Strategic-alliance Books
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The Best Book on AlliancesReview Date: 2003-09-06
GREAT BOOKReview Date: 2003-09-03
GREAT BOOKReview Date: 2003-09-03
Very useful bookReview Date: 2003-09-22
The best book on this subjectReview Date: 2003-09-04

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A framework for business developmentReview Date: 2002-01-14
DisappointingReview Date: 2002-01-11
The One Book You Have to ReadReview Date: 2001-07-01
Is time spent strategically a bad thing? Is strategy dead? Was time spent on strategy wasted? Does strategic planning have no place in our time-crazed, execution-obsessed New Economy? In 1983, the uber-executive of our age- General Electric Chairman Jack Welch dismantled the company's once heralded planning department. We have empirical evidence that those spending the most on traditional forms of resource-centric `strategy consulting' [the cerebrally challenged SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats dance] performed the poorest in the market place. The biggest strategic planner of them all, the Soviet Union appears to have just about finished its pre-Millennial journey from totalitarianism to disintegration. Strategy is not dead, but it had certainly fallen out of favor. Few companies don't have strategic plans. Yet few devote the resources to them they used to. Most disturbing, is that efforts to fix the problem, often had the effect of making things worse - or at least making them bad in a different way. Crusades and reforms intended to reinvent, relaunch and reposition the practice strategy have failed.
Lewis Mumford divided history into epochs characterized by their power sources. Traditional strategy tended to emphasize a focused single line of attack, executed by a single economic enterprise- a clear statement of where, how, and when to compete. Noticeably lacking was the question of `with whom?' The new power source in the New Economy is the ability to assemble the most resource-rich, market-savvy, technology-gifted, fleet-of-foot, known-and-trusted-by-the-consumer armada of partners. The way you do that is the subject of Digital Deals.
No book can promise infallibility. No book can guarantee that good decisions will be made. This book will help you spend the time you can allocate to strategic thinking more efficaciously. As such, this is not a coffee-table book. This is not a Great-Title-No-Content book. This is not a Good-article-unbelievable-they-stretched-it-into-a-book-book. This most definitely is not a I'll-buy-it-but-I-won't-read-it book. Digital Deals is the new, new thing in strategic thinking. Using the framework in Digital Deals to analyze the ur-protangonists of our evolving New Economy [Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, AOL, AT&T, Amazon] I experienced something akin to the joy that must have accompanied Galileo's use of the telescope to study the heavens or Robert Hooke's (1635-1703) use of the microscope to study bacteria. The tools contained in these pages will let you see new things. It will simplify what heretofore has been an incoherent jumble of pieces parts. This book has helped me understand the players, the deals and the deal rationales of the market I work in - digital security and privacy. As I read the book, I continued to ask myself whether the two Georges were adding words to the existing vocabulary of strategic planning or creating a new grammar into which the old words might be conjugated. There is no doubt that the process of market modeling described within these pages fundamentally changes the types of conversations we will be having as we try to plan our respective futures.
Incredibly valuable -- a must-readReview Date: 2001-06-28
This is a book that puts partnerships and alliances in perspective in terms of their usefulness, value and criticality for the future of any organization in today's complex, competitive business world. Highly recommended reading for executives in general and Business Development professionals in particular.
Dealmaking for the 21st centuryReview Date: 2001-06-20
As a marketing/brand consultant to both Fortune 500 companies and to start-ups I will be handing out this book as Christmas presents to my favorite clients.

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Solid, actionable guidelinesReview Date: 2006-02-15
1. Mutual need creates the opportunity.
2. Interpersonal relationships make the connection.
3. Joint leaders deliver on both firms.
4. Shared objectives guide performance.
5. Safeguards encourage sharing.
6. Commitment creates enthusiasm.
7. Adaptable organizations support alignment.
8. Continuity sustains understandings.
The author then discusses actionable guidelines and tips for fostering a relationship of trust with business partners. Among these are the following:
· Pick team players-Invest in relationships early to facilitate understanding of each other's business needs. Ensure joint leadership and team development.
· Define a single purpose-Every step taken in an alliance should reflect a shared vision about the business purposes of the alliance.
