Dear Colleagues,

The boom in research focused on bilateral and multilateral relationships, especially in the economic and organizational dimensions, dates back to the mid-twentieth century, being particularly intense over the last thirty years. This is mainly a result of the growing importance of cooperative relationships, including alliances and networks to the success of the company’s growth strategy.

Cooperation with other companies stimulates organizational flexibility and the actions of the parties involved, allowing for specialization, a higher return on investment than the costs of investment itself, economies of scale, scope and synergies. It also facilitates and accelerates the internationalization of companies as well as their industrial diversification. It is thus easier to overcome market and cultural differences.

Alliances and networks also generate benefits by reducing the risk associated with activities in the field of R&D. Apart from the cost reduction and opportunities for the faster, cheaper and easier acquisition of new technologies, they promote the implementation of quality, technology and market behaviour standards. In light of the resource concept, functioning in the inter-organizational relationships creates an opportunity to obtain valuable resources which otherwise would be more expensive, or even impossible, to acquire. Due to the turbulent environment and the phenomenon of hyper-competition, the companies seek resources which are more difficult to copy and substitute. Therefore, they are keenly interested in intangible resources within the framework of network connections. Access to information is regarded as the most crucial resource resulting from cooperation with other firms in both bilateral and multilateral relations.

We believe, however, that the benefits associated with inter-firm relationships—which are very significant—may be used not only as an instrument for the improvement of the companies’ competitive advantage (i.e. in a narrow context), but also in a much wider context. In other words, we claim that inter-firm relationships, especially alliances and network organizations, may be regarded as a useful tool for sustainable development. Given this, the Special Issue on “Alliances and network organizations for sustainable development” fulfils a considerable gap in the literature. It encourages a diverse set of submissions and we will welcome papers that, inter alia, refer to (but are not limited to), themes such as:

·   Creation of alliances and network connections stimulating sustainable development
·   Short term vs. long term effects of cooperation in the frame of alliances and networks
·   Management of alliances and networks
·   Pathologies of alliance and networks affecting sustainable development   
·   Influence of alliance and networks on sustainable development
·   Alliance and network capabilities supporting sustainable development
·   Role of HR in inter-firm cooperation for sustainable development
·   Managing supply chain networks
·   Inter-organizational relations as the value creation stimulator
·   Cultural context of inter-organizational relations
·   Inter-organizational cooperation and an innovation of the parties (open innovation)
·   Coopetition in alliances and network organizations

The insights gained will be useful both for students, practitioners, as well as policy makers.

Dr. Włodzimierz Sroka
Dr. Joanna Cygler
Guest Editors

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