Premium
Managing alliance relationships: Key challenges in the early stages of collaboration
Author(s) -
Kelly Mícheál J.,
Schaan Jean–Louis,
Joncas Hélène
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
randd management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.253
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1467-9310
pISSN - 0033-6807
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9310.00235
Subject(s) - alliance , business , key (lock) , principal (computer security) , face (sociological concept) , marketing , phase (matter) , public relations , knowledge management , political science , sociology , computer science , social science , chemistry , computer security , organic chemistry , law , operating system
Recent surveys indicate that executives of technology companies consider strategic alliances to be central to their competitive strategies. Yet the barriers to successful alliances are formidable. In many instances, these barriers develop in the early stages of an alliance. This study identifies and analyzes the types of challenges that companies face in the start–up phase of their alliances. It is based on a survey and interviews with executives in the Canadian high technology industry. The study finds that the principal challenges in the first year of an alliance relate to relationship issues between the partners. It suggests stronger attention to these issues in the design and implementation of an alliance. The paper concludes with guidelines to build and sustain effective working relationships between partners.