· Align your organizations-Create an alliance plan detailed enough that teams in both organizations will know what is expected of them. Align incentive systems within the organizations with shared objectives.
· Orchestrate many units-Facilitate the cooperation of leaders from all levels with their counterparts in the partner organization. Each of the participating units must satisfy the eight conditions of trust.
· Take nothing for granted-Manage the alliance and plan for continuity.
Trusted Partners....a book to share with othersReview Date: 2000-05-02
While reading the book I needed to pause on frequent occasion and fit many of our current business relationships into his case examples. One of its greatest value may be to learn from others' mistakes and successes, and improve on this essential element for every organization.
New TerritoryReview Date: 2000-05-15
Practical and Profitable WisdomReview Date: 2000-05-04
My guess is that those in greatest need of this book will encounter the greatest difficulty when attempting to follow Lewis' suggestions. "Trust is at the heart of the knowledge economy....Rather than being a matter of blind faith, trust must be cone step at a time. Further, building trust between organizations is all-encompassing. It involves their people, politics, priorities, cultures, and structures." Organizations become untrustworthy when those within those organizations are untrustworthy. Over the years, all of us have been victimized by fraudulent claims, intentional misrepresentations, corrupt "politics", "a hidden agenda", broken promises, etc. If trust is to be built between organizations, there must be interpersonal as well as intrapersonal relationships based on trustworthiness.
Lewis's book is divided into three parts: Trust Leads to High Performance, Alliances with Key Partner, and Tools for Trust: A Guide for Practitioners. He follows a step-by-step process within each part, providing an abundance of observations, suggestions, and caveats. Who will derive the greatest value from this book? Here are my nominees:
1. Decision-makers who have the authority (not simply the responsibility) for their organization's cultural transformation.
2. Owners/CEOs of start-ups who are committed to building trust as well as sales and profits.
3. Those involved in M&A initiatives whose due diligence includes evaluation of cultural capital as well as material assets.
One of the book's most valuable sections (Chapter VII in the Third Part) summarizes "actions that establish trust-building habits." Note the use of the word "habit." Lewis is quite correct when insisting that time and effort are required to build and then sustain trust. Conversely, trust can be quickly compromised by a single act betrayal.
In this final section, the "trust-building habits" are classified as follows: Trust Conditions; Recruiting, Training, and Rewards; Management Behavior; and Other Activities. Once you have read the book, selected what is most appropriate to your own organization, and then begun the difficult task of implementation, it would be a good idea to re-read Chapter VII in the Third Part. The counsel Lewis provide will help you formulate your own tasks and objectives within the framework of the eight trust conditions and related practices.
If those within your organization are unwilling and/or unable to make a sincere and steadfast commitment to building and then sustaining trust, find another organization. And consider this fact: The companies which dominate their respective industries are the same companies which are rated the best companies to work for. Coincidence? I don't think so...and neither does Lewis.
AN EXHAUSTIVE COMPILATION OF IDEASReview Date: 2003-02-10
This 319-paged book is an exhaustive compilation of both ideas and pieces of advice. Its logical arrangement ensured that all those crucial information remain dynamic. This is an important text for anyone who is into (or tends to go into) any form of corporate alliance or similar association.
Every important ingredient required for building, improving, and nourishing partnerships is in this book. Most of them were illustrated with examples.
This is a sound Management book. It is all about winning. Almost perfect! But I did wish that it provided clues on how to constructively repair a partnership that has been damaged by egoistic tendencies.

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Written in exciting manner that keeps your attentionReview Date: 2004-02-01
Well organized book, I think the end of chapter summaries really save you time. Solid bibliographical references make it easy to get more from practical examples included in each chapter.
You will not be disappointed with the wealth of insight available if you are willing to read past "the most profound implications of the rapid shift." The authors are very enthusiastic in their language, but the underlying message is powerful.
An Entrepreneur's ViewReview Date: 2001-07-09
I enjoy business books that you can read in a couple of hours but that still have plenty of substance. COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES fills that bill. It details how business models have changed along with the growth of technology and believes that for the foreseeable future COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES are the way to go. If you are interested in insights into strategic timing, information infrastructures and how to build a profitable collaborative community, this book is an excellent choice.
