Network as the basic structure of the information economy

Abstract

The article investigates the role of the network structures in the global information economy. The conditions of the formation, the history of development, basic characteristics and main forms of the network interaction between firms are analyzed.

The development of the network structures has been made possible with the increasing role of information in the functioning of modern socio-economic system. Network structures create channels for intensive exchange of the information, goods, services, resources in the open complex systems.

The network is an appropriate structure for the diffusion of information, because it has a flexible management system, which is based on branched horizontal system of the information communications. The main feature of the network economy is a qualitatively new level of the interaction between the network and hierarchical structures. Hierarchical structures are not capable of rapid accumulation and processing of information resources. It is the reason of changing the corporate hierarchy structure: some of the functions and powers are transferred to economic structures at the lower level.

The place of network structures in the system of the organization forms of economic activity are explored. Particular attention is paid to the comparative analysis of the market mechanisms, hierarchy and network economic interaction. The criteria for selecting the optimal form of the interaction in terms of rational behavior are highlighted.

The basic forms of the network organizations such as strategic alliances, the chain of value creation, the focal network and virtual organization are researched in the article. This classification is complemented with outsourcing, which is the basis of the clusters formation as a factor of the network structures development.