STRATEGIC ALLIANCES - CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS

In the never-ending search for ways of gaining a sustainable competitive advantage, global corporations have increasingly turned to the use of strategic alliances as a method of international expansion. Unfortunately, many firms have been unpleasantly surprised by the outcomes of their strategic alliance relationships. In this paper, we draw upon previous theoretical and empirical work to develop a framework for analysing the likely success of international strategic alliances. Dubbed 'the 4 Cs', we show how this analytic framework can assist firms in their efforts to avoid picking the wrong alliance partners.