A must read book!Review Date: 2001-07-05
Shuman and Twombly Make Process of Collaboration Clear!Review Date: 2001-08-02
A Sense of Place...a Very Special PlaceReview Date: 2001-07-10
In the Preface, Shuman first acknowledges the "conventional wisdom" that if a given business is based on a good idea and that idea is effectively implemented, the business will succeed. Then he rejects it: "In reality, no matter how good a business idea is, no matter how well the idea is implemented, as soon as you open your doors for business [literally or virtually], you will find your business has to change -- not just minor adjustments and small shifts in marketing or product design but radical [italics] change." Shuman then asserts that what he calls "The Rhythm of Business™" (TROB) is the most reliable process by which to develop and grow successful businesses of every size and type, not just today but yesterday and tomorrow. (The Rhythm of Business is the title of Shuman's previous book.) Given this methodology and all of the new technologies, Shuman then shares a "second thought": the business pattern required for the 21st century "is what I call the Collaborative Community™."
In this book, Shuman and Twombly (with David Rottenberg) develop that "second thought" by incorporating -- integrating, actually -- technology with TROB inorder to enable their readers "to stay in touch with us and continue to develop their understanding of how to achieve and maintain success in our new networked world." What they envision, in essence, is a new "fraternity." The material in the book is organized within three Parts: The Revolution in Business, The New Reality, and The New Business Pattern, followed by a "References" section for those who wish to extend and enrich their understanding of various issues addressed in this book.
For whom will this book have the greatest value? Probably owners/CEOs of small-to-midsized companies; especially those who are perhaps struggling, now, with the always-difficult transition from entrepreneurship to professional management. Decision-makers in larger organizations will also derive substantial benefit from this book, especially if they are primarily responsible for business units or even departments within those organizations. Those who share my high regard of this book are urged to check out Fitz-enz's The E-Aligned Enterprise, Segil's FastAlliances, and O'Dell and Grayson's If Only We Knew What We Know.


Awesome Summary and IdeasReview Date: 2008-07-02
Help for the Marketing Challenged or Budget ConsciousReview Date: 2002-11-28
DYNAMIC!!!!Review Date: 2004-05-12
Including specific niche positioningReview Date: 2003-04-12
Marketing Made SimpleReview Date: 2003-01-23

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Partnering Intelligence Cuts to the CoreReview Date: 2000-01-11
Dent's book effectively blends theory and practice in a way that elevates the concept of partnership to a repeatable formula for success. While we all intuitively understand that partnering skills are a vital part of any successful business relationship, Dent has provided a system by which to measure and develop such skills. You'll have to read his book to see how his Partnering Quotient and Partnership Continuum combine to form a pathway to effective partnership that anyone can follow.
I'll also add that Dent's book is especially pertinent in today's fluid business environment, where companies are merging and building alliances at an unprecedented rate. As we know, virtually every aspect of business is transforming in accordance with computer networking technology, rapidly rising global population growth and increasing diversity in markets and the workplace.
All this adds up to more change in shorter periods of time and more business interaction - trends that demand better partnering skills. What an important time for corporations to instill a strong partnering capability in their people!
Partnering Know-how from the World's ExpertReview Date: 2000-01-10
Smart Partnering WorksReview Date: 2000-01-25
I know that I will be using the materials in this book to good effect in my consulting work over the next few years. Thanks to Steve for his hard work in putting together this excellent field-guide to building effective partnerships.
Excellent resource - comprehensive made simple!Review Date: 2000-03-07
Great Advice for Business PeopleReview Date: 2000-01-11

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A multi-sided strategic approach to doing businessReview Date: 2008-01-18
A new way of looking at businesses.Review Date: 2007-08-05
1. Restaurants
2. Diners.
In this case, Diners Club allows diners to eat at many restaurants on credit without having to establish a credit relationship with each individual restaurant (assuming the restaurants are willing to offer them credit). The diners benefit from the credit they receive, and the restaurants benefit by getting more diners who spend more and by avoiding the hassle and expense of managing credit relationships with individual diners.
The book is easy to read (no jargon) and provides numerous and familiar examples. It may not astonish you with any earth-shattering insights (that's why I didn't give it five stars), but it will make you look at 'two-sided businesses' in a new way.
