Management of Network Enterprises

Network enterprises management aims to establish structures and mechanisms that are needed to sustain ongoing coordination efforts among members of the network enterprise. Enterprise networks can be dealt with from the perspective of a single firm. Network enterprises can be dealt with from the perspective of the lifecycle of the network itself. Enterprise networks can be dealt with from the perspectives of the industry and the market. The environment or context of the firm and the network provides explanations for the initiation of networks and the existence of specific types or configurations, as well as the micro conditions that might lead a firm to initiate a new network. The chapter introduces the concept of supply chain management (SCM) and focuses on leveraging the SCM-oriented capabilities of enterprises. It then presents a supply chain performance framework covering dimensions including volume, volatility, velocity, variety, variability, visibility, and virtuality. The chapter also describes the issues of measurement of the supply chain performance.