Entry Strategies: Strategic Alliances
ENTRY STRATEGIES: STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
I. INTRODUCTION
The past two decades has been an era of global evolution, in which the globalisation of markets, the convergence of and rapid shifts in technologies, and the breakdown of many traditional industry boundaries, has rendered strategic alliances a competitive necessity (Ohmae, 1989). A single firm is unlikely to possess all the resources and capabilities to achieve global competitiveness. Therefore, collaboration among organisations that possess complementary resources is often necessary for survival and growth (Dussauge, Garrette and Mitchell, 1998). Defined as a long-term, explicit contractual agreement pertaining to an exchange or combination of some of a firm's resources with another firm(s), strategic alliances allow firms to share risks and resources, gain knowledge and technology, expand the existing product base, and obtain access to new markets (Burgers, Hill and Kim, 1993; Dacin, Hitt and Levitas, 1997; Hagedoorn and Schakenraad, 1993; Morosini, 1999). Not surprisingly then, strategic alliances have become an increasingly popular strategy, particularly for entry into international markets (Osborn and Hagedoorn, 1997; Cullen, 1999). Approximately 20,000 alliances were formed worldwide between 1996 and 1998 (Harbison and Pekar, 1998; cited in The Economist, May 15, 1999), and it has been estimated that the number of strategic alliances will continue to increase at an annual rate of 25 per cent (Day, 1994). However, despite the frequency with which today's alliances are occurring, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that alliances fail to deliver anywhere near the promised payoffs. The percentage of alliances that are failures runs the gamut across the research from a low 30 per cent (Cullen, 1999), to a high 70 per cent (Dacin et al, 1997). Apart from the inherent risk of entering into an alliance, partner compatibility is often cited as the main reason for alliance failure (Dacin et al,
I. INTRODUCTION
The past two decades has been an era of global evolution, in which the globalisation of markets, the convergence of and rapid shifts in technologies, and the breakdown of many traditional industry boundaries, has rendered strategic alliances a competitive necessity (Ohmae, 1989). A single firm is unlikely to possess all the resources and capabilities to achieve global competitiveness. Therefore, collaboration among organisations that possess complementary resources is often necessary for survival and growth (Dussauge, Garrette and Mitchell, 1998). Defined as a long-term, explicit contractual agreement pertaining to an exchange or combination of some of a firm's resources with another firm(s), strategic alliances allow firms to share risks and resources, gain knowledge and technology, expand the existing product base, and obtain access to new markets (Burgers, Hill and Kim, 1993; Dacin, Hitt and Levitas, 1997; Hagedoorn and Schakenraad, 1993; Morosini, 1999). Not surprisingly then, strategic alliances have become an increasingly popular strategy, particularly for entry into international markets (Osborn and Hagedoorn, 1997; Cullen, 1999). Approximately 20,000 alliances were formed worldwide between 1996 and 1998 (Harbison and Pekar, 1998; cited in The Economist, May 15, 1999), and it has been estimated that the number of strategic alliances will continue to increase at an annual rate of 25 per cent (Day, 1994). However, despite the frequency with which today's alliances are occurring, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that alliances fail to deliver anywhere near the promised payoffs. The percentage of alliances that are failures runs the gamut across the research from a low 30 per cent (Cullen, 1999), to a high 70 per cent (Dacin et al, 1997). Apart from the inherent risk of entering into an alliance, partner compatibility is often cited as the main reason for alliance failure (Dacin et al,
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