The questions for this study are: 1. What are networks? 2. How do networks work? These questions are answered by means of two different investigations. The first is chiefly theoretical and the second is primarily empirical. The theoretical investigation begins with an examination of four different concepts of networks used in social research: network as a perspective, network as a phenomenon, network as a research method and network as a method for development. The concept is then further investigated on three levels. On the first level, the parts of a network and the relationships between these parts are analysed. The second level focuses on the emergent properties of a network. The emergent properties refer to those irreducible features that make it a network, and that at the same time mark the difference between networks and other types of social entities (organizations, rituals etc.). Two such properties form the starting point for the examination, namely value-adding and diffusion. The third level of analysis places the network in relation to space and organization. This three level analysis is used throughout the thesis. In the empirical section, four cases of entrepreneurial networks are examined. The aim of the case studies is to identify the network and to study how the network works. What in the example is the network? How does the network work in the actual case? What does the network do? What properties can be assigned to the network and the way it works? Or, more comprehensively, from the examination of four cases of networks, what conclusions can be drawn about what networks are and how they function? From the case studies I have concluded that personal ties are fundamental to a network, and that the chains of production are a type of tie that may, but does not have to, occur when the network is activated in an entrepreneurial context. For the entrepreneurs and their enterprises, the social exchange has no value in itself, but if it can add value, for example as a lubricant in coordinating production chains, it fulfils an important purpose. I have also concluded that what makes an entrepreneurial network a network is not the coordination of production chains, but the personal relationships that manage these chains. Thus it is not the coordination itself, but the way of coordinating that is of importance. Networks can be found in structures of many different types of ties, but for the emergent properties to emerge there has to be a structure of personal ties at the core. I have assumed that a network is not a method or a perspective, but a social entity with certain properties. The investigation has provided support for this assumption. There is extensive research on SME networks, industrial districts and value-adding chains that shows that networks in production contexts form social constellations with their own distinctive features and ways of working. The relationship between networks and space is temporary, but not essential. Networks can be bound to places, but they do not have to be. An important structural difference between organizations and networks is that networks are formed of separate units that cooperate, while organizations form a single unit that may, but does not have to be characterized by cooperation. The most important conclusion from the comparison of organizations and networks is that these concepts together provide a better explanation of the case studies than either of the concepts alone. To understand and explain the complex social interplay that occurs in the case studies, it is a great advantage to use networks and organizations as concepts for different social entities with different properties and different ways of working.

Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to explore the impact that increased availability of digital distribution has on physical distribution. The focus is on the effects that digital distribution has on the value creating processes of game developers with regard to distribution alternatives, strategic networks and consumer interaction. Additionally we examine if there is a future for physical distribution of games in an increasingly digital market. Background: It is estimated that only the online gaming market alone will turn over more than $13 billion in 2013. In terms of market potential this means that video gaming has already surpassed the movie industry and is closing in on the music industry (Jöckel, Will & Schwarzer, 2008). Digital distribution is gaining ground in the game industry (Cook, 2012), and access to high-speed internet connectivity is also increasing at a rapid pace. This creates a choice for game developers to adapt their strategies to the new ways of distribution. The previous view of the market was a linear value chain where developers must use intermediaries to reach an end consumer (Williams, 2002). The network dynamics appear to have changed, consumers have an impact on development and there are more complex interactions between the actors in order to generate better value. Method: The thesis uses an exploratory qualitative research method by conducting semi-structured interviews with developers on how the distribution channels have changed. Secondary data concerning the value chain, networks, and value constellations and was gathered to support the empirical background of the market. Conclusion: The value chain has been reconfigured from the classical value chain to a value constellation as increased online availability has changed the distribution possibilities allowing reciprocal relationships and user co-production as well as disintermedation of middle-hands. Value is created for the game developers through three different paths in our own value constellation: portals, direct sales homepage, and through publisher. In all three paths consumers play an important role through user participation in the value creation through user created content and user feedback through community and fan-base activities.. Our conclusion is that the future of physical distribution in the current format is threatened by digital alternatives, and will likely be discontinued in the long run and/or radically changed to include more physical value adding content.

