Alliance Network Structure and Competitiveness: Retrospective and Prospectus

This chapter summarizes the results and managerial takeaways from an ongoing research program into the evolution of strategic networks in the global steel industry. We first describe our motivation and approach, including the unique steel industry database on which the empirical results are based; then present a concise summary of the key managerial take-aways from previously published studies that have emerged from the program, especially stressing the role of structure-reinforcing and structure-loosening industry events; outline the early results from an ongoing study of network evolution; and finally, discuss the managerial implications of the evolution study for the management of alliance networks.