Transforming Socialist Networks

Abstract

Why look at organizations as networks? The network representation puts the structure of the organization, say the firm, in the limelight, focusing on the flows of messages, information and commands, as well as materials, in it. Thus firms cease to be black boxes, but become a series of PBXs (private branch exchanges) that interact. The manner of interaction of firms in alternative environments is the focus of this chapter. Firms’ corporate culture, the set of routines which makes a firm, is shaped by their environment, and a culture that is successful in the capitalist market will not be viable in a socialist planned economy, and vice versa. What this chapter tries to do is to examine the forces that lead to the development of given modes of behaviour.