Processual research in a business network: purpose and methodological deliberations

A hallmark of the industrial network approach is substantive and ongoing interaction in business relationships. Thus, managers are involved in developing and changing relationships from within and by implication their business networks. We refer to this changing from within, as managers handling change endogenously. However, theoretical and methodological understanding is presently limited when an endogenous managerial process is seen to extend across multiple actors and relationships in a network. We advance a dynamic view of networks where interactions are based on actors’ constant sensemaking of unfolding events, and understandings of network contexts as continuing changes of connections in space and time. We conceptually elaborate considerations for researching these endogenous processes where they are orchestrated across multiple business relationships within a dynamic network context. We also seek to contribute to longitudinal case study methodology that can allow study of endogenous managerial processes.