Uncertainty reduction mechanisms in cross-sector alliances in Latin America

The present study explores three uncertainty reduction mechanisms that arise in the context of business alliance formation to assess whether these same mechanisms also operate in the development of alliances between non-profits and businesses. Secondary data from field-based case studies of Latin American cross-sector alliances are the focus of this analysis. The findings show that the same mechanisms operate to reduce uncertainty in cross-sector alliance formation and that alliance experience appears to determine the presence of some mechanisms.     

Strategic alliances and internationalisation in the aircraft manufacturing industry

Based on an indicator measuring the technological level of aircraft, this paper shows that in the aircraft industry, firms are obliged to deal not only with high technological barriers, but growing financial and market barriers, too. In order to reduce these, a complex network of relationships has developed over time. This network involves both main firms belonging to the world oligopoly and firms capable of offering specialised technology and/or a potential broadening of the market. The result is a worldwide production organisation. This paper highlights the fact that the aircraft industry is undergoing a global reorganisation featuring an integration process where six groups (two in Europe and four in the United States) have come to the fore. In the future, it will be possible to imagine new forms of co-operation between the emerging European and American groups.     

A dynamic approach to the analysis of strategic alliances

The increasing trend in strategic alliance formation between major firms around the world, has prompted researchers from various disciplines to look at this phenomenon in great detail. In this paper, we review alternate approaches in the literature in this area. We then propose a non-linear dynamic approach to study the formation of competitive strategic alliances and contrast it with the traditional game-theoretic approach. The pros and cons of these two approaches are discussed with reference to a competitive alliance scenario. Dynamic models have significant managerial implications as they enable us to investigate ‘if-then’ type scenarios and project the impact of different strategies.     

Vertical alliance portfolios and the business performance of small technology-based firms

This paper discusses how small technology-based firms (STBFs) effectively manage vertical alliances by choosing proper alliance structures to both manage challenges and pursue higher performance. We consider the main challenges of STBFs’ vertical alliances as opportunistic risk and coordination concern between partners, and derive four types of vertical alliance portfolios with different extents of risk and return based on the relational perspective. We then examine the impact of each portfolio on performance and the moderating effect of STBFs’ age and technological capability. The results show the portfolio focusing on bilateral alliances is not helpful for STBFs, while the others are useful. The portfolio focusing on unilateral alliances promises young firms better performance, while hybrid portfolios of unilateral and bilateral alliances are more helpful for older STBFs. In hybrid portfolios, bilateral alliance in the upstream is beneficial to specific technology-focused firms, while bilateral alliance in the downstream is recommended to STBFs whose technology covers a wider range.     

Collaborative business models: Aligning and operationalizing alliances

It is not unusual for companies to generate substantial revenue through alliances. However, alliance failure rates are high, leaving much revenue at risk and value unrealized. The big challenge facing managers is to align company interests with alliance interests. Such alignment can only be achieved when executives pay considerable attention to building the right collaborative business model. In this article, we synthesize the insights of the existing literature to arrive at three collaborative business models—sharing, specialization, and allocation—that managers can use to address the specific requirements of their alliances. Because the literature provides limited insight regarding how to operationalize these models, we highlight what managers need to focus on when operationalizing each of these models. We find that the choice for an overall business model is relatively straightforward in most cases but that operationalization of business models requires more complex combinations of management techniques. Finally, we show how the three collaborative business models can be combined to build hybrid models.     

Impact of growth strategy on mode of governance in alliances

The aim of this study is to analyse the way in which growth strategies influence the choice of governance mode in corporate alliances. Specifically, the study looks at how expansion, diversification and internationalisation strategies determine choice of joint ventures rather than other types of alliances. To that end, we analysed a sample of 918 alliances among companies from the European Union-15 between 2000 and 2004. The results suggest that companies prefer to set up joint ventures when their strategies are based on expansion and related diversification, whereas they prefer other types of alliances when they follow a strategy of unrelated diversification. Furthermore, in international alliances, it appears that the impact of growth strategy on alliance governance mode is similar for the entire range of companies employed in the sample.     

基于联盟的数字产业技术标准国际化路径研究——以昕诺飞为例

数字产业具有前沿性、复杂性和高度不确定性,技术标准国际化是数字产业保持全球竞争力的重要举措。采用纵向单案例研究法,以昕诺飞为研究对象,探索企业推进技术标准国际化的路径及机制。结果表明,昕诺飞实现技术标准国际化的主要路径是基于自主研发或收购专利组建标准联盟或专利联盟并制定发布联盟标准,进而将其转化为国际标准、目标国国家标准和团体标准;企业可基于标准开展相应认证检测,形成“联盟+标准+专利+认证检测”的闭环,实现“技术专利化—专利标准化—标准国际化—市场垄断化”的良性循环,以维持企业长期竞争优势;推进技术标准国际化的关键在于组建联盟,我国数字产业可通过“标准联盟+专利联盟”的双联盟策略,形成核心层稳固的开放式战略联盟,通过构建共生演化生态系统推进技术标准国际化。     

小企业加入非对称联盟动机对权力配置与绩效的影响——以水环境治理行业为例

以往有关联盟绩效的研究很少关注企业动机通过权力配置对绩效的多重影响,以及不同动机和权力配置的影响差异。以资源依赖理论和议价能力理论为基础,以中国245家水环境治理企业为样本,研究小企业加入联盟的动机通过感知位置权力与能力权力的配置,对非对称联盟创新绩效和财务绩效的联合效应。结果表明,战略动机通过感知权利互补和平衡促进技术创新;成本动机通过感知权利互补影响财务绩效,但无法通过感知权利平衡影响财务绩效。     

焦点企业知识存量对联盟组合分裂断层的影响：知识转移效率的中介作用

运用断层理论,从知识获取和关系治理角度,分析焦点企业知识存量如何影响联盟组合分裂断层及分裂断层形成机理。基于焦点企业知识存量、分裂断层、知识转移效率、情景嵌入性之间的关系理论模型框架,认为焦点企业知识存量能够影响联盟组合分裂断层,其中,知识转移效率在这一过程中发挥中介效应,情景嵌入性发挥调节效应。结果发现：焦点企业知识存量与分裂断层之间存在显著负相关关系;知识转移效率能够部分中介焦点企业知识存量与分裂断层之间的关系;情景嵌入性能够正向调节焦点企业知识存量与知识转移效率之间的关系。     

战略联盟中合营公司的博弈分析

战略联盟是不同企业集团为实现局部目标而进行的协作.合营公司是战略联盟的主要方式,其性质是非合作不完全信息重复博弈.本文通过合营者的支付矩阵建立了博弈模型,得出能够进行合作的前提条件,证明了合营操作中的三个结论即重视未来的战略联盟稳定;强强联盟非常有效;同一般的公司理论不同,对等投资成功率非常高.