This book is a must-have if you are involved with or competing against 'two-sided businesses', and will probably be useful to anyone involved with business generally.
Strategy book for multi-sided businessesReview Date: 2007-06-18
Catalyst Code describes the hard work and constant calibration required to build and grow a catalyst. Entrepreneurs, executives, managers and investors can benefit from the insights this book brings into the forces and dynamics that shape successful catalysts.
I find the book particularly interesting for those of us who are in the process of building catalysts. It is readily applicable to the day-to-day challenges we face. The ability to capture such a complex topic in a simple, easy to read and easy to understand framework is invaluable.
Catalyst Code is an excellent reference for multi-sided, complex and volume based businesses.
Marwan Forzley
Thought Provoking Refinement of Previous ThemesReview Date: 2007-11-02
Even though I really enjoyed the dedicated focus on software platforms in Invisible Engines, I think that Catalyst Code benefits from the shift in emphasis to the broader thinking involved in crafting, implementing and extending "catalyst" business strategies. In some ways, Catalyst Code is less descriptive and more prescriptive in tone than Invisible Engines; I think that it is also a more immediately practical work for those who might want to consider applying some "catalyst" strategies in their own businesses.
Still, in a strange way, I must say that Catalyst Code was, at least for me, a less satisfying book than Invisible Engines. And I think that this is a good thing. At the conclusion of Invisible Engines, I think that one is apt to get the feeling, "well said: case closed." It's a book with a carefully laid-out thesis and ample examples of software platform companies that fit the model hypothesis. Indeed, Invisible Engines feels like a comprehensive survey of a common, though perhaps not previously well-highlighted, business phenomenon within the software industry.
On the other hand, Catalyst Code left me strangely discomfited and full of the kind of questions that one wants to have after reading a good book on corporate strategy. Questions like: which present generation Internet-oriented companies are really better catalyst companies (i.e., Microsoft vs Google), and which might be in the future (MySpace vs Facebook, Yahoo vs Wikipedia, eBay vs a re-invigorated Apple)? And beyond these questions, one can't help but ponder others about how trust (brand), style (marketing), and the right choice of community participants (who is included or excluded) might ultimately impact the business success, reputation, or longevity of various catalyst players. Provocative stuff.
In an age when Microsoft is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase a miniscule stake in Facebook, I think Catalyst Code serves as a great gloss to the nightly business news. Perhaps it is that immediate relevance that makes the book so thought provocative. I found it a fun read for a serious business book.
On a final note, Catalyst Code is a deceptively quick read (at least much quicker than Invisible Engines). I'm probably not the world's fastest reader, and I still managed to finish Catalyst Code over three or four good nights of reading. The prose is very crisp, something too often lacking in many other business books these days.
Definitely shifts the way you view business models...Review Date: 2007-06-04
Contents:
What Is a Catalyst; Build a Catalyst Strategy; Identify the Catalyst Community; Establish a Pricing Structure; Focus on Profitability; Compete Strategically with Other Catalysts; Experiment and Evolve; Cracking the Catalyst Code; Additional Readings; Notes; Index; About the Authors
The catalyst spoken of in the book involves bringing together two groups of people who have complementary needs but no way to meet those needs without a common ground. For instance, Diners Club allowed customers to dine out now and pay later. Restaurants who took Diners Club knew they would attract cardholders and have a guarantee of payment. The trick was that Diners Club had to convince cardholders that there were enough outlets in which to use the card, while convincing outlets that there were enough customers to make it worth their time. The companies that can create and grow these catalysts stand to capture a large market following. A more modern example is eBay. They were the most successful at providing an electronic marketplace bringing together buyers and sellers without the confines of geography or quantity of product. By making the service free for buyers, eBay was able to attract potential customers for sellers. Sellers are willing to pay the transaction fees in order to get access to that buyer group. Evans and Schmalensee do an excellent job in examining this type of business model, and they open your eyes to a different way of looking at companies.
