International supply chain management in an Internet environment - A network-oriented approach to internationalization

This conceptual paper argues that the emergence of Internet commerce is pre senting a significant challenge to traditional internationalization explana tions. Given rapid accessibility to customers and suppliers around the worl d, businesses appear to be turning towards networks of cooperation rather t han external control structures. International supply chain management is p roposed as a process of internationalization representing the implementatio n of a global uncertainty-driven neu; network orientation. A network orient ation is proposed to encourage more integrated levels of I-commerce adoptio n which, in turn, further strengthens the relationship between a network or ientation and its implementation. A number of propositions are presented al ong with a discussion of future research issues.