IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/ujbmxx/v44y2006i2p302-305.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Learning Networks as an Aid to Developing Strategic Capability among Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises: A Case Study from the Irish Polymer Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Philip Mcgovern

Abstract

Strategic decision making within small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is a necessary element for business growth. SMEs must adapt and become more efficient and dynamic within current business paths and in finding new paths. Traditional philosophies are not focused on delivering new capabilities or developing new business paths. Learning networks are cooperative associations of partner firms that share knowledge, physical resources, and expertise to improve current performance and to advance new business paths. Ireland has emerged as a significant net contributor of plastics to the global medical device, telecommunications, and ophthalmic sectors. The role of the first polymer network as a catalyst for both new business development and increased technological enhancement is advanced in this study of Mould‐Tech, an Irish polymer manufacturing firm. Adaptation of dynamic learning networks as expounded in this study present participant firms with new opportunities both to learn and earn—that is, to enhance and acquire new capabilities and to grow their businesses.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Mcgovern, 2006. "Learning Networks as an Aid to Developing Strategic Capability among Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises: A Case Study from the Irish Polymer Industry," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 302-305, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ujbmxx:v:44:y:2006:i:2:p:302-305
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-627X.2006.00170.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2006.00170.x
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2006.00170.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:ujbmxx:v:44:y:2006:i:2:p:302-305. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/ujbm .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.