On the management of collaborative SME networks

Although networking and collaboration in networks have got much attention recently, management issues have got less attention. A solid basis to support management and control of Virtual Organizations (VOs) is missing. The VO consists of independent organizations collaborating for a common goal. Towards the customers and the outer world, they are assumed to look and behave as they were a single organization. The challenges on the VO management come from this expectation. The partners are independent with own internal aims and own processes. Neither is the management means the same ones as in a single organization