Alliance Strategy Research Articles

Competitive embeddedness: The impact of competitive relations among a firm's current alliance partners on its new alliance formations

Over the last decades, alliance portfolio has been an important research area within the management and international business fields. Since engaging in multiple alliances provides many advantages to firms, the extant literature rather highlights the positive side of alliance portfolios. But, at the same time, focal firms of alliance portfolios sometimes suffer from competitive relations among their partners. By applying a competitive embeddedness lens, we examine the influence of competitive relations among partners within an alliance portfolio on the focal firm's alliance formations. Also, we examine the role of the focal firm's resources which moderate the relation between competition among its partners and its alliance formations. We investigated 2539 cases of global technology alliances in the biopharmaceutical industry from 2002 to 2006 through negative binomial regression. Our findings indicate that a holistic approach toward alliance portfolios to prevent competition among partners is significant for sustainable alliance strategies. Moreover, we suggest that firm resources which attract partners also lessen the impact of competition among alliances.

STRATEGI ALIANSI DALAM MENGHADAPI GLOBALISASI (STUDY PADA PERUSAHAAN FURNITURE DI KABUPATEN JEPARA)

The problem that is faced by furniture entrepreneur at Jepara is limitation of production capacity and limitation of design that have had. So produce can’t fulfi the buyer demand in at a certain time. This case can be anticipated by make an alliance strategy between several companies, where this solution is main alternative to face the problem. This strategy model was proposed by Michael Yoshino and Rosabeth Kanter where alliance strategy can be happen in various form, which in fact it is a base form marketing alliance that, enclose: product or sevice alliance, promotional alliance, logistic alliance and pricing collaborations. This examination intend to give alternative of formulation strategi that will be used by company in make alliance strategy.To reach the purpose in order to get exact strategy formulation is used by analisis tool that are SWOT Matric, BCG Matric, and QSP Matric. With first base by identifying external factor and internal factors. The result of alliance strategy analysis formulation at furniture company according analysis result of SWOT Matric, BCG Matric, and QSP Matric are recommended 4 strategy that is done by each company with step priority application as follow: I Strategic service alliance, II Strategic opportunity alliance, III Strategic pricing collaboration and IV Strategic promotional alliance.

Innovation, Recombination and Technological Proximity

This article investigates the relation between recombinative capabilities, innovation and alliance strategies for 71 firms in the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, through a panel data analysis. In particular, it explores the impact of two factors on innovation. The first is the recombinative capabilities of firms, which are measured by the breadth of their patents. The second is their alliance strategies, which are measured in terms of technological proximity with partners. The results reveal that recombinative capabilities increase innovative output. However, there is a limit to this positive effect. Beyond this limit, recombinative capabilities reduce innovation intensity. In other words, after a threshold, the wider is the breadth of the firm’s patents, the less is the number of them. This relationship also depends on the technological proximity with alliance partners. High recombinative capabilities are best complemented by technologically proximate alliance partners, who permit refinements in existing domains, without augmenting costs of variety management.

Standardization Strategies and Their Impact on Partners' Relationships in Complex Product and Systems

In this contribution, the authors investigate the way partners involved in Complex Products and Systems (CoPS) development manage local standards. In particular, this paper analyses how this management impacts the relations between partners through their roles of leader and complementor within platforms. The results are based on a qualitative case study in the launch vehicle segment of the space sector, especially the development of the Ariane 5 and Vega European space launchers. First, the authors find that standards management reveals the firm's position in a platform as a leader or a complementor. Second, it is shown that standards can be a way for complementors to build new system skills by collaborating with platform leaders. Along with skill building, they allow a firm to challenge the dominant position of the platform leader. Third, the authors show that firms use local standards combined with alliance strategies to manage competitive tensions. Then, the paper discusses literature on standards in CoPS and on leader and complementor's positions within platforms.