[pt] Esta pesquisa procurou responder ao seguinte problema: Que fatores os executivos devem levar em conta nas suas decisões relativas à avaliação das implicações estratégicas pertinentes à virtualização das alianças e redes de relacionamento estabelecidas entre as empresas e seus parceiros de negócio? Como o fenômeno estava em formação no ambiente empresarial a pesquisa foi necessariamente exploratória. A metodologia aplicada foi pós-positivista, utilizando-se simultaneamente dos métodos hipotético- dedutivo e indutivo. A partir do referencial teórico estudado, desenvolveu-se um arcabouço de trabalho contendo os aspectos relativos à virtualização dos relacionamentos com parceiros de negócio, a saber, os direcionadores e atributos da virtualidade, e a tipologia de redes estratégicas virtuais - REVs. Este arcabouço foi aplicado previamente em dois estudos de caso pilotos nas empresas Neoris e GM-Fiat WWP e, após os ajustes nos instrumentos de coleta, em três outros estudos de caso: Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, Telemar e AmBev. Nas etapas subseqüentes da pesquisa, múltiplos métodos foram adotados para a captura de dados: investigação documental e telematizada, levantamento das percepções (survey) com os diretores das diferentes empresas. Os resultados obtidos por meio dos estudos de caso evidenciaram que, de fato, o arcabouço teórico proposto na pesquisa tinha o potencial de contribuir ao fornecimento de subsídios para a tomada de decisão estratégica de empresas que integram redes de relacionamentos, ao ajudá-las, não só a identificar, mas principalmente a influenciar as condições que permitam estabelecer uma participação mais efetiva nos diferentes tipos de REVs possíveis. / [en] The research portrayed in this Doctoral Dissertation was designed to search an answer for the following problem: What factors and dimensions should the executives take into consideration on their decisions regarding the strategic implications related to the virtualization of strategic alliances and networks? Since the study`s object of analysis was a new phenomenon in the business environment that does not yet have an accepted theoretical tradition in the academic world, the research was, necessarily, an exploratory one. The methodology applied was post-positivist, using simultaneously the hypotheticdeductive and inductive methods. Based on the literature investigated, a working framework was developed containing the aspects regarding the virtualization of the relationships with business partners: the virtualization drivers and attributes, and a typology of virtual strategic networks (VSNs). This framework was previously tested in two pilot cases studies: Neoris and GM- Fiat WWP. After the necessary adjustments on the data collections instruments, the framework was applied on the other three research case studies: Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, Telemar e AmBev. On the subsequent research steps, multiple methods were adopted for the data collection. The results obtained by way of the case studies showed that, indeed, the working framework had the potential to contribute with subsidies for the strategic decisions involved, not only in the identification, but mainly in the creation of conditions that influence a more effective participation of firms on the different types of VSNs.

[pt] Esta dissertação de mestrado tem como objetivo compartilhar os resultados de uma investigação sobre as implicações estratégicas das alianças e redes de relacionamento estabelecidas no setor de downstream, área de distribuição de combustíveis, no Brasil, um dos que apresenta maior faturamento e que mais arrecada impostos no país. Primeiro, apresentamos fundamentos teóricos pertinentes à pesquisa sobre alianças e redes estratégicas, inclusive tipologias de alianças, além das teorias sobre a capacidade destas em alavancar as oportunidades e neutralizar as ameaças no nível da indústria. Além disso, foram considerados modelos conceituais e outras ferramentas para conduzir análises estratégicas pela ótica relacional, ou seja, no que se refere às alianças e redes formadas por estas. Em seguida, de acordo com a metodologia de estudo de caso de Yin, adotamos a estratégia de triangulação dos métodos. Assim, dados foram coletados por meio de investigação documental, levantamento de percepções do tipo survey e, em alguns casos, observação participativa. Com os resultados obtidos no âmbito do estudo de casos múltiplos, evidenciamos que a análise na ótica relacional, que leva em conta as implicações estratégicas das redes nas quais as empresas atuam, agrega valor às análises tradicionais, contribuindo com novos insights para a tomada de decisão estratégica dessas empresas. / [en] This master`s dissertation has the objective of sharing the results of an investigation about the strategic implications of alliances and relationship networks established in the downstream sector, fuel distribution area, in Brazil, which earns the highest revenues and pays the highest taxes. First, we present theoretical issues pertinent to the research on alliances and strategic networks, including alliances typologies, in addition to theories on the capacities of these alliances to leverage opportunities and neutralize industry level threats. Besides that, it was considered conceptual models and other tools to conduct strategic analysis through the relational view, that is, related to the alliances and networks constituted by these. Following that, in accordance with Yin`s case study methodology, a strategic triangulation of methods was adopted. Therefore, data was collected through documental investigation, surveys of management perception and, in some cases, participative observation. With the results attained in the ambit of multiple case-studies, it was evidenced that the relational view, that is the one which takes into account strategic implications from the networks, adds value to traditional analysis, contributing with new insights on the strategic decision making of these companies.

