Internationalization of japanese small- and medium-sized enterprises in terms of keiretsu in the 21st century from the viewpoint of the network theory

Network theory is one of the widespread approaches to the nature of the internationalization of the companies being reflected in the literature. In Japan relations among big companies and small- and medium-sized enterprises frequently exist in terms of keiretsu, have a longstanding perspective and a different nature than relations among western companies. Despite keiretsu once were the vertically integrated structures, the diffusion and diversification of the relations that can be observed now increasingly reminds of the network relations. The aim of this study if to define the possibility of application of network theory to the internationalization of the small- and medium-sized enterprises in the 21st century.