Containership Routing and Scheduling in Liner Shipping: Overview and Future Research Directions

This paper reviews studies from the past 30 years that use operations research methods to tackle containership routing and scheduling problems at the strategic, tactical, and operational planning levels. These problems are first classified and summarized, with a focus on model formulations, assumptions, and algorithm design. The paper then gives an overview of studies on containership fleet size and mix, alliance strategy, and network design (at the strategic level); frequency determination, fleet deployment, speed optimization, and schedule design (at the tactical level); and container booking and routing and ship rescheduling (at the operational level). The paper further elaborates on the needs of the liner container shipping industry and notes the gap between existing academic studies and industrial practices. Research on containership routing and scheduling lags behind practice, especially in the face of the fast growth of the container shipping industry and the advancement of operations research and computer technology. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate more practically relevant research in this emerging area.

A Desirability Function-Based Relatively Optimal Interval Core Model and an Algorithm for Fuzzy Profit Allocation Problems of Enterprise Strategy Alliance

AbstractEnterprise strategic alliance is a win-win business competition mode that has been developed in both academia and industry. How to allocate total profit fairly in an uncertain environment, however, is an important factor affecting the stability of the strategic alliance. To handle this problem, this paper proposes a new interval number ranking method based on synthesis effect function in which four basic principles to construct an appropriate synthesis effect function are developed. Using the new interval number ranking method, this paper defines a new concept of interval core. The necessary and sufficient condition to guarantee that the interval core is nonempty is also discussed and addressed using a special kind of additive synthesis effect function. A relatively optimal interval core model and an algorithm are developed to solve the proposed fuzzy allocation problem. Finally, a case study is presented to validate the proposed model and algorithm. Data analysis shows that we can obtain the only...

Grey evaluation empirical study based on center-point triangular whitenization weight function of Jiangsu Province industrial technology innovation strategy alliance

Purpose– This paper aims to investigate the performance of Jiangsu Province industrial technology innovation strategy alliance.Design/methodology/approach– Through a preliminary investigation of 30 Jiangsu industrial technology innovation strategic alliances, this paper analyzed the status and extracted 18 alliances to conduct an in-depth investigation. By grey evaluation method based on center-point triangular whitenization weight function, the paper classified and analyzed alliances.Findings– The results show that university or research institutions-oriented alliance perform better, but the government/enterprise-oriented alliance perform diverse, and majority is rated “general”.Originality/value– The paper succeeds in clustering analysis to Jiangsu Province industrial technology innovation strategy alliance with insufficient data. And according to the result of clustering, it analyzes the causes, which provide value information for the sustainable development of Jiangsu Province industrial technology innovation strategy alliance.

The Cognitive Dimension of Social Movements' Europeanization Processes. The Case of the Protests against ‘Fortress Europe’

This paper examines the Europeanization of social movements through frame analysis. Focusing on the case of the French and German pro-asylum movements, it shows how they build new collective identities and increasingly recognize the role of EU institutions and policies. This analysis shows first of all that social movements' organizations coming from different national contexts Europeanize their frames to the same extent and through similar paths. It shows then that, within each country, social movements' organizations with different characteristics frame European institutions and policies differently. These differences are explained by their distinct strategies of protest and alliance at the European level. Organizations acting in Brussels through lobbying techniques tend to follow a process of frame transformation, and organizations protesting at the transnational level tend to follow processes of frame extension and frame bridging. This analysis concentrates on a panel of 23 organizations representative of the pro-asylum movements in France and Germany.

Great Power War: Historical Inevitability or Deterrable Choice?

Proponents of a wide range of power transition theories suggest that conflict between the United States and China is inevitable. History indicates that is not true and conflict can be deterred. A key element to that deterrence is an effective Alliance strategy. While the Obama Administration has outlined an effective deterrent national strategy, it has not provided any military strategy. Some have proposed Air Sea Battle can be that strategy. For a variety of reasons, ASB will not work. This article proposes the Alliance adopt Offshore Control as a military strategy to deter China and assure allies and friends in the region. It is based on the concept of defending the first island chain, denying China use of the seas inside the first island chain and dominating the seas outside it. Its deterrent power is enhanced because Offshore Control is affordable, politically feasible, and can be executed today.

