Multinational corporations are forced by the increasing globalization to coordinate their various operations on the basis of an integrated network management. Roland B ttcher examines the literature on global network approaches. The importance of a pro-active management of informal relationships across national borders is shown by his empirical study. Verzeichnis: Roland B ttcher belegt die herausragende Bedeutung eines proaktiven Managements informeller Beziehungen im internationalen Steuerungskontext.