ESSAYS ON INTERORGANISATIONAL CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE : Case of Logistics Nets and Networks

Abstract

There has been growing interest recently to study and analyse networks, both among academics and practitioners. As firms, such as logistics service providers, become more global, it has been realized that success does not depend simply on the performance of individual companies, but rather in the collective performance of all the actors engaged in the networks. In logistics, Demand- Supply Chain Management (DSCM) has traditionally dominated the research work and discussion. In this publication the conventional approach is challenged. In contrast to DSCM, networks are understood mainly as sets of diverse relationships between various actors. In every interorganisational network there are tendencies towards co-operation but also for forces that are harmful, even destructive for collaboration. There is a need to elicit these elements from an analytical point of view. The essays of this book discuss and analyse interorganisational convergence and divergence using mainly logistic networks as the application area. Transportation systems and supply networks are mainly under consideration. Due to its versatile nature, the book can give new mindsets for scholars and practitioners approaching and studying interorganisational relationships and networks in other contexts as well.