INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND COMPLEMENTARITY OF KNOWLEDGE: PROPOSAL OF A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

ABSTRACT The present paper presents the dynamics of the complementarity knowledge between Small and Medium Firms (SMF) in a network context. Having as a starting point the analytical analysis of the inter-organizational, creation and knowledge management network theories, as well as, the innovation processes; it sought to understand the network strategies relevance, and, above all, the development of the SMF. Considering the theoretical evidences, the research matter faced to comprehend how the knowledge complementarity dynamics occur in a networking. In order to deepen this mater, it attempted, from the empirical evidences, to build a conceptual framework so as to assist the understanding of the functioning in network organized companies. The empirical research was carried out with interviews in managerial level from businesses and institutions based in Agivest (Brazil), in Futuroscope Tecnópole (France) and in Polo de Informática de São Leopoldo (Brazil). Summarizing, these results show that the existence of a synergy environment and knowledge complementarity in a network suffers the influence of elements as such: contingency pressures, coherence, connectivity, coordination mechanisms and interaction situations.