NETWORKING NETWORK STUDIES - AN ANALYSIS OF CONCEPTUAL CONFIGURATIONSIN THE STUDY OF INTERORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Given the recent accumulation of research on inter-organizational rela tions and networks and the current fragmentation of the field, it is t ime to take stock and explore the achievements of, and future challeng es for, this field of study. On the basis of a network analysis of the 158 articles on inter-organizational relations and networks that were published in four leading journals from 1980 to 1996, this paper empi rically explores the linkages among, and configurations of, core theor ies and concepts underlying earlier empirical research on inter-organi zational relations and networks. We identify core, as well as peripher al, areas of research interest in the field and point out areas of ove rlap and consolidation. Moreover, our empirical analysis shows that th e field segments into four substantive research perspectives, namely s ocial network, power and control, institutional, and institutional eco nomics and strategy clusters. In sum, we suggest an innovative, empiri cally grounded approach towards a literature review that aims at a syn opsis of a field of study and highlights possibly fruitful avenues for future research.