Research Paper

Developing Alliance Formation Process Capabilities.

ERC Research Paper No 13

Associated Themes
  • Management and Leadership

This paper examines the processes that firms use to form strategic alliances. Drawing on data from 1063 US based firms who created R&D consortia over a 22 year period, it considers whether companies replicate existing approaches, gained from prior experience, in forming subsequent alliances or whether they can develop new skills as they adapt to changing conditions. It suggests that prior experience is a significant factor affecting subsequent formation processes and longer experience tends to increase the chances that firms will replicate a given approach. It also finds that smaller firms may be more able to flex their approach.


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