Paper info

Innovation, Collective Action and Network Positioning: A Case from the Automotive Industry

Alexandre Garrett, Carlos Brito and Catarina Roseira

The paper was published at the 25th IMP-conference in Marseille, France in 2009.

Cooperation in industrial networks is a key issue within the conceptual frameworkdeveloped by the IMP Group. Despite the existence of some studies, little attention hasbeen paid to collective action phenomena, i.e., cooperative movements involving asignificant number of actors. In this regard, the concept of issue-based net is likely toopen new avenues in this front. This paper takes one-step further and aims to achievethree objectives. Firstly, to understand the emergence of issue-based nets created to coinnovatein order solve a positioning problem of the actors involved. Secondly, to shedlight in the role that capabilities are likely to assume in the collective action process.Thirdly, to expose how networking capabilities may hinder the possibility of turninginnovative products into effective business value.