11.7 Conclusions

This chapter has summarized the implications for managers around the six analytical themes discussed in the book. We have addressed these implications by discussing the relevance of the broad themes of the ˜ out-of-control nature of global operations, the importance of adopting a network perspective and the complex nature of risk assessment and management. Through our analysis, we developed implications in the form of a set of key questions that need to be addressed in GSA management. These questions related to managing knowledge, people, communication and relationships within a broader ethical framework. The focus has not been on suggesting recipes and frameworks for successful GSA management, but on providing conceptual ˜templates within which learning and thinking about GSA processes can occur. Managers can draw lessons from these cases along with other literature and augment their own experience. What we present are in-depth accounts of how particular companies have managed their GSAs, and their stories which we have interpreted and theorized. These experiments, we hope, will be of benefit to the critical, reflective manager.