Introduction. High efficiency of functioning of network business structures, in comparison to traditional forms of entrepreneurship organization, their adaptability and mutual interest of all participants of relations in achieving the goal, led to a great interest in the network form of entrepreneurship organization by scientists and their practical implementation.
The purpose of the article is to clarify the essence of the term «network structure» based on the definition of its essential features and associative concepts from the standpoint of institutional, collaborative and coordination approaches.
Results. The semantic network was constructed as the analysis result of the concept of «network structure» using the content analysis method implemented in the software product TextAnalyst that characterizes the key categories that are related to the essence of the concept of network business structure. It is determined that associative concepts of network structure are: organization, interaction, association, management structure, a form of management, coordination, cooperation, alliance, structured population, integration, corporate structure, relations, coalition.
Using the content analysis three approaches to explaining the essence of the concept «network business structure» were distinguished: institutional (according to which the network structure is considered as the organizational structure of the company), collaborative approach (network structure as a system of interconnections between structural elements) and coordination approach (network structure as a form of managing peer-to-peer entities to achieve common business goals).
Conclusions. Based on the integration of selected approaches to explaining the essence of the concept under the network business structure, it is proposed to understand the hybrid form of interaction of business structures that operate on the basis of quasi-integration forms of control in order to achieve a synergistic effect in the realization of common economic interests. The proposed concept, unlike the existing ones, is based on a comprehensive consideration of the stages’ peculiarities of network forms development of business activity and reflects the essential features of an institutional, collaborative, coordination approach in the functioning of business structures.
Keywords: network structure, hybrid structure, management, coordination, cooperation, quasi-integration.
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