Abstract
Dutch horticulture, and especially the growth of flowers and plants, has a dominant position in world markets. The vast majority of flowers and a oonsiderable part of lhe market for plants are in the hands of Dutch producers.
This is remarkable because most growers of flowers and plants are smalI,family-owned firms. In addition, the network is decentralized: there is no central party organizing knowledge flows. How these small firms have been able to conquer world markets is the topic of this chapter. The conclusjon will show that knowledge exchange and innovation have led to a unique network that has enabled family firms to dominate the international market for flowers and plants. The success in innovation and knowledge sharing is
explained by the fact that several complementary and overlapping mechanisms
have come into being that stimulate innovation and solve the problem of network knowledge management. Informal relationships and implicit understandings play a significant role in preventing knowledge-sharing problems in the sector. The effectiveness of these mechanisms is enhanced substanlially by the fact that the network is located in a very small region.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Knowledge management and innovation in networks |
| Editors | A.P. Man, de |
| Place of Publication | Cheltenham |
| Publisher | Edward Elgar Publishing |
| Pages | 122-144 |
| Number of pages | 226 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-84720-230-7 |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |