Abstract
Concepts such as ‘relational contracting’, ‘the flexible firm’ and ‘flexible specialization’ are all associated with intense academic effort directed to understanding both contractual inter-organizational relationships and the networks that sustain them. This article adopts a Realist position and draws on case study evidence in an attempt to contribute to the literature on this subject. It argues that considering inter-organizational exchange networks in terms of three inter-related causal forces provides a useful indication of the generative mechanisms that condition the outcomes observed. The causal forces considered are, first, the type of product exchanged; second, the culture of institutional practices within the context of the exchange; and finally, the level of resource dependency apparent amongst the organizations involved.
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