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Managing Network Organizations in the Knowledge Economy: Learning from Success and Failure

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Managing in the Information Economy

Part of the book series: Annals of Information Systems ((AOIS,volume 1))

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Abstract

The current economy has brought the network model of organization to the forefront of management theory and practice. The network model is often presented in organization and ICT literature with an air of enthusiasm that underscores the advantages of this model as flexible, cooperative, innovative, and knowledge and technology intensive. Such themes are normally based on a networking logic that assumes the trustful cooperation of large and small production firms in favor of competitive advantage in a rapidly changing and volatile environment. This chapter challenges both the logic and the themes based upon it. Using Enron as a case study, the chapter seeks to enrich the logic, to broaden the themes, and to finally arrive at a more realistic picture of the network enterprise. This is made possible by extending the unit of analysis beyond the production firm, to include, among others, subsidiaries, banks, investors, auditors, and government agencies. The managerial implications of these shifts will be discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University, 1320 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405-3907

    Hamid R. Ekbia

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  1. Hamid R. Ekbia
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA

    Uday Apte

  2. University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Uday Karmarkar

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Ekbia, H.R. (2007). Managing Network Organizations in the Knowledge Economy: Learning from Success and Failure. In: Apte, U., Karmarkar, U. (eds) Managing in the Information Economy. Annals of Information Systems, vol 1. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-36892-4_5

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