Environment effects on patterns of network change: The flat panel display industry network evolution

As strategic management and economic policy making highly prioritize understanding how industry networks evolve, this study discusses how environmental changes affect the evolution of industrial networks, especially in the flat panel display sector. Different Environmental scenarios through the changes of environmental munificence and environmental uncertainty simultaneously affect industrial network transition and reshape distinctive network formations. This investigation then utilizes data of 71 countries during 1976 to 2008 to empirically examine their network relationship. This study thus demonstrates a longitudinal evolutionary trajectory of the PFD industry and finds the essential transition of technological competition via international technologically co-evolution. The analytical results demonstrate that different environmental scenarios provide different countries to develop their niche competence of the PFD industry. Results of this study provide a valuable reference for policy makers and multinational businesses involved in theoretical development to strategize technological planning.