No último número da Rede2020 poderá ler um pequeno ensaio intitulado "Zara vai às compras" produzido a partir do artigo "Competing through cooperation in international supply networks: a case study from the clothing industry" saído no International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business (2008, Vol. 2, No. 3: 244-261) da minha autoria em conjunto com João S. Areias. O artigo original resume-se de seguida: «This article focuses on the competitive and cooperative issues that arise from the management of interdependence within international supply networks of major international retailers. When small and medium manufacturers are dependent from a major retailer, their capability in allocating resources to activities capable of building a competitive position is limited. Firms in this dependent position need to develop and implement strategies that enable them to deal with such dependence. This article analyses how the cooperative capability of manufacturing firms positioned within a major retailer's international supply network contribute to their competitive position. The article presents a case study developed within the Portuguese clothing industry and explores evidence on how several small and medium manufacturers develop their relationships with Zara, a major international retailer. The case was studied based on document analysis and data gathered through semi-structured interviews with several clothing manufacturers. The case identifies factors that influence the development of collaboration in international relationships between manufacturers and retailers, and discusses how manufacturers integrated in the network of the retailer's international supply network manage their interdependence and develop their competitive capacity through a cooperative approach.»
