
250 PART 4 People matter: the inside track to success
IT sector, for example, firms may jointly agree on techni-
cal standards and then develop products that compete with
each other using those same standards. By coming together
within networks, firms are able to cooperate dynamically and
offer complex services, they can create new market opportu-
nities, combine their knowledge, products and services, and
jointly produce and offer new services and products.
Smaller companies outside a business ecosystem may
have suffered lack of resources, skilled labour, or affordable
communications solutions. The new model emphasises net-
working