Local business co-operation and training and enterprise councils: The development of inter-firm networks

This paper investigates awareness among Training and Enterprise Councils (T ECs) and firms in the UK of inter-firm networking, and the effectiveness of the instruments used by TECs to generate networking. It evaluates the cons equential outputs of and barriers to networking, the level of involvement e ncountered, and existing regional disparities. The study sought to obtain t he opinions and views of as wide a range of the 81 TECs in England and Wale s as possible, therefore a postal survey approach was adopted which yielded 63 replies, a response rate of 778%. The payer finds evidence that, despit e TECs being committed towards the development of inter-firm networking, th is commitment does not equate with the perceived success of those networks which have been facilitated. The analysis suggests that the performance of TECs as network generators has been low by their own expectancy criteria. T he most common and important output of networks was their role in aiding co llaborative learning among businesses, and process developments involving t he dissemination of best practice and benchmarking through programmes such as manufacturing and management development initiatives. A number of doubts are raised concerning the efficacy that was been attracted to the local de livery message associated with TEC programmes and initiatives. The paper co ncludes with some remarks concerning the emergence of three network types w ithin the TEC scenario: (1) learning networks; (2) commercial networks; and (3) innovation networks.