The varying organizational arrangements between firms - `networks'- are a growing field of study for economics and sociologists. Whether described as strategic alliances, trading networks, joint ventures, or regarded as a product of industry structure or local conditions, they are seen as aform of economic co-ordination distinct from archetypal ideas of firms and markets. The purpose of this collection - with contributions from European and American scholars - is to blend empirical research with conceptual discussion of networks under three main headings: Resource Flows, Mutual Expectations, and Information Flows. The contributors come from varying backgrounds: organization studies, economics, business history, marketing, and information systems. Together they are concerned with when, why, and how firms engage in inter-organizational networking, rather than relying on arms-length market relations or in-houseprocurement. | The Formation of Inter-Organizational Networks by Mark Ebers, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters