Co-ordination media in cross-national networks of small and medium-sized enterprises

Not only large corporations but also SMEs increasingly organise into crossborder networks, in order to benefit from the advantages of international division of labour. As regards the co-ordination of network activities it makes sense to distinguish between the role of social co-ordination media and the factual and temporal co-ordination of network activities. Social co-ordination media are geared to the generation of mutual reliability. Their mode of operating is closely linked to the internal power structures of the networks.