Using actors' perceptions of network roles and positions to understand network dynamics

Abstract

• This study relates three main concepts in industrial marketing: network change, network position, and network role• We explores network dynamics by analyzing how actors make sense of time and space in business networks, and how they act based on these perceptions• Differences in actors' interpretations and enactments of their network role are necessary to explain their networking activities• Actors' ability to change their network position is dependent on a shared interpretation of network roles between the network actors• We use an extensive case study of the changing distribution structure for seafood in Norway and Japan to exemplify these points Abstract and key wordsThis article explores network dynamics by analyzing how actors make sense of time and space in business networks, and how they act based on these perceptions. The time dimension is understood here as actors' perceptions of past, present and future changes in their network.The space dimension is understood, first, in terms of the network position a company holds in relation to its business partners, and secondly, in terms of the network role it enacts. As such, interpretations and enactments of their network role are necessary to explain their networking activities. We use an extensive case study of the changing distribution structure for seafood in Norway and Japan to exemplify these points.

Network position and identity: A language-based perspective on strategizing

“…Anderson, Havila, Anderson & Halinen (1998) suggest that, in order to understand network change, researchers must consider how an organization will act in a role; in other words, how an actor interprets their position and chooses to enact or perform it within accepted norms. Taking this notion further, Abrahamsen et al (2012) explain that we need to analyze how role interpretations are viewed and shared by other actors in the network. As we explain below, however, we have adopted the notion of identity rather than the broadly similar, and equally legitimate, idea of role interpretation.…”

A New Approach to Manage Welding Quality in Supply Chain Networks: A Supplier Network Complaints Perspective

“…Study of business networks has encompassed many different perspectives, for instance, network cooperation [1], network competencies [5], network learning [6], network strategy [7] and network management [1], [8], and many different concepts, e.g. network dimensions [8], network insights [9] and network dynamics [10], [11]. Recent research has tried to improve understanding of business networks through the use of network pictures [12], [13], which are different understandings of how business network actors subjectively comprehend their surroundings [13].…”

How practice breakdowns disclose existing structures and contribute to practice innovation

“…A final point for discussion is that this chapter is positioned in a stream of literature interested in relationship and network development from a process perspective which is especially strong to understand the role of time and shifting cognitions of actors in relation to events over time (Halinen et al, 2012). In essence, we focused on relationship development from a social constructionist perspective assuming that the mind of actors in terms of individual perceptions forms the central locus of change (Abrahamsen, Henneberg, & Naudé, 2012;. As a consequence, we did not include the role of substantiated dimensions for instance materiality in the structure or a business relationship as well as the processes of change.…”

“…The literature suggests that variations in perceptions will continue to arise from other network connections (Håkansson & Snehota, 1995b;Medlin, 2003). In this regard, scholars have demonstrated how perceptions shape behavior, roles and positions of actors in networks (Abrahamsen, Henneberg, & Naudé, 2012;Halinen et al, 2012) and show how present perceptions of actors in relationships are linked to intentions and perceived future outcomes in business relationships Tidström & Hagberg-Andersson, 2012). The role of events has been identified as critical because they influence the perceptions and interactions between actors in business relationships and significantly shape relationship processes and outcomes (Elo et al, 2010;Hedaa & Törnroos, 2002).…”

“…In the context of business relationships, Corsaro & Snehota (2011) found that interpretations of critical events along with the parties' perceptions of the available resources and how these resources are combined are important for alignment in business relationships. Thus, process approaches mainly focus on the human experience of change and thereby take the changing cognitions of human actors as the central unit of analyses (Abrahamsen, Henneberg, & Naudé, 2012;Henneberg, Naudé, & Mouzas (2010).…”