Making sense of network dynamics through network pictures: A longitudinal case study

There have been a number of attempts to describe and analyse networks and company positions in them and to help companies to manage or change their “network position” [HÃ¥kansson & Snehota, 1995, Ford et al., 2003]. But most of these have confined their attention to a particular point in time or have looked at network evolution over a restricted time period, such as Lundgren (1995) [Lundgren, A. (1995) Technological Innovation and Network Evolution. Routledge, London and New York.] and Andersson (1996) [Andersson, Per (1996), The emergence and change of Pharmacia Biotech 1959-1995. The power of the slow flow and the drama of great events, doctoral thesis, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm.]. This paper is based on the idea that insights into the dynamics and evolution of networks and companies may be found by taking a longer term perspective. It uses historical documents and correspondence to examine the evolution of a network and of a single company within it over a period of close to a century. The paper highlights the fact that networks and networking are not modern inventions, but are intrinsic to the nature of business activity. The case study also provides illustration of a number of network phenomena, such as network position, networking and the paradoxes that are endemic in networks. Finally, the paper concludes with some lessons that may be drawn from the case for successful management in a network.