Being Cooperative or Competitive in Alliance Formation around a Rival

Competition and cooperation are two fundamental firm strategies. Acknowledging that strategic alliance is both a competitive and cooperative action, this study explores why firms form alliances which is more cooperative or competitive. This study distinguishes two alliance strategies toward rivals-alliances with either a rival or a rival's partner: the former reflects cooperative orientation to a rival, and the latter reflects competitive orientation to it. Based on this distinction, this study investigates what drive the adoption of an alliance strategy by a focal firm. Findings indicate that the resource profiles of a focal firm and its rival comprise the key consideration affecting the alliance strategy of the focal firm. This study contributes to literature on competitive dynamics and strategic alliance.

Should small exporting technology enterprises use niche, strategic alliances, or both?

This study compares and evaluates the niche strategy as well as the alliance strategy for small exporting technology enterprises (SETEs). The literature indicates that either strategy is effective, as both serve the same purpose of relaxing resource constraints. However, the results of this study indicate that SETEs that adopt both strategies simultaneously perform significantly better than those that adopt only one strategy so one strategy does not duplicate the other. Moreover, SETEs cannot maximise returns either if they rely heavily on both strategies simultaneously. The optimal strategy for SETEs lies either on the combination of high level of niches and low level of alliances or on the combination of low level of niches and high level of alliances.

Partner Selection in Brand Alliances: An Empirical Investigation of the Drivers of Brand Fit

We investigate whether partners in a brand alliance should be similar or dissimilar in brand image to foster favorable perceptions of brand fit. Using a Bayesian nonlinear structural equation model and evaluations of 1,200 brand alliances, we find that the conceptual coherence in brand personality profiles predicts attitudes towards a brand alliance. More specifically, we find that similarity in Sophistication and Ruggedness and moderate dissimilarity in Sincerity and Competence result in more favorable brand alliance evaluations. Overall, we find that similarity effects are more pronounced than dissimilarity effects. Implications for brand alliance strategies and marketing managers are discussed.

DOES A CONNECTION EXIST AMONG NATIONAL CULTURE, ALLIANCE STRATEGY, AND LEADING ICT FIRMS’ PERFORMANCE?

In this paper we explore links among firms’ performance, firms’ alliance strategies, and national culture in the context of the global information and communication technologies (ICT) industry. Currently, partnering is the one of the most effective ways to access a broad set of resources. In the ICT industry, we can observe a significant number of alliances, networks, and mergers and acquisitions. The contribution of this paper is to investigate how a contextual factor – namely, national culture – influences the alliance portfolio formation and a firm’s performance. We also aim to contribute to the issue of alliance portfolio formation. First, the concepts of alliance portfolio and culture as an explanatory factor are elaborated upon and their relevance to the study discussed. Second, using a sample of 30 ICT leaders and 10,247 of their alliances, we explore the effect of alliance strategy on firms’ performance as well as the connections among culture, firms’ performance, and alliance strategy. The study confirms that, in a global ICT industry (i.e., the most dynamically changing and riskiest environment), weak alliances may increase a firm’s performance more than strong, traditional strategic alliances. Culture may be used as one of the explanatory factors affecting firms’ performance as well as firms’ alliance strategies. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Golonka, M.; Rzadca, R. 2013. Does a connection exist among national culture, alliance strategy, and leading ICT firms’ performance?, Journal of Business Economics and Management 14(Supplement 1): S395–S412.

Shifted Roles: Explaining Danish and Norwegian Alliance Strategy 1949–2009

During their 60 years within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Denmark and Norway have experienced both high and low standings within the alliance, which can be attributed to both external and internal factors influencing their alliance strategies. During the ‘first’ Cold War and Détente, 1949–79, Danish and Norwegian alliance strategy aimed to simultaneously deter and reassure the Soviet Union. During the ‘second’ Cold War, 1979–89, Danish alliance policy became driven by domestic politics, and the Danish government was forced to formally dissociate the country from NATO's policies. Norway was not uncritical, but held a much lower profile. After the Cold War this situation shifted. Denmark successfully rehabilitated itself as a loyal and dependable ally by responding to the call for focusing on out-of-area operations. Meanwhile, Norway's continued focus on the lingering Russian Threat made the country seem out-of-touch with priorities in the post-Cold War alliance, and domestic politics prevented a more active out-of-area engagement.

