Coordination Modes Established by the Hub Firm of an Innovation Network: The Case of an SME Bearer

This paper explores coordination modes used by a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) project bearer in a network. Using a longitudinal in-depth case study approach, we analyze data from interviews, observation, and other sources to discover how the coordination modes change and the drivers behind these changes. Results show that coordination modes change with the advancement phase of the project. Moreover, the hub firm's choice of a particular coordination mode is affected by the degree of its dependency on the network members. These results have important practical and theoretical implications for SMEs, especially that coordination modes can be formulated to fit a given situation.