Once you understand the concept of two-sided businesses, it's tempting to start labeling *all* businesses as two-sided. For instance, stores are bringing together producers and customers. But there are market forces that come into play, and the authors do help you differentiate between traditional one-sided businesses and actual two-sided models. I also had a bit of trouble at first accepting software companies as two-sided businesses. But after some thought, I can see how a company like Microsoft would be a two-sided business with their Windows operating system. The platform provides a way for developers to build software that conforms to a agreed-upon standard, and for customers to buy software that will run on their computers. It also explains how a newer two-sided model (Linux) can threaten Microsoft and render their current advantage obsolete.
I enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to anyone studying how businesses work. I'd also recommend it to anyone looking to replicate the success of stories like MySpace. You'll be able to avoid some common errors and increase your chances of succeeding.

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Alliances & Partnerships Key to 21st Century Business/EconomyReview Date: 2006-07-29
Insightful!Review Date: 2001-11-06
The authors take the concept of partnering farther than many businesspeople will be willing to go when they suggest sharing their business secrets and ideas with everyone from hot start-ups to venerable competitors. But we [...] recommend this short, concise book to high-level executives in need of a partnership primer.
This ground-breaking book will become a business classic.Review Date: 1999-02-27
Ground breaking tretise on forming business alliancesReview Date: 1998-12-23
OUTSTANDING!Review Date: 2000-07-25

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solid primer to get the partnering mindset and stepsReview Date: 2006-04-11
Good way to form a professional network Review Date: 2004-10-20
Why struggle finding clients? Let a good partner find them.Review Date: 2004-02-13
The first thing many of us don't realize is whether we are ready to work with another company (and whether they are ready to work with us.) The straightforward checklists provided help us answer this crucial first question. Once we deem ourselves ready, then we can start looking at what specific offers of value we might propose to the multitude of potential partners out there. The authors give us clear ideas for what offers to consider and what types of companies that might benefit from an alliance with our companies. Anyone struggling to get more business will gain a lot from this book.
A Simple Text about Working with OthersReview Date: 2005-02-22
The SmartMatch process is a Cycle of Success with eight steps. Each of the main chapters of the book deals with Think Big, Prepare to Play, Position your PINS (an acronym for Profession, Industry, Niches, and Specialty), Zoom in on High-Potential Partners, Analyze and Evaluate, Explore and Establish Your SmartMatch Alliances, Maximize Your SmartMatch Alliance, and Enjoy and Expand.
The text, explaining basically a simple process, is supplemented with charts, sidebar boxes, anecdotes, and checklists. This is an easy-to-understand book, not complicated. For the beginner, it's a fine primer. For anyone who has been in business for a while, the ground-floor nature of this book will be frustrating. The content is not the deep sort of thing that an experienced businessperson may seek, though there might be some good reminders buried for you in the fundamentals.
Good book for the right market. I found it to be simplistic, but people new to alliance building could find it very helpful.
SmartMatch AlliancesReview Date: 2002-11-05
growing your business. The strategy involves teaming
with a non-competitive partner who is offering
products or services to the same clients, customers,
and prospects you want to attract.
Judy
and Ernest provide an eight-step strategy for
implementing this approach. They provide the tools
and direction for
in-depth analysis in choosing
alliance partners that strategically offer you the
greatest opportunities. They also
emphasize the
importance of identifying alliances where each partner
gains equally from the relationship.
The book
has worksheets and checklists for working
through the process. There is also a companion
Alliance Journal to further
assist you. This book
enables you to identify and target your audience with
precision. Using the approach outlined
in the book
results in accelerated business growth and efficient
use of resources.

A surefire way to start one's partnership-making skillsReview Date: 2009-01-12
Great alliance reference for any executive or alliance professionalReview Date: 2008-11-22
From the strategic thinking standpoint, this is an excellent book on the development/management of strategic alliances!Review Date: 2009-01-14
by Steve Steinhilber
From what I have read in the newspapers & online magazines, strategic alliances seem to be pervasive throughout today's business landscape, & they certainly have big impacts on the way business is now conducted across the globe.
First, the realities, according to the book:
- more than 2,000 strategic alliances are launched worldwide each year, with an annual growth rate of 15%;
- slightly more than half of them fail;
- more than one-third of them struggle in alliances;
- only 9% consistently build alliances well;
- 15 most successful alliances added US$72 billion in shareholder value over 2 years but that the same number of bad alliances cost companies US$43 billion;
Rather depressing news, isn't it?
