Interdependence between networks and member firms in the evolution of inter-organizational networks

Cooperation among firms through networks is a form to obtain a variety of resources. Over time, networks can become an exclusive provider of some resources used by members, leading to dependencys. This study is interested in this phenomenon, and aims to examine how firm-network interdependence grows throughout the development of inter-organizational networks. The research was conducted with networks that were in distinct stages of evolution (formation, development, and professionalization). Interviews were carried out with the presidents of the networks and two member firms of each network. The study identified an inversion in the relation of interdependence investigated, where the network is dependent of its members in the first stages of evolution and, as its governance and structure consolidate, members develop a dependency relationship toward the network and the benefits it offers.

Interdependência entre redes e empresas integrantes na evolução de redes interorganizacionais

Cooperation among firms through networks is a form to obtain a variety of resources. Over time, networks can become an exclusive provider of some resources used by members, leading to dependencys. This study is interested in this phenomenon, and aims to examine how firm-network interdependence grows throughout the development of inter-organizational networks. The research was conducted with networks that were in distinct stages of evolution (formation, development, and professionalization). Interviews were carried out with the presidents of the networks and two member firms of each network. The study identified an inversion in the relation of interdependence investigated, where the network is dependent of its members in the first stages of evolution and, as its governance and structure consolidate, members develop a dependency relationship toward the network and the benefits it offers.

Detection of social group instability among captive rhesus macaques using joint network modeling

Social stability in group-living animals is an emergent property which arises from the interaction amongst multiple behavioral networks. However, pinpointing when a social group is at risk of collapse is difficult. We used a joint network modeling approach to examine the interdependencies between two behavioral networks, aggression and status signaling, from four stable and three unstable groups of rhesus macaques in order to identify characteristic patterns of network interdependence in stable groups that are readily distinguishable from unstable groups. Our results showed that the most prominent source of aggression-status network interdependence in stable social groups came from more frequent dyads than expected with opposite direction status-aggression (i.e. A threatens B and B signals acceptance of subordinate status). In contrast, unstable groups showed a decrease in opposite direction aggression-status dyads (but remained higher than expected) as well as more frequent than expected dyads with bidirectional aggression. These results demonstrate that not only was the stable joint relationship between aggression and status networks readily distinguishable from unstable time points, social instability manifested in at least two different ways. In sum, our joint modeling approach may prove useful in quantifying and monitoring the complex social dynamics of any wild or captive social system, as all social systems are composed of multiple interconnected networks.