Jumpstart your VEN adventure

Posted on 2009-03-17 by

Revised on: 2011-03-06

This is a terrific book. As you will know from my post the other day, I am currently writing a book chapter on risks in Virtual Enterprise Networks (VENs), and I have used The Networked Enterprise by Ken Thompson as what I would call THE reference on how to manage VENs. The goal of a VEN is to connect Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) into peer networks, supported by appropriate collaboration practices and technologies, to give them the capabilities and competitive advantages of large global enterprises. How is this possible?

To VEN or not to VEN

A VEN is a way for businesses to achieve virtual scale, enabling it to operate as if it possesses more resources and capacity than it actually has within its own physical organizations. Traditionally, a VEN has been described as a collection of enterprises linked by intensive use of ICT for collaboration, but Ken Thompson’s perpective on VENs deviates from this blueprint for what makes a VEN a VEN. Thompson employs a more general perspective, looking at organisation and cooperation rather than just ICT as the basis for a VENs success or demise.

Small Fish take on Big Fish

This book is for two audiences: huge multinational corporations (Big Fish) and small innovative companies (small fish). The Networked Enterprise, is for the owners and managers of SMEs (small fish) and explains in simple terms, illustrated with numerous real examples and practical techniques, exactly how they can use Virtual Enterprise Networks to develop the kind of strategic partnerships they need with the Big Fish to propel them to the next level of competitive success. The Networked Enterprise is also ideal reading for large enterprises (Big Fish) and their more far-sighted major supply chain players that want to enhance their access to innovation, agility and alternative risk/reward and cost models by developing and partnering with Virtual Enterprise Networks.