[pt] Embora as atividades de fusões e aquisições (F&A) remontem ao final do século XVIII e início do século XIX, como conseqüência da Revolução Industrial, é possível verificar que as transações registradas nos anos 1990 possuem um caráter distinto do observado em décadas precedentes, em função da sua intensidade, da magnitude dos valores e dos setores envolvidos. Embora a indústria de minério de ferro seja bastante madura e tradicional, observou-se nos últimos anos um expressivo volume de operações de F&A, as quais modificaram sensivelmente sua estrutura. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar os processos de F&A realizados pela Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD), líder mundial deste setor, verificando se os mesmos estão adequados à sua estratégia competitiva. A partir da utilização da metodologia de estudo de caso com triangulação de métodos, os dados da pesquisa foram coletados por meio de investigação documental/telematizada e de levantamentos de percepções com auxílio de questionário predominantemente estruturado e de entrevistas, sendo posteriormente tratados com métodos quantitativos e qualitativos. A interpretação e análise dos dados basearam-se no referencial teórico, fundamentado em revisão de literatura pertinente à área de estudo, com auxílio do modelo genérico integrativo de Macedo-Soares, em suas versões tradicional e relacional. Os resultados da pesquisa evidenciaram uma adequação entre os objetivos estratégicos explicitados pela empresa, permitindo valorizar suas forças e eliminando fraquezas da organização, de modo a potencializar oportunidades e minimizar ameaças do seu ambiente competitivo. Como recomendação resultante da pesquisa, sugere-se a realização de novos trabalhos enfocando os principais concorrentes da CVRD, os quais igualmente passaram por processos de F&A, assim como para seus clientes, os atores principais da indústria siderúrgica. / [en] Although mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity date from the end of the eighteenth and beginning of nineteenth century, as a consequence of the Industrial Revolution, it is clear that the transactions that took place in the 1990s have a distinct character to the ones observed in preceding decades, due to their intensity, the magnitude of the values and sectors involved. Substantial amount of M&A activity took place in the iron ore industry in the last few years, which modified its structure significantly. The objective of this study is to analyze the processes of M&A conducted by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD), worldwide leader of this industry, in order to verify the adequacy for competitive strategy. With the help of case study methodology and the triangulation of methods strategy, data was collected by way of documental / telematic investigations as well as a survey and in-depth interviews. Data interpretation and analysis were carried out in the light of the theoretical references which were established by the review of the literature, with the support Macedo-Soares`s systemic and integrative model in its traditional and relational versions. The study`s results suggest that there is indeed adequacy between the firm`s strategy, inasmuch as it enables to take advantage of environmental and relational opportunities while reducing pertinent threats, by capitalizing on the firm`s as well as its relationships` strengths and minimizing their weaknesses. In the conclusion, recommendations are made to conduct further studies focusing on the main competitors of CVRD that have also carried out M&A transactions, as well as on its customers - key strategic actors of the steel industry.

