Background: In today's global and competitive markets, creating business networks is considered an effective strategy; however, these relationships often involve cooperation and competition, which require a careful balance to maintain mutual benefit and stability; hence, managing these complex relationships requires strategic control systems at the network level.
Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the components of strategic control at the network level using the meta-synthesis method.
Research Methodology: This study is applied in terms of purpose and analytical-descriptive in terms of method. The meta-synthesis method was conducted using the seven steps of Sandelowski and Barroso's (2007) method. Documents were extracted from domestic and foreign databases in the period 2000 to 2025. A total of 435 domestic and foreign articles were found, and based on the article acceptance criteria and research quality assessment using the Critical Assessment Skills program, 38 documents were finally selected for coding, analysis, and review. In order to measure reliability and quality control, the Kappa method was used, the value of which was at the desired level in the present study. Coding of documents in the form of primary concepts, subcategories, and main categories was carried out by Max Quda 20 software.
Findings: Based on the findings, strategic control components at the network level were extracted based on 120 primary concepts, 30 subcategories, and 8 main categories including control of network social capabilities, control of network collaborative capabilities, control of network knowledge and information systems, control of strategy formulation in the network, control of network institutional environment, control of strategy implementation in the network, control of network internal results, and control of network external results.
Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, strategic control at the network level is not limited to monitoring performance, but also includes creating synergies between the social, participatory, informational, and institutional capabilities of the network. The research findings, by providing a comprehensive picture of strategic control mechanisms in networks, explain the internal dimensions and outputs of the network system in an integrated manner and can be a scientific basis for guiding and improving the functioning of networks. The research findings can be used as a practical tool for network managers and policymakers to design control mechanisms, align interactions between actors, and improve the effectiveness and dynamism of networks.
Originality: The findings of this study, given the limited evidence to date, have significant implications and make an important contribution to the strategic control and network literature. By providing an integrated model of strategic control components at the network level, this research covers the gap in the literature and, by integrating scattered research findings and focusing on network-level characteristics, considers the flexibility needed to adapt to dynamic and uncertain network environments.