interaction for Bathroom Suppliers 177
Introduction 177
Literature on Customer Involvement 178
Room328 AB: A Web 3.0 Platform 180
Method 181
Customer Involvement and Use of the  Interactive Platform in Room328 182
An Intervention to Inform Regarding the Interaction Potential of Web 3.0 Technology 187
Prototyping Innovation by Interaction 188
Conclusions and Implications 190
Bibliography 191
10: Integration of Information Technology in Business Relationships: Implications for the Extended Network 195
Introduction 195
Theoretical Background 197
Model and Method 198
Results and Discussion 200
Information Exchange, Commitment and Change 201
Adaptation and the Pace of IT Change 203
Cooperation in a Mutual Relationship 204
Conclusions 206
Bibliography 207
11: Information System Providers in Business-Relationship Triads 210
Introduction 210
Theoretical Background 212
IS-Providers in Business Relationship Triads 214
Method 216
Four IS-Providers and a Firm’s Customer 217
Esystems and the ERP System 217
Decidor and Qlikview 218
Phonia and the IP-Telephony 219
Infrate, the Email, the Intranet and All Machines 219
Analysis 220
Conclusions and Managerial Implications 222
Bibliography 224
12: A Search and Deliberation Framework for Understanding Consumers’ Foreign Online Purchasing 228
Introduction 228
Search and Deliberation 231
Consumer Purchases from Three Types of Foreign Online Vendors 233
Active Online Internationalisation 234
Partial Online Internationalisation 234
Default Online Internationalisation 234
Consumer Foreign Online Purchasing— A Search and Deliberation Framework 235
Discussion and Propositions 237
Future Research and Limitations 240
Bibliography 241
13: Found in Translation? On the Transfer of Technological Knowledge from Science to Industry 243
Introduction 243
The Use of Knowledge from Science in Industry 245
Transfer of Knowledge 246
Method 251
Transferring or Translating Knowledge— The CERN Case 252
CERN’s Interaction with Ericsson Network Technologies 253
Case Analysis and Discussion 256
Conclusions and Implications 257
Bibliography 259
Part IV: New Terms 262
14: Strategising in Coopetitive Networks 263
Introduction 263
Integrating Strategy-as-Practice and Coopetition 265
Defining Coopetition Strategy from a Practice Approach 265
Coopetitive Strategising from a  Business Network Approach 266
Coopetitive Strategising at the Intra- and Inter-­organisational Levels 268
The Deliberate and Emergent Nature of Coopetitive Strategising in Networks 269
Coopetition as a Deliberate Practice 270
Coopetition as an Emergent Practice 273
Coopetition as a Deliberate and Emergent Practice 274
Conclusions and Implications 276
Bibliography 277
15: From Business Remains to  Reactivated Relationships 282
Introduction 282
‘Between’ Termination and Reactivation 284
Relationship Aftermath Stage 284
Business Remains—What Are They? 285
Method 287
The Mining Company and the Time ‘Between’ Termination and Reactivation of Relationships 289
Business Remains Visible When Mining Business Was Resumed 290
Business Remains in Physical Artefacts and Archives 291
Individual Memories of Relationship Remains 291
Concluding Remarks 293
Bibliography 294
16: Learning by Lobbying: The Role of Networking in Banks’ Interpretation and Implementation of Accounting Standards 296
Introduction 296
Accounting Networking as an Arena for Learning and Lobbying 297
Method 299
Case Evidence 301
Empirical Background—The Banking Sector in Sweden 301
The Environment—A World of Accounting Standards 302
Financial Accounting 303
Strategy and Management Control 304
The Role of Networking 307
Conclusions and Implications 309
Bibliography 311
17: Legitimacy in the Business Network Context 313
Introduction 313
The Concept of Legitimacy 314
Legitimacy from the Perspective of the Network Approach 316
Legitimating Process at Firm Level 317
Legitimating Processes at Relationship Level 318
Legitimating Processes at Network Context Level 320
Conclusions and Implications 321
Bibliography 324
18: Business Netquakes: Analysing Relatedness of Events in Dynamic Business Networks 327
Introduction 327
Business Network Dynamics 329
Time and the Relatedness of Events in Dynamic Business Networks 332
Relatedness of Events in Business Networks as a Manifest Phenomenon 332
Relatedness of Events in Business Networks as an Unobtrusive Phenomenon 334
Business Netquake: Outlining an Analytical Tool 336
Concluding Remarks 339
Bibliography 340
19: Exploring Ethics in Business Networks: Propositions for Future Research 344
Introduction 344
A Theoretical Grounding of Ethical Behaviour in Business Networks 347
Ethics in Relationship and Network Studies 347
Ethical Behaviour in Exchange Relationships 348
Significance of Ethical Behaviour for Business Networks 351
Networks as an Arena for Ethical Concerns 351
Nature of Exchange Forming a Rationale for Ethical Behaviour 352
Propositions for Future Research on Ethical Behaviour in Business Networks 354
Theme 1: Ethical Climate and Conflicts in a Network 354
Theme 2: Embeddedness of Economic Action in Societal and Social Layers 356
Theme 3: Creating Value with Ethical Behaviour 358
Theme 4: The Role and Manifestations of Ethical Behaviour in Different Types of Business Network 359
Conclusion and Implications 361
Bibliography 363
Part V: New Times 368
20: ‘Tic-Toc-Tic-Toc’: Thoughts on the Tempo of Business Network Extension 369
Introduction 369
Business Network Extension: Where Does It Come From? 371
A Perception of Extension: The Early Inspiration 372
Identity and Extension: The Early Development 375
Crystallisation and Extension 379
Concluding Remarks 382
Bibliography 385
Erratum to: Digitalisa? on and Service Innova? on:The Intermedia? ng Role of Pla? orms 386
Index 387