Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Conflict Management, Value Making And Value Taking In Small Firm Manufacturing Networks, Martin Mathews

Martin Mathews

The purpose of this paper is to examine conflict management in exchanges in small firm networks which are embedded in the dense socio-economic exchanges that typify industrial districts. Informal conflict management strategies used by managers in vertical and horizontal, symmetrical and asymmetrical relationships are identified and analysed. The methodology chosen is that of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 22 small company owner/managers in an industrial district in the south-east of France. Interviews were conducted with a highly homogenous group of company managers of firms smaller than 50 employees. Results point to managers adopting accommodating behaviours in conflicts with larger clients and …