This book is a timely attempt to do them right.
I wish to say that, from the strategic thinking standpoint, this is an excellent piece of writing on the development & management of strategic alliances.
The impeccable track record of the esteemed author, as VP of Strategic Alliances at Cisco Systems, with a portfolio of alliances that crosses multiple industry sectors, technologies, & geographies, that has attained cumulative value of more than US$4.5 billion annually in business impact to Cisco & much more than that to the alliance partners, certainly makes the book credible & compelling.
In a nut shell, this book is truly an "insider report", with a "down in the trenches" perspective, so to speak.
It's a very thoughtful, masterfully written, intellectually rich, experience-based exploration & assessment of strategic alliances as an increasingly important way of competing, or more specifically, a competitive weapon, in a globalising world.
I reckon, for the reader, it covers most of the specific managerial challenges often involved in establishing & operating alliances, from initial setup & throughout the life cycle, right down to exit strategy.
The way I read it, I also reckon that the esteemed author has done a marvellous job of capturing all the foreseeable subtleties & nuances that must be addressed when entering into alliance relationships.
What I like best about this book is that, besides talking about the "what" & "how" to go about the game plan, the author has patiently explained the "why" of each & every step through the six stages of the alliance life cycle (illustrated on page 18 of the book):
- evaluating a strategy & potential partners;
- forming a relationship;
- incubating the partnership;
- operating the alliance;
- transitioning to the next level;
- retiring the alliance when it no longer meets mutual goals i.e. the exit strategy;
(comprising 30 best practices that address the key deliverables across the six stages)
which hinges on three essential building blocks (by the way, each aspect is featured in detail separately in a chapter on its own):
1) the right framework;
2) the right organisation;
3) the right relationships;
in addition to the five basic criteria to identify & characterise possible alliance relationships.
The esteemed author makes it very clear that doing your due diligence & following a systematic process is critical at the onset. He asserts that having a truly repeatable disciplined process can cut the failure rate by more than half.
The book therefore offers readers real-world takeaways in the form of valuable perspectives, useful advice & practical checklists/questions.
The end result is a powerful framework for anyone or any company who wishes to conceive, develop, & execute an enduring partnership &/or networks of partnership.
For me, the most valuable chapters are the ones in which the author gives a fascinating account of the soft social dynamics underlying most alliances (under 'Building the Right Relationships'), & an absorbing account of thinking strategically & creatively in the areas of IP management, portfolio management, competition dynamics, globalisation & metrics (under 'Managing Complexity').
In contrast to a similar book which I had read about ten years or so ago, entitled 'Smart Alliances: A Practical Guide to Repeatable Success' by two consultants from Booz Allen & Hamilton, this book has surpassed my personal expectations with its nuts & bolts of implementation, as well as its road map of the various pitfalls, roadblocks & landmines.
Here are my takeaways in terms of valuable insights - they are not meant to be exhaustive:
- start with a strategy, not a partner;
- your approach needs to look at the big picture rather than short terms payoffs;
- the right way to think about partnering revolves around negotiating win-win agreements & growing the market for everyone;
- start with a clear strategic focus: what are you trying to do;
- any partnership must satisfy a market need, address customer demand, & meet defined business goals;
- expect to make trade-offs with every alliance;
- an early step is to jointly create your operating plan; start with a focused set of balanced initiatives, meaning you have short term & some long term wins for both companies;
- one of your biggest challenges is staying focused;
- the right people are your most important assets; this is a team based approach;
- you can manage relationships with the right blend of art & science: with first rate people skills & a systematic process for strengthening connections;
- strategic alliances are more than just legal contracts - they're living, dynamic relationships between real people;
- think in terms of win-win negotiations, & what's on it for "we" vs "me';
- you must take the time to learn your partner's real goals & ambitions, & to understand what really makes them tick, philosophically & culturally;
- you got to push beyond the other side's stated positions to uncover that company's unexpressed, deeply held fears & interests;
- you have to be accountable to your partners for relationships to endure - actions are all that count;
- when it comes to relationships, you have to be reasonable - keep your eye on the endgame;
- managing IP is a challenge that continues through the life of any relationship;
- make sure everyone understand the rules of engagement with regard to IP assets;;
- you must have a metrics framework that you can apply consistently across all your alliances;
- remember, it's all about leverage;
- alliances are art & science, people & process; it's a "both/and" way of thinking rather than an "either/or";
To conclude my review, I must reiterate that this book is a true field guide to show you how to avoid the troubles that plague so many alliance efforts & how to forge a collaborative link that adds value to all partners in the alliance.