[pt] Com o cenário mundial da indústria de energia se tornando cada vez mais competitivo e conturbado, principalmente nos segmentos de petróleo e gás natural, o estabelecimento de alianças e redes estratégicas tornou-se uma porta de entrada para novos mercados e uma maneira de diversificação de portfólios e maximização da capacidade e do desempenho das empresas. O propósito desta dissertação é avaliar os impactos das redes e alianças na gestão estratégica da Área de Negócios Internacional da Petrobras-ANI, levando em conta o atual cenário econômico e as novas perspectivas do setor petrolífero mundial, após a Lei do petróleo brasileira nº 9.478 (1997) que desregulamentou o mercado petrolífero nacional e impulsionou a Petrobras a buscar de novos mercados no exterior. O estudo teve como foco a Petrobras, maior empresa do Brasil e décima segunda no ranking da indústria mundial de petróleo, devido ao seu processo de internacionalização e ao desafio de sustentar sua vantagem competitiva na esfera nacional por meio de alianças estratégica. Para o levantamento dos dados, a pesquisa utilizou-se de uma ampla base de dados pública, proveniente de órgãos reguladores, periódicos, sítios eletrônicos específicos do setor de energia, principalmente, o da própria Petrobras. Além desta investigação documental, o estudo também se baseou nas percepções dos principais executivos da ANI, que foram levantadas por meio de um levantamento cujo instrumento principal foi um questionário predominantemente estruturado. Para analisar as implicações estratégicas da atuação da Petrobras-ANI em redes e alianças, o presente estudo adotou um ferramental analítico desenvolvido por Macedo-Soares que inclui um arcabouço conceitual, listas de referência e uma metodologia de análise estratégica na perspectiva relacional, ou seja, pertinente aos relacionamentos da empresa e às redes formadas por estes. / [en] As the world energy scenario becomes more competitive and turbulent, especially in the case of the oil and gas industry, strategic alliances and networks have been increasingly established to enter new markets, diversify firm portfolio and maximize company`s capacity and performance. The objective of this dissertation is to evaluate the strategic implications of alliances and networks in the case of the International Unit of Petrobras, considering the current economic scenario and new perspectives for the world industry of oil and gas, after the institution of the Law 9.478 (1997) in Brazil, that opened the national oil and gas market and forced Petrobras into international markets. This study focuses on Petrobras, the largest Brazilian company and ranked 12nd among firms in the international energy industry, in greater part because of its internationalization process and desire to sustain its national competitive advantage, by way of strategic alliances. Data for the study was collected making use of a large public database from fiscal entities, daily newsletters and websites, especially from Petrobras. In addition to documental research and with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire, a survey helped collect data regarding the perceptions of Petrobras-ANI`s main executives` on the importance of alliances and networks for Petrobras-ANI`s strategy. The analysis of the strategic implications of Petrobras-ANI`s association in alliances for its businesses was conducted with the help of a set of analytical tools developed by Macedo-Soares to carry out strategic analysis from a relational perspective, i.e., taking into account firm relationships and the networks formed by these.

