To hinder the high failure rate of strategic networks, recently scholars have concentrated on behavioral aspects such as trust, conflict management, resolution and commitment as fundamental antecedents of strategic network performance (Christoffersen, 2013). Within this context, this article focuses on the antecedents of commitment, based on the rationale that high levels of commitment cannot occur naturally during network evolution. Therefore, this article aims to understand how commitment is achieved along the development process of SME strategic networks. To address the aim of the article, a qualitative approach based on multiple case studies was used. This method is generally more suited to deal with “how” research questions and when researchers want to understand a real-life phenomenon in depth (Yin, 2013). Two case studies of Italian SME strategic networks having an increasing and decreasing level of commitment were selected to have a base of comparison, following a ‘polar types’ theoretical sampling approach suggested by Eisenhardt and Graebner (2007): Case 1 and Case 2 are both alliances of 12 partners offering complementary products and services in the automotive and automation industry respectively. The study makes a noteworthy academic contribution to theory concerning commitment in a SME strategic network context. Its main value consists in providing an in-depth and overarching investigation of the antecedents of partners’ commitment, which is supposed to be one of the determinants of network success, as anticipated. By comparing two cases in which partners show a different level of commitment along the network development process, this study allows to provide a twofold contribution. The former is to unveil the most relevant elements partners may rely on to achieve a high level of commitment and the latter is to propose a dynamic approach towards the study of commitment in SME strategic networks. The article provides a series of practical guidelines for managers. In particular, SME entrepreneurs and managers may profit from specific indications regarding which are the factors that influence the commitment of partners and how to increase it throughout the network development process. SME strategic networks are a useful mean to overcome the economic crisis and to open up to international markets. For this reason, it is necessary to study in detail the elements that can support the survival of this kind of networks and their strengthening.