Advantages of Joining a Network of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES): National (Brazil) versus International Literature Review

Abstract

The main goal of the paper is to map the main studies, published in the national and international literature, on SMEs networks in order to consolidate the different views on the advantages of joining a network of companies. For this purpose, it was selected by means of a structured process, a Bibliographic portfolio (BP). This study of descriptive and bibliographic character concluded that the shown advantages by researchers, in both contexts, are congruent and complementary - gains in the managerial aspects, joint development of new products, cost reduction, access to new markets, access to specialized workers - and important for the improvement of the SMEs competitiveness. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]