[Reviewed by Lee Say Keng, Knowledge Adventurer & Technology Explorer, January 2009]
Strategic Alliances and the Collaboration AdvantageReview Date: 2008-11-06
How to forge and sustain relationships that create value for everyone involvedReview Date: 2008-11-20
This is one of the titles in the "Memo to the CEO" series published by Harvard Business Press, each less than 200 pages in length and superbly produced. In fact, none is a "memo" or written solely for a CEO. In this volume, Steve Steinhilber (Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Cisco Systems) explains "five basic criteria to identify and characterize" relationships that will achieve significantly higher and more consistent shareholder returns, enabling a company to grow faster and more profitably by leveraging those relationships rather than going it alone. The criteria are identified on Pages 2-3. Steinhilber then identifies three reasons why alliances are a "must-do" investment for any company competing in the global marketplace. With regard to the three ways to make strategic alliances work, identified as "essential building blocks," they are (1) the right framework, (2) the right organization, and (3) the right relationships. A separate chapter is devoted to a remarkably thorough examination of each of the three.
It is worth noting, as Steinhilber does, that more than 2,000 strategic alliances are launched worldwide each year and this number increases about15% annually. More than half fail and only about 9% of the companies "build alliances well." Of these, Cisco Systems probably has been among the most successful and Steinhilber heads those initiatives so he is well-qualified to explain what to do, what not to do, etc. As I began to read this brief but content-rich book, I wondered why Cisco allowed Steinhilber to reveal so much about what the company does and how it does it; more specifically, to explain in detail the mindsets applied to prospective allies and then to business partners, respectively. Perhaps there is a parallel with the chairman's letter that Warren Buffett contributes each year to Berkshire Hathaway's annual report. By the way, there is a recently published second edition of those essays, selected, organized, and introduced by Lawrence Cunningham. In these essays, Buffett shares everything he has learned about Corporate Governance, Corporate Finance and Investing, Alternatives to Common Stock, Common Stock, Mergers and Acquisitions, Accounting and Valuation, and Accounting Policy and Tax Matters. Of course, knowing what Cisco does and does not do insofar as strategic alliances are concerned by no means ensures the same outstanding results that Steinhilber and his associates have achieved. However, such knowledge will certainly improve the chances fort success.
To me, some of the most valuable material in this book is provided in last chapter in which Steinhilber explains how Cisco manages complexity. He addresses specific issues concerning intellectual property such as those involving jointly developed technology, solutions, residuals, branding. With regard to refining business goals, he recommends that two questions be answered: "How do we achieve our desired global market?" Also, "Which pieces of the value chain are central to sustaining our long-term profitability in a market?" Then, once objectives and the specific market(s) have been analyzed, he suggests taking one of three different approaches: (1) Partner with market leaders, (2) Partner with market leaders/challengers, or (3) Partner with both. Steinhilber acknowledges that there may be times when it makes sense to "spread your bets with dealing with uncertainty." To evaluate the breadth of an alliance portfolio within a market space, he identifies five criteria: market share, market segmentation, competitive overlap, potential acquisition strategy, and ability to execute.
These are among the subjects addressed in the final chapter. Steinhilber concludes with these comments: "In a globally linked business world with shortening life cycles and flattening value chains, building alliances capabilities will give you the chance to tilt the competitive playing field in your favor and significantly enhance your company's or organization's chance for long-term success."
Credit Steve Steinhilber with presenting a wealth of rock-solid information and real-world wisdom about an immensely complicated business subject. Even more remarkable, he does so within relatively few pages (only 134 plus an Appendix). This will be an excellent resource for decision-makers in companies that plan to compete -- or now do so -- in the global marketplace but also for decision-makers in other companies that wish to do business with them.
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