Learning how to implement and manage SME marketing networks: a qualitative analysis

The theme of SME marketing networks acquires high relevance because of their positive influence over internationalization and market competitiveness. Within this stream of research, how partners learn to implement and manage collaborations has received little attention. This article aims to bridge this gap, first, by analysing the mechanisms partners use throughout their learning process, and, second, by investigating whether this learning process may have an association with the network ability to explore new market opportunities, which is the ultimate objective of SMEs willing to overcome the liability of smallness. The results of this article unveils the different structures, processes and tools, which are used to create new knowledge on how to implement and manage SME marketing networks; furthermore, it suggests that an effective learning process may have a positive association with the exploration of new market opportunities through networks.