Today's firms are increasingly embedded in networks of alliances and other ties that influence their behavior and performance. In this, his first book on the subject, Ranjay Gulati examines the 'network resources' that arise from these ties, how successful firms manage these, and how they influence strategy, access to material resources, and perceptions of a firm's legitimacy held by key external parties such as investors and banks.

The book synthesises Gulati's influential work on network dynamics from the last fifteen years, and presents the key findings from this extensive body of research. Gulati's insights are important for scholars, students, and practitioners interested in the behavior of firms in an increasingly networked economy.

Ranjay Gulati is one of the leading theorists and researchers studying alliances and networks, and has written widely on the subject. His work has been published in leading academic journals such as Administrative Science Quarterly, and in the Harvard Business Review.