The role of branding capability for innovative companies

Purpose– This paper is devoted to describe how innovation should be branded and bridge the gap between branding and innovation, where the role of branding capability is crucial. The study aims to discuss the link between branding and innovation, both theoretically and empirically.Design/methodology/approach– On the basis of current resource-based theory and dynamic capabilities theory and brand management, the research explores the role of branding capability for innovative companies. For the empirical part, an event study is first used to calculate the abnormal returns from new product announcement. Second, different regression models are analyzed to check the effect of branding capability on the stock market reaction to new product announcements made by those innovative companies.Findings– The stock market response to new product announcements is related to branding capability, but negatively. The reason could be that the more famous the brand is, the higher expectations the investors would hold with its new products.Research limitations/implications– The empirical study is based on the computer/electronics industry, and the pooled sample consists of those strong brands in the marketplace, which is not representative for the innovative companies as a whole. Thus, this paper has limited scope to generalize the results.Practical implications– With the development of wireless communication technologies, the new offerings from innovative companies would not be simply categorized by tangible devices or intangible services. Moreover, the brand alliance strategy in the tablet and handset market, or even PCs and netbook market, is much more complicated than simply choosing partners.Originality/value– The main contribution of this paper is to extend the prior researches in branded innovation and fill in the gap between innovation and brand.

Understanding NATO in the 21st Century. Alliance Strategies, Security and Global Governance. Edited by Graeme P. Herd and John Kriendler. New York: Routledge, 2013

Understanding NATO in the 21st Century. Alliance Strategies, Security and Global Governance. Edited by Graeme P. Herd and John Kriendler. New York: Routledge, 2013

English

In order to expand virtual retailing market, it is important to consider consumer-level opinion toward online stores and its relation to market-level measures of performance, such as marketing strategies, channel brand impression and customer online store loyalty intention. In this research, three online stores are selected as the research targets. A questionnaire survey is conducted to verify the determinant effects of firms marketing strategies and channel brand impression on loyalty intention toward online stores among consumers using second-order structural equation modeling (SEM) methods. The findings of this study suggest that online stores to the following: first, intensify emotional appeal in their advertising strategy; second, sell international brand products in the context of a brand alliance strategy; and third, develop channel brand impression helpful to the online store loyalty intention of consumers.   Key words: Pricing, brand impression, online store, structural equation modeling.

A Theory Model of the Existence Stable Measure for the Industrial Technology Innovation Strategy Alliance

This paper aims to establish a existence stable measure model. Use Alliance building, partner selection, the benefit and risk sharing, legal guarantee and policy guidance for one class index. Looking for data sources by Delphi method and questionnaire method and using the entropy weight method to Process those data. Through the model application can sum up the developing experience and provide reference for the Industrial technology innovation strategy alliances future development

‘Labour Chains’: Analysing the Role of Labour Contractors in Global Production Networks

Third party labour contractors are increasingly prevalent in global production networks (GPNs), and can provide a channel for new forms of unfree labour. Review of case study evidence from South African and UK horticulture suggests this often emerges off-site through labour intermediaries. Analytical approaches to labour in GPNs and value chains are examined. The article argues that labour contracting is driven by the commercial dynamics of global outsourcing. A ‘cascade system’ allows unscrupulous intermediaries to coerce vulnerable workers. We examine strategies of civil society alliances, and regulatory reform, and argue for extending liability of all commercial actors across global boundaries.

Technology alliances in emerging economies: persistence and interrelation in European firms' alliance formation

We analyse the patterns and determinants of technology alliance formation with partner firms from emerging economies with a focus on European firms' alliance strategies. We examine to what extent European firms' alliance formation with partners based in emerging economies is persistent – that is, to what extent prior collaborative experience determines new alliance formation – and we compare this pattern with alliance formation with developed country partners. Second, we examine to what extent prior engagement in international alliances with partners from developed countries increases the propensity to form technology alliances with partners based in emerging economies, and vice versa (interrelation). We find that both persistence and interrelation effects are present, and that they are generally not weaker for emerging economy alliances. Alliance formation with Indian and Chinese firms is significantly more likely if firms have prior alliance experience with Japanese firms. The findings suggest that building on their prior international alliance experience firms extend their alliance portfolios across both developed and emerging economies, increasing the geographical diversity of their alliance portfolios.