INTERORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS: A STUDY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SHOE COMPANIES IN THE TIJUCAS RIVER VALLEY DOI: 10.5585/RAI.2010463

Abstract

In the context of territorial agglomeration, the existence of a resource group that was formed from the relationship between departments of the enterprise allow for the shaping of organizational change, therefore becoming an interorganizational network. In the context of territorial agglomeration, several studies show that the existence of SMCs (small and medium companies) that utilize the available resources through a process of complementarity allow for the increased scale of sales and production. This study analyzes the relationships between organizations in the shoe industry located in the agglomeration of the Tijucas RiverValley - SC by checking the existence of a relationship between suppliers and competitors, by the identification and relevance of the support institutions and the services that they provide. A quantitative methodology was used by a questionnaire administered to local business leaders with the use of variables previously tested. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics along with factor and cluster analysis. This research showed that there is an indirect network between a restricted group of enterprises that were formed after 1990. It was also observed that the suppliers are considered the resource of the agglomeration, there is a medium level of sharing information between enterprises, and to be in an agglomeration is a competitive advantage for the company.