A Network Approach to the Management of Business Clusters –The Case of Kaohsiung EPZs

• Main Authors: Ling-Yi Young, 楊玲宜
• Other Authors: Helena Chiu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/14798048085563665801

碩士 === 國立高雄第一科技大學 === 行銷與流通管理所 === 94 === ABSTRACT Interfirm relationships and networks have gained increased attention among academics and practitioners recently. Companies, once viewed as autonomous entities competing for profits against each other, now find themselves increasingly integrated into networks of exchange relationships. “Export Processing Zones” (EPZ) represent business clusters and can therefore be discussed under network analytic perspectives. The goal of this study is 1) to describe the major motivations for firms to settle in EPZs, 2) the extent to which these goals are achieved, 3) to analyse the EPZ social network, and 4) to measure the network competence of EPZ firms. It is assumed that a firm’s network competence, its sociometric parameters inside the network, and the extent to which a firm can realize its goals inside network, are all interlinked. The study finds that there are two significantly positively correlated relationships: 1) Companies with a high level of network competence are characterized by a high outdegree level, and 2) companies serving as a bridge inside the network enjoy a higher level of goal achievement than fellow companies. Based on the empirical results, this study concludes with some suggestions addressed to the EPZ management authorities on the one hand, and individual firms on the other hand.