Calls for papers

 

International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business

 

Special Issue on: "Networks of SMEs and Globalisation"

Guest Editors: Luca Dezi and Francesco Schiavone, University Parthenope of Naples, Italy

In the third millennium, companies have, by necessity, to arrange a large number of links with their external environment in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Cooperation and external agreements are in fact crucial for firms to both achieve resources, competencies and knowledge, not internally hold and to acquire new customers. In other words, external relations of firms are a very relevant source of their competitiveness and survival. This assumption shapes the present historical phase of capitalism, in which the ‘network paradigm’ is the dominant model of business management and governance for both large and small companies. In particular, one of the present main problems for small companies’ networks is to face globalisation and international dynamics of markets.

We invite contributions to a special issue of IJGSB that attempt to relate the networks of small firms with globalisation. Many networks of SMEs (e.g. industrial districts) indeed see this process as both a threat for their traditional business and an opportunity of international growth and development. In this context, the goal of this special issue is to collect a number of valuable papers analysing more ‘sides’ of this interesting and new dynamic interaction among networks of small companies and global markets and competitors.

Subject Coverage
Both theoretical and research papers are welcomed. Topics that would be considered for publication include but are not limited to:

• International evolution of networks of SMEs
• Networks of firms and their competitive advantage within a globalised economy
• The value of human capital for networks of SMEs within a globalised economy
• Knowledge creation in networks and its international spread
• Organisational change in internationalising networks of SMEs
• Cross-cultural management of internationalising networks of SMEs
• Knowledge transfer in international firms networks
• International value-chains and local systems of innovation
• Internationalisation of local networks of SMEs
• Local small companies and global markets
• Global markets, regional development and industrial clusters
• FDI and rise of SMEs clusters in emerging countries
• International growth of family businesses
• Effects of globalisation on competitiveness of SMEs networks
• ICT, globalisation and SMEs

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page

Important Dates

Submission of extended abstracts (max. 500 words) : 15 February 2007

Notification of acceptance of abstracts : 28 February 2007

Submission of full papers following acceptance of abstracts : 30 April 2007

Notification of acceptance, refusal or revision of full papers : 30 June 2007

Submission of accepted and revisited final papers : 31 July 2007