Title: Governance, strategy and management of international business networks in uncertain times: an introduction

Authors: Muhammad Zafar Yaqub; Aveed Raha; Maria Jell-Ojobor; Josef Windsperger

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics & Administration, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ' Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics, University of Vienna, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1, 1090 Vienna, Austria ' Frank J. Guarini School of Business, John Cabot University, Via della Lungara, 233, 00165 Rome, Italy ' Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics, University of Vienna, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Abstract: In today's turbulent and complex environments, international business networks (IBNs) in various forms (e.g., strategic alliances, franchise chains, export and licence relationships, cooperatives, global production networks, joint ventures, public-private partnerships, and digital platforms) are becoming increasingly important in helping multinationals to achieve competitive advantage. Owing to increased performance pressures in uncertain environments, firms embedded in networks are increasingly moving from cooperators to collaborators as value co-creators. The aim of this introductory article is to discuss how IBNs may mitigate uncertainty (emanating especially from disruptive digital innovations and global pandemics) through value, configuration and/or knowledge-driven governance, strategy, and management. In addition, we provide an overview of the articles included in the special issue on 'Governance, Strategy and Management of International Business Networks in Uncertain Times' detailing their specific contributions to enrich the contemporary scholarly discourse in this regard.

Keywords: governance; strategy; IBNs; environmental uncertainty; global pandemics; reconfiguration; knowledge governance; digitalisation; economic upgrading; institutional theory.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2024.141650

European Journal of International Management, 2024 Vol.24 No.3/4, pp.353 - 382

Published online: 30 Sep 2024 *

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