The interaction of global networks in their evolutions: A longitudinal case study

Abstract

Based on a longitudinal study of two companies, this paper investigates the evolution of manufacturing, supply, and strategic networks and suggests it can be viewed as a long-term, stepwise, expansive, iterative and interactive process and thereby, can be called “interactive evolution of constructs and networks”. It is further found that the evolution of plants and manufacturing networks is more closely linked with the evolution of suppliers and supply networks, and vice versa; the evolution of JVs and strategic networks can be linked with the evolutions of plants/suppliers and manufacturing/supply networks, but depending on the purposes behind the establishment of JVs. Finally, this paper proposes short-term and long-term solutions to manage different networks holistically.