How efficient networking can support collaborative decision making in enterprises

Abstract

In today's global economy, and as a result of the complexity surrounding the working world, new ways of working are emerging. In particular, collaboration and networking gain increasing importance as they enable firms to face the new demands of a global economy. Within this context, it is necessary to understand how new ways of organising influence decision-making processes. This paper (i) explores the connection between networks and decision-making and (ii) tries to define how efficient networking can support reliable collaborative decision making. We argue that effective networking constitutes a fundamental support for decision-making. Our focus is on small and medium-sized companies where networking is particularly relevant because of their restricted means for action and resources. Our findings are based on seven semi-structured interviews, conducted within five French small and medium-sized companies. They confirm the allegation that enterprise decision-making is now embedded in network structures [3] and also offer a good basis for drawing guidelines, enabling effective networking and reliable decision-making