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Barriers to co-operation and competitive advantage: cross-border business networks of Saxon and Northern Bohemian firms

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  • Birgit Leick

Abstract

Small-scale business co-operation across borders is considered as major driving force of economic integration between Western and Central Eastern Europe. In this context, it is argued that business co-operation and networks support the creation of competitive advantage. This paper sheds new light on this issue by adding a case study of firms in selected East German and Czech border regions. The study focuses on two inter-related research questions: Can firms create competitive advantage in small-scale business co-operation and networks within border regions? And what role is there for the barriers to co-operation that firms encounter? These questions are investigated using a dataset of nearly 60 structured interviews with firms from the cross-border regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Birgit Leick, 2011. "Barriers to co-operation and competitive advantage: cross-border business networks of Saxon and Northern Bohemian firms," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 16(2), pages 162-184.
    • Handle: RePEc:nms:joeems:doi_10.1688/1862-0019_jeems_2011_02_leick
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    File URL: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/0949-6181-2011-2-162
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    Cited by:

    1. Lidia Danik & Elżbieta Duliniec, 2014. "Różnice kulturowe a międzynarodowa współpraca przedsiębiorstw," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 125-152.
    2. Danik Lidia, 2015. "Inter-firm Relationship Quality vs. Perceived Cultural Differences," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 45(1), pages 7-31, March.
    3. Ahlin, Branka & Drnovšek, Mateja & Hisrich, Robert D., 2014. "Exploring the moderating effects of absorptive capacity on the relationship between social networks and innovation," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 19(2), pages 213-235.
    4. Herman T. Wevers & Cosmina L. Voinea & Frank de Langen, 2020. "Social Entrepreneurship as a Form of Cross-Border Cooperation: Complementarity in EU Border Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-23, October.
    5. Bodlaj, Mateja & Vida, Irena, 2018. "Factors underlying cultural and psychic distance in cross-national activities of export managers: Qualitative insights from a CEE country," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 23(3), pages 351-376.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cross-border business co-operation; competitive advantage; barriers to co-operation; Central Eastern Europe; East Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • L21 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Business Objectives of the Firm
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L24 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Contracting Out; Joint Ventures
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • P20 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - General
    • P21 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Planning, Coordination, and Reform

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