[pt] Na indústria de bebidas, como na grande maioria das indústrias no mundo, as empresas estão estabelecendo diversos tipos de alianças e até mesmo redes de relacionamentos estratégicos - para complementar ou suprir deficiências de seus recursos internos, reduzir riscos e sustentar sua vantagem competitiva. Portanto, é fundamental levar em conta o impacto das alianças e redes, ou seja, adotar a perspectiva relacional nas análises estratégicas destas empresas. Este trabalho tem como objetivo contribuir com as recentes pesquisas em redes estratégicas, visando expandir e complementar os modelos de análise estratégica tradicionais e desenvolver novos construtos pertinentes aos relacionamentos estratégicos e às redes que as empresas estabelecem - focalizando um tipo particular de redes de alianças : os sistemas de franquias empresariais ou franchising. Tem como objeto de estudo a rede de franqueados da Coca-Cola no Brasil, líder no mercado brasileiro de refrigerantes. É importante lembrar que a matriz da empresa central da rede - The Coca-Cola Company - é líder mundial da indústria de refrigerantes, com atuação em mais de 200 países. O estudo desta rede envolveu investigação documental, observação participante e um levantamento tipo survey. No caso deste último, utilizou-se um questionário semi-estruturado para capturar as percepções dos gestores das empresas que integram a rede de franqueados. Os dados foram analisados com base no referencial teórico, fundamentado em revisão da literatura, com auxílio de um ferramental para análise estratégica pela ótica relacional, proposto no âmbito da pesquisa maior na qual se insere este trabalho (Macedo-Soares 2002). Os resultados evidenciam novos subsídios relacionais para apoiar o planejamento estratégico das empresas sob estudo, complementares àqueles identificados por análises estratégicas tradicionais - confirmando a aplicabilidade do modelo de análise e ratificando a importância de se considerar as implicações das alianças/redes na agenda estratégica destas organizações. Dentre estes subsídios, destaca-se a identificação de oportunidades relacionais, associadas à integração dos parceiros da rede, de explorar sinergias no compartilhamento de recursos e custos que neutralizam ameaças tradicionais do macro-ambiente, notadamente as sócio-econômicas. / [en] In the beverage industry, in common with the majority of industries worldwide, firms are seeking alliances or even engaging in networks of strategic relationships - to complement or overcome shortcomings in internal resources, reduce risk and sustain competitive advantage. Thus, it is fundamental to gauge the impact of these alliances and networks, by adopting a relational perspective in the strategic analyses of these firms. The objective of this study is to contribute to recent research on strategic networks, by expanding and complementing traditional models of strategic analysis, by way of the development of new constructs which include the strategic relationships and networks established by firms. The focus here is on a specific type of network of alliances, precisely systems of business franchises or franchising. The object of this study is Coca-Cola´s network of franchisees in Brazil, where it is the soft drink market leader. It is important to remember that the mother company of the network´s central firm - The Coca-Cola Company - is the world leader in the soft drink industry, with operations in more than 200 countries. The study of this network was carried out using documentary investigation, participant observation and surveys. In the latter case a semi-structured questionnaire was applied to discover the perceptions of franchisee managers. The data was analyzed according to a theoretical framework, based on a review of the literature, and a tool for strategic analysis from a relational standpoint, used in the broader research of which the present study is a part. The results reveal new relational aspects, useful in the strategic planning of the firms studied, and which complement those identified by traditional strategic analyses - thus confirming the applicability of this model of analysis, and the importance of taking into account the implications of alliances/networks in these organizations´ strategic agenda. Especially relevant is the identification of relational opportunities associated with the integration of network partners to exploit synergies in cost and resource sharing, which can neutralize traditional, notably socio- economic, macro-environmental threats.

Derzeitige Ansätze des Supply Chain Risikomanagements (SCRM) sind überwiegend dem speziellen Risikomanagement mit operativ-logistischer Prägung zuzuordnen, d. h. sie fokussieren auf reine Risiken, in deren Folge es zu Störungen innerhalb eines logistischen Netzwerks kommt. Wechselwirkungen zwischen Risiken, Chancen und Innovationen werden gegenwärtig nicht berücksichtigt. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Gestaltungsempfehlungen für eine Weiterentwicklung der bestehenden SCRM-Ansätze von der operativen (überwiegend logistisch geprägten) zur strategischen Managementebene aufzuzeigen. Auf der Grundlage einer mechanismenorientierten Forschungsstrategie werden Thesen entwickelt und anhand von sechs Fallstudien aus unterschiedlichen Wirtschaftssektoren überprüft. Den konzeptionellen Rahmen für die Gestaltung eines Risiko- und Innovationsmanagements für strategische Netzwerke bilden die Wirkungszusammenhänge zwischen Innovationsmanagement, strategischen Erfolgspotentialen und strategischem Management. Innovationen und Erfolgspotentiale strategischer Netzwerke (Kooperationskompetenz und Prozessmanagement) beeinflussen sich wechselseitig. Gleichzeitig ist der Aufbau, die Nutzung und die Weiterentwicklung von Erfolgspotentialen eine Kernaufgabe des strategischen Managements. Das Management der strategischen Erfolgspotentiale beeinflusst wesentlich die Chancen- und Risikosituation eines strategischen Netzwerks und damit die Erreichung strategischer Netzwerkziele. Prozessmanagement als Erfolgspotential gilt in Kombination mit Wissen als dynamische Kernkompetenz und damit als Kernprozess. Kooperationskompetenz als Erfolgspotential ist insbesondere geprägt durch die Dimensionen des organisationalen Wissens und Lernens. Durch Kooperationskompetenz werden mithin die Voraussetzungen geschaffen, um Prozessmanagement und Wissen zu koordinieren. Folglich ist auch das Management von Kooperationskompetenz als Kernprozess strategischer Netzwerke aufzufassen.

