Business Networks Reloaded

Business networks are an important economic phenomenon of increasing practical importance throughout Europe. This research volume examines business networks from an interdisciplinary perspective. Thereby, many contributions deal with a certain form of business networks, the so-called cooperative (non-hierarchical) business networks. With regard to this specific form of cooperation the volume presents new economic findings, proposes a definition and discusses the governance structure of those networks. Moreover, this book analyses if those research results can also be applied to hierarchical, centralized business networks. With medium-sized companies and all the more with large companies, business networks also pose the question of the compatibility with anti-trust law. This volume dedicates three contributions to this important question. They are complemented by papers on liability of the network and its members towards third parties and contributions discussing duties of loyalty and the interpretation of agreements. Based on contributions from Italy, Spain, Germany and Norway, this volume illustrates the European legal perspective on business networks.