Il contratto di rete nel settore dell’auto: uno strumento performante in un contesto turbolento (The network contract in the automotive industry: a performing means in a turbolent setting)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7433/s105.2018.05Keywords:
network contract, inter-organizational networks, automotive industryAbstract
Purpose of the paper: The paper debates the relevance of the ‘network contract’ during the economic crisis in enhancing SMEs’ performance in the automotive industry.
Methodology: We explore through a quantitative analysis the correlation between having signed a ‘network contract’ and the firms’ performance by developing a linear robust regression analysis and relying on the Infocamere (for network contracts) and AIDA (for firms’ performance) datasets.
Results: Our results show that companies that signed a ‘network contract’ have better performance; moreover, the correlation is stronger for firms that signed sooner the ‘network contract’, while the positive effect of this contract is negatively moderated by the number of firms being part of the network.
Research limitations: Today we still have a limited number of ‘network contracts’ in the automotive industry; furthermore, companies belong to different economic sectors. The analysis is developed over a limited time span because of the only recent introduction of the network contract.
Practical implications: Our research suggests that the most performing contracts are those involving fewer partners that collaborate for longer. The longer the collaboration, the higher the opportunities to reach common goals and to identify effective coordination mechanisms.
Originality of the paper: This survey is one of the first contributions showing the relationship between the “network contract” and firms’ performance, providing a deeper understanding of the relevant organizational dimensions.
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