Dancing with elephants: The challenges of managing asymmetric technology alliances

Abstract

Asymmetric alliances, those between small technology ventures and large industry players, defy established wisdom regarding the positive relationship between alliance partner similarities and alliance performance. What can we learn from these increasingly prevalent alliance forms to inform and extend alliance theory and practice? To help answer this question, this paper reports on the qualitative study of three asymmetric alliances, one failure and two successes, identifies key conceptual differences between symmetric and asymmetric alliances not addressed in the literature to date, suggests research opportunities and makes recommendations on how technology entrepreneurs can manage their relationship with large partners.