ABSTRACT
We are interested here in the "network of firms", i.e., in industrial structures linked with horizontal agreements (unlike the "firm network" made of vertical agreements and managed by a focal firm). Those networks are made of independent firms virtually linked together to achieve a goal. Different types of network can be identified according to the nature of the relations that federate their members, for example:
• Purchasing network - economies of scale for purchases and supplies,
• Production network - j oint production, • New market oriented network - sharing new business services to
increase turn over, • Quality certification network - sharing quality experts to obtain
ISO 9000 certification, • Data exchange standardization network - constructing and adopting
common norms to exchange data,
It is noted that these types of network are not mutually exclusive. For example, a group may correspond at the same time to a production network and a purchasing network. In that context, our research specially addresses SME networks. SME networks are particular because the shareholder and the manager of a SME is often the same person. For this reason, each partner of a SME's network usually acts so as to preserve strongly its independence within the group.
