Success factors for co-operations and production networks

A lot of studies emphasize the importance of SMEs for the prosperity of a national economy. This refers to employment, innovation, as well as to volume of sales. Today companies have to form networks to be able to offer also in the future competitive and innovative products and services. Collaboration in networks increases the potential for satisfying special market demands and simultaneously for creating innovations to develop new markets. The latter benefits also the regional development. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the conditions for stable, successful and long-term production and service networks from a theoretical perspective – and there from different points of view – and also by empirical investigations, using a field study and studies with a simulation game.