The purpose of this thesis is to give a review about the broad topic of Strategic Alliances namely in a way understandable to non-management experts.
After reading this thesis the reader should be able to answer questions such as
• what are Strategic Alliances,
• should a company operate through Strategic Alliances or should other strategies be considered,
• what types of Strategic Alliances do exist,
• how to identify the strategic and operational fit,
• what impact company culture can have on an alliance,
• evaluate and assess capabilities,
• how to negotiate and select partners,
• what impact country culture can have on alliances,
• how to implement and make the alliance work.
Deliberately, this thesis is kept very general, and the relevance to the construction industry is outlined at the end of the parts 1, 2 and 9 respectively.
Furthermore the objective is to be practice-oriented rather than to wander in theoretical realms. Just like an estimate this thesis covers the major items and detailed samples are only provided in special cases to underline some very important coherences and to make the ‘theory’ more understandable. Samples and further information can be found in the respective appendices.
Hence, the purpose of this thesis is not an enumeration of Strategic Alliance samples, as every Strategic Alliance highly depends on particular circumstances. However, the samples and further information covered by the appendices will facilitate the general understanding of some issues.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- INTRODUCTION
- Scope and objective of this thesis
- Summary
- History
- Definitions
- Common definitions and abbreviations for relevant terms
- Preface
- Why implement Strategic Alliances?
- Dynamic forces driving Strategic Alliances
- Characteristics of Strategic Alliances
- Types of Strategic Alliances
- Four basic criteria in an alliance for each partner
- What are Strategic Alliances not?
- Are Strategic Alliances always strategic?
- Why do alliances fail?
- Implication on share prices
- Tomorrow's champions
- Sample of a Strategic Alliance Network in the Telecommunications Industry
- In the construction industry
- IDENTIFY
- Preparations (strategical, operational, and psychological)
- Strategic fit
- Stages of a Combination Strategy
- Alliance strategy needs to change as needs change
- Strategic Alliances in the airline industry: a totally different kind of strategic fit
- Entry / Operation strategies: wholly owned subsidiary, joint ventures, exporting
- Operational fit
- Partner choice: what to look for in an alliance partner
- Determining type and structure of Strategic Alliances
- Filling the Capability Gap
- Psychological fit - Human factors
- Alliance success factors
- Rethinking the management of alliances
- In the construction industry
- COMPANY CULTURE
- Why company cultures can clash
- Stages of culture clash
- Characteristics of company cultures
- Respecting cultures
- Systematically learning about partners' cultures
- Culture clash in international combinations
- Managing the culture clash
- Protecting core values
- Culture at the working level
- Managing mind-sets
- Sources of tension in building new teams
- Molding individuals into a team
- The origins of organizational culture
- Assessing one's own capabilities - corporate self-analysis
- What capabilities do we need in order to target and accomplish our goals?
- EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT
- Assessing organizational culture
- Levels of acculturation
- Assessing organizational culture
- NEGOTIATE AND SELECT PARTNER/S
- Finding and selecting the right partner/s
- Country culture
- Develop a workable alliance
- Protecting proprietary technology
- Legal issues
- IMPLEMENT
- Vision and Mission
- Critical Success Factors (CSF)
- Elements of a vision
- Principles, Priorities, Systems and Processes
- The multinational strategic management process: a linear situational overview
- Human Resources
- Retaining desired talent
- Middle managers' role
- Core management staff
- Focusing and prioritizing executive attention
- Senior team development
- Selecting managers and organizing the alliance
- Alliance CEO
- Key managers and operating personnel
- Training and development of management and workforce
- Leadership
- Leaderships role in the integration program
- Alliance leadership
- Management
- Communicating with staff
- Getting staff to communicate
- Changing circumstances and structural adaptation
- Developing detailed structures
- Reducing risk by incremental approaches
- Relationship risks in alliances
- Vision and Mission
- MAKING MULTINATIONAL STRATEGIC ALLIANCES WORK
- The liaison role
- Collaboration and Cooperation
- Collaborative / team-oriented management style
- Nurturing a collaborative mindset
- Conflict resolution
- Using conflict resolution positively
- Using teams
- Alliance management: working for the future
- Control balanced with autonomy
- Tailoring Governance to Alliance
- Institutionalizing Alliance Capability
- Performance Measurement
- Levels of alliance capability
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis examines the process of forming strategic alliances, from identifying potential partners to successfully implementing the alliance. The author draws on case studies and real-world examples to illustrate the challenges and opportunities involved in this process. Key objectives include understanding the different types of alliances, identifying the critical success factors, and developing strategies for managing cultural differences.- The process of forming and managing strategic alliances
- Identifying and assessing potential alliance partners
- Managing cultural differences and conflicts within alliances
- Building a collaborative mindset and effective communication
- The importance of leadership and vision in successful alliances
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides a broad overview of strategic alliances, defining the concept and its importance in today's business world. It explores the history of alliances, their various types and characteristics, as well as common reasons for alliance failure.
- Identify: This chapter delves into the crucial first steps of forming an alliance: identifying and evaluating potential partners. It examines factors to consider in partner selection, including strategic fit, operational fit, and cultural compatibility.
- Company Culture: This chapter analyzes the crucial role of company culture in alliance success. It explores the reasons for cultural clashes, how to manage them effectively, and the importance of respecting and understanding different cultural perspectives.
- Evaluation and Assessment: This chapter provides a framework for evaluating and assessing an organization's own capabilities and cultural readiness for an alliance. It emphasizes the importance of self-analysis and understanding the organization's strengths and weaknesses.
- Negotiate and Select Partner/s: This chapter focuses on the process of negotiating and selecting the right alliance partners. It discusses important considerations such as legal issues, protecting intellectual property, and developing a workable alliance structure.
- Implement: This chapter examines the implementation phase of the alliance. It covers essential aspects like defining a clear vision, establishing effective communication channels, and managing human resources within the newly formed entity.
- Making Multinational Strategic Alliances Work: This chapter delves into the challenges of managing multinational alliances. It emphasizes the importance of collaboration, conflict resolution, and building a team-oriented environment. It also discusses the role of leadership and governance in ensuring long-term success.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main focus of this work revolves around the strategic alliance formation and implementation process, encompassing key themes such as strategic fit, cultural compatibility, leadership, communication, and performance management. Important concepts include identifying and assessing potential partners, managing cultural differences, and building a collaborative mindset. The text also highlights the importance of integrating different organizational cultures, ensuring effective communication across diverse teams, and establishing clear leadership structures for successful alliance management.
Fin de l'extrait de 197 pages
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- Citation du texte
- Daniel Klein (Auteur), 2001, Strategic Alliances: A guideline for Identification, Evaluation, Negotiation and Implementation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/185703