COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Collaborative networks, when properly implemented, represent a useful approach to promote stability and sustainable development. Through collaboration, organizations can better respond to business opportunities and thus be better prepared to cope with turbulent market conditions. Considerable progress has been made in this area during the last decade, being current efforts directed towards its consolidation as a new scientific discipline. In this direction, the development of reference models and strategic roadmaps are relevant initiatives. Among its many application domains in both industry and services, it is worth mentioning the support to active ageing, an important concern for stability in an ageing society.