Strategic Alliances : The Formation Of Alliances

Strategic alliance is an agreement between two or more organizations to cooperate in a detailed business activity, so that each get benefited from the strengths of one an other, and gains competitive advantage. The formation of strategic alliances has been seen as a comeback to globalization and increasing doubt and difficulty in the business environment. Strategic alliances occupy the sharing of knowledge and expertise between partners as well as the reduction of risk and costs in areas such as relationships with suppliers and the development of new products and technologies. strategic alliance is sometimes equated with a joint venture, but an alliance may involve competitors, and generally has a shorter life span. Strategic partnership is a closely related concept. This article analyzes definition of strategic alliance, its benefits, types, process of formation, and provides a few cases studies of strategic alliances. This paper tries to synthesize the scope and role of marketing functions in the determination of effectiveness of strategic alliances. Several propositions from a marketing perspective about the analysis of alliance process are formulated. On the basis of the propositions, a framework is developed for future research

Although partners learn from each other through alliances, promoting inter-firm learning happens when all participants acknowledge a number of critical factors that help or hinder collaboration (Dickson et al., 1997). Compatibility is a critical factor when companies decide to join with one another, and management on both sides examine if the partnership will deliver desired results (Dickson et al., 1997). Although partnering with businesses that offer

Moving toward establishing win-win relationships in the context of strategic alliances, organizations are looking at total cost as a criterion, thus allowing win-win relationship building to lower total costs. Most public and private sector organizations are expected to use integrative (win-win) versus distributive (win-lose) negotiations, as they move away from adversarial and toward collaborative relationships with suppliers.

Hospital Alliances or merger is rapidly growing in the health care industry. Hospitals could use merger or acquisition for acquiring a larger market share in any prevailing financial circumstance. Strategic alliances are arrangement between two or more organizations for the purpose of ongoing cooperation and mutual gain/risk sharing (Burns, Bradley & Weiner (2012). Joint ventures, mergers and other arrangements between providers are most often intended to re-align the interests of the individual providers with the consumer and public policy goals for a less costly, more efficient, high quality, accessible - and above all else, coordinated - health care system. Organizations form alliances with the expected return or benefit of improved financial

Strategic alliances have been incorporated into the healthcare field as an ever-present operational and strategic consideration (Kaluzny, Zuckerman, & Ricketts, 2002). Strategic alliances are designed to achieve strategic purposes not attainable by a single organization, providing flexibility and responsiveness while retaining the basic fabric of participating organizations (Kaluzny, Zuckerman, & Ricketts, 2002). Strategic alliances should be entered very carefully and with a strategic plan. A strategic alliance is not as complex and not as everlasting as a bonded endeavor.

Union Pacific has alliances with three other railway companies: Ferrocarril Mexicano, Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana and the Canadian Pacific Railway. As stated on the Union Pacific website, these alliances with three other North American railroads are key to “providing seamless service beyond Union Pacific’s traditional 23-state reach.” These partners include all of the major railroads in North America, which leads to allowing customers’ affordability and easy access in their markets.

The lesson learned from this is that sometimes it is easier and faster reach a new market via joint venture, even though the profit will be less, but the company can save a lot of money in studying the new market trying to understand the new culture and how they purchase and also it can minimize the risk because there is a national brand supporting the new international brand, which gives confidence and security to the customers.

Joint ventures and strategic alliances are more flexible and less “controllable” by central headquarters. So, creativity and freedom could make progress thanks to local partners with new ideas and new eyes on IKEA activities.

Because every problem almost always has more than one solution, the question of whether or not a joint venture between Sakari and Nora would be the best option for either of the companies is difficult to assess. However, there are certain benefits, which are mentioned in the case, that clearly outline the initial motivation for forming the join venture. From the Sakari side, the motivation came in the form of a new market in Southeast Asia, while Nora was motivated by Sakari’s telecom technology and the possibility of acquiring it and/or replicating it in the future. The forming

Aegis Analytical was a start-up, manufacturing process software provider, developing solutions for the pharmaceutical industry. The company was founded on managerial know-how, established by two co-founders with in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing domain and software know-how, developed their flagship product called Discoverant. Discoverant was a revolutionary product that offered a solution to highly complex problems in the manufacturing process of pharmaceutical companies. The software had the following features: it collected data during the production process, tracked failures and then analyzed the data to give sophisticated bases for solutions to managers. Aegis aspired to be the recognized leader in the process

Cisco Systems has a network of component suppliers, distributors, and contract manufacturers that are linked through Cisco’s extranet. When a customer orders a Cisco product at Cisco’s Web site, the order triggers contracts to manufacturers of printed circuit board assemblies when appropriate and alerts distributors and component suppliers. Cisco’s contract manufacturers are aware of the order because they can log on to Cisco’s extranet and link up with Cisco’s own manufacturing execution systems.

SMEs cooperation is one of the most popular strategies SMEs deploy to spread business risks, gain access to technology, distribution channels and deferred taxes. Through access to other firm proprietary resources, the concerned SMEs are likely to create synergistic effect imperative to gain competitive advantages that would facilitate improved market and financial performance. Highlighting the benefits of cooperation, several studies indicated SMEs partners can gain access to new technology, gain tacit knowledge, create economies of scale, save costs and achieve flexibility and quality improvement. They however opined that conflict of interest and low trust are usually inhibiting factors to SMEs cooperation.

It is because through the joint venture, the company is more familiar with the situation of the company there. The negative outcome is that the management system different between the company. So it is hard to make a decision making. It is because there is different opinion of each person.

Partners may provide the strategic alliance with resources such as products, distribution channels, manufacturing capability, project funding, capital equipment, knowledge, expertise, or intellectual property. The alliance is cooperation or collaboration which aims for a synergy where each partner hopes that the benefits from the alliance will be greater than those from individual efforts. The alliance often involves technology transfer (access to knowledge and expertise), economic specialization, shared expenses and shared risk.

Joint ventures have further benefits. Joint ventures are based on sharing individual ability and resources for the purpose of achieving a mutually beneficial objective. Sony gains access to Ericsson’s market share and their network of infrastructure and handset technology. Ericsson can acquire Sony's experience on consumer electronics, fashionable designs and production processes. Hence, the joint venture overcomes Sony's low market share and strengthens Ericsson's ability of research and product development. Thus joint ventures resolve the opportunism issue with OEM, licensing and franchising.