theroleofnetworkinginthecompetitivenessprofileof.docVIP

“The role of networking in the competitiveness profile of Spanish firms” Isabel álvarez*, Antonio Fonfría, Raquel Marín Instituto Complutense de Estudios Internacionales Abstract: Two main forces coincide nowadays in the characterisation of productive systems. On the one hand, the internationalisation of markets and economic activities has resulted in an increasing competition worldwide and a new and more global division of labour. On the other, the greater complexity of technology makes innovation a key factor in manufacturing firms’ competitiveness. Cooperative network relationships seem to be important in both processes. This paper aims to explore this aspect in the competitiveness behaviour of four Spanish manufacturing industries: food, chemicals, electronics and vehicles. Data has been obtained from a survey conducted specifically for this purpose at the firm level. Findings from the empirical analysis, based on the application of the Polytomus Logit Universal Model (PLUM), confirm the positive effects of the ability to network on company performance, particularly, intra-firm cooperation, cooperation between competitors and user-producer relationships. * Address for Correspondence: Isabel álvarez Instituto Complutense de Estudios Internacionales Universidad Complutense de Madrid Finca Mas Ferré Edif. A, Campus de Somosaguas 28223-Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid Tel: +3491.394.24.86 Fax: +34913942487 e-mail: isabel.alvarez@ccee.ucm.es Introduction The role of cooperative networks in the improvement of company competitiveness has been an issue of increasing interest that has been extensively explored in the economic literature of recent decades. The main reasons for that interest lie in the intensity and increasing competition worldwide due to globalisation trends. Adaptation to that new economic reality requires from firms to develop new organisational forms to be able to survive (Hamel and Prahalad, 1989). Although explanations about t