The international competitiveness of firms and trade promotion policy are a
nalyzed from a network perspective that emphasizes the role and importance
of interfirm relations and networks spanning industry and international bou
ndaries. First, we identify two types of producer networks involved in the
over-all value production system, that is, primary and ancillary producer n
ets. Second, we classify networks in terms of two factors that impact on th
eir potential international competitiveness, that is, the location of netwo
rks in local or foreign markets and the presence of internationally competi
tive firms. This leads to the identification of different types of network
situations that provide opportunities as well as threats to the internation
al performance of firms operating in those networks and call for different
types Of trade promotion policies. We discuss the key features of each situ
ation and management and trade promotion policy implications arising.