Milena Ratajczak-Mrozek, Ph.D., Poznań University of Economics, Department of International Marketing, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Abstract

The specificity of the operation profile of high-tech companies, including the necessity of operating at the international scale may account for the fact that these companies may find in-network relationships, business networks and cooperation an essential determinant for growth and competitiveness. Foreign entities should be especially interesting business partners for high-tech companies, as they are often seen as representing more advanced knowledge, resources and experience. The aim of the article is to point out to global business networks (i.e. including both local and foreign entities), and especially to cooperation within supply chain, as an important basis for a growth strategy of a high-tech company.

The artcle adopts assumptons of the network approach as a concept of companies cooperaton. An analysis of the author’s own as well as secondary empirical research, with the focus on hightech companies located in Poland is presented. In partcular, the data from own research of 62 high-tech companies in Poland conducted in the frst half of 2011 is analysed. It shows that the high-tech companies placing great importance on cooperaton within supply chain demonstrate a higher growth and level of compettveness than the companies which do not ascribe such importance (bearing in mind that supply chain forms an important part of a business network).

Keywords: high-tech companies, high-technology companies, industrial network, business network, network approach, cooperaton, supply chain management, compettveness, company performance, growth strategy