The Relationship between Managers’ Network Awareness and the Relational Strategic Orientation of their Firms: Findings from Interviews with Polish Managers

Abstract

The ability to cooperate with others in interorganisational dyads and networks is a source of competitive advantage for firms today. However, the question arises as to whether managers are aware of this and implement relational orientation as a strategy in their firms to obtain relational rent. The purpose of this paper is to provide an answer to this question. The research was conducted on 53 companies based in Poland using semi-structured interviews with executives. On one hand, the research results allowed recognition of the importance of and reasons for firms forming, developing, and withdrawing from interorganisational relations, and on the other hand, confirmed a relationship between a managers’ network awareness and the strategic relational orientation of their firms. The higher the manager’s network awareness, the more interorganisational relations a company forms with different partners, and the better the manager’s knowledge about their partners’ expectations and needs, which are then included in a company’s strategy.