Over the past decade, the explosive growth of the Internet has led to a surge of interest to understand and predict aggregate behavior of large number of people or agents, particularly when they are connected through an underlying network structure. Numerous Internet-based applications have emerged that are as diverse as getting micro-tasks executed through online labor markets (also known as crowd sourcing) to acquiring new skills through massively open online courses (also known as MOOCs). However, there has been a major inadequacy in existing studies with respect to evaluating the impact of strategic behavior of the agents participating in such networks, crowds, and classrooms. The primary focus of this doctoral work is to understand the equilibrium behaviour emerging from these real-world, strategic environments by blending ideas from the areas of game theory, graph theory, and optimization, to derive novel solutions to these new-age economic models. In particular, we investigate the following three research challenges: (1) How do strategic agents form connections with one another? Will it ever happen that strategically stable networks are social welfare maximizing as well? (2) How do we design mechanisms for eliciting truthful feedback about an object (perhaps a new product or service or person) from a crowd of strategic raters? What can we tell about these mechanisms when the raters are connected through a social network? (3) How do we incentivize better participation of instructors and students in online edu-cation forums? Can we recommend optimal strategies to students and instructors to get the best out of these forums?

Derzeitige Ansätze des Supply Chain Risikomanagements (SCRM) sind überwiegend dem speziellen Risikomanagement mit operativ-logistischer Prägung zuzuordnen, d. h. sie fokussieren auf reine Risiken, in deren Folge es zu Störungen innerhalb eines logistischen Netzwerks kommt. Wechselwirkungen zwischen Risiken, Chancen und Innovationen werden gegenwärtig nicht berücksichtigt. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Gestaltungsempfehlungen für eine Weiterentwicklung der bestehenden SCRM-Ansätze von der operativen (überwiegend logistisch geprägten) zur strategischen Managementebene aufzuzeigen. Auf der Grundlage einer mechanismenorientierten Forschungsstrategie werden Thesen entwickelt und anhand von sechs Fallstudien aus unterschiedlichen Wirtschaftssektoren überprüft. Den konzeptionellen Rahmen für die Gestaltung eines Risiko- und Innovationsmanagements für strategische Netzwerke bilden die Wirkungszusammenhänge zwischen Innovationsmanagement, strategischen Erfolgspotentialen und strategischem Management. Innovationen und Erfolgspotentiale strategischer Netzwerke (Kooperationskompetenz und Prozessmanagement) beeinflussen sich wechselseitig. Gleichzeitig ist der Aufbau, die Nutzung und die Weiterentwicklung von Erfolgspotentialen eine Kernaufgabe des strategischen Managements. Das Management der strategischen Erfolgspotentiale beeinflusst wesentlich die Chancen- und Risikosituation eines strategischen Netzwerks und damit die Erreichung strategischer Netzwerkziele. Prozessmanagement als Erfolgspotential gilt in Kombination mit Wissen als dynamische Kernkompetenz und damit als Kernprozess. Kooperationskompetenz als Erfolgspotential ist insbesondere geprägt durch die Dimensionen des organisationalen Wissens und Lernens. Durch Kooperationskompetenz werden mithin die Voraussetzungen geschaffen, um Prozessmanagement und Wissen zu koordinieren. Folglich ist auch das Management von Kooperationskompetenz als Kernprozess strategischer Netzwerke aufzufassen.