Change and transformation of networks and relationships — Fundamental aspects of business reality

Abstract

The phenomenon of the international Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group (IMP Group) is, that despite the fact that it is informal in character, it has been possible to build close and lasting relationships between many researchers from all continents who have been developing their research over the last 40years.The research carried out in the beginning by the IMP Group was very phenomenon-driven in character. Researchers associated with the IMP Group were linked because they viewed companies as being a network of interdependent entities and this view was commonly described in literature as the IMP network approach. Change is a fundamental assumption embedded in the network approach. Changes occurring in networks are caused by interdependency, interactions and mutual adaptation.The issue of change and transformation is important not only due to the aforementioned nature of the IMP network approach, but also due to the need to take into consideration new phenomena appearing and/or gaining strength in the context of company networks, technological changes facilitating the development of direct relationships on the business to consumer market, the change in the behaviour of a range of market leaders, based upon vertical integration, a change in the position of entities, which to-date have been peripheral within the network (e.g. subcontractors), the development of technology and global communication networks influencing a firm's ties within the internationalisation process, ever-growing competition drives the need to look for the actual impact of the overall relationships of a company on its economic performance. Referring to these issues this article serves to announce the 32nd Annual IMP Conference that will be held in Poznań, Poland, this year where discussion will focus on change and transformation of networks and relationships.