FOSTERING A STRATEGIC NETWORK CULTURE IN ENTREPRENEURS’ EDUCATION TO ENHANCE SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH ‘THE BLUE BAY’ MANAGEMENT FLIGHT SIMULATOR

摘要

The management literature on ‘strategic networks’ has proved the opportunities for business growth management associated to resource sharing among firms located in a same geographic area and positioned along a common value chain. Small-medium enterprises (SMEs) provide a very important research field on this subject. However, in spite of the wide record of cases on successful networking among SMEs, empirical evidence suggests that the pursuit of such networks often encounters major difficulties particularly when the ‘hub’ firm is also a small company. Ntrepreneurs’ cultural limitations (individualism and suspiciousness above all), together with a bounded awareness of the networking processes and lack of contacts with bigger companies that might take the role of the ‘hub’ firm are among the most important causes of the scarce diffusion of strategic networks in most less developed economic regions. The use of system dynamics (SD) interactive learning environments (ILEs) as a teaching aid in small business entrepreneurs’ education can significantly contribute to develop a ‘strategic network’ culture, thereby fostering a deeper awareness of the pitfalls and benefits underlying small firms’ networking processes. An SD network game, “Blue Bay”, has been built to simulate cause and effect relationships underlying the rivalry, co-operation and negotiation processes among different ‘actors’ operating in a same industry. The “double loop” learning process enhanced by the ILE stems from the understanding of: a) relevant system boundaries; b) key-variables affecting system behaviour; c) feedback loops related to product positioning; d) counter-intuitive short and long term effects generated by collaborative and non-collaborative policies.