Match Making, Structural Holes, and Arranged Marriages: The Process of Small Multinational Enterprises International Alliance Formation

The analysis found that to share in the gains of a globalizing economy, smaller multinational enterprises find surrogates outside their firm, third party enablers, to help bridge informational structural holes and build multi-nodal social networks that link cross-cultural alliances partners. Using a qualitative case study, propositions for future testing were developed that highlight similarities and differences between large and small firms, the role third parties play with small firms, and how these third-party behaviors co-evolve with the alliance partners. Conceptual and practical issues related to the changing role of third parties are identified and discussed.