Title: Fit between corporate strategy and alliance purpose: implications on partnering firms' performance

Authors: Noushi Rahman, Helaine J. Korn

Addresses: Department of Management and Management Science, Lubin School of Business, Pace University, One Pace Plaza, W-411, New York, NY 10038, USA. ' Department of Management, Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, City University of New York, One Bernard Baruch Way, Box B9-240, New York, NY 10010, USA

Abstract: The fit between corporate strategy and alliance purpose is examined in this paper. While early research on alliances recognises various alliance purposes, their role in facilitating corporate strategy implementation is not delineated in the literature. Identifying two alliance purpose dimensions – impetus and context – we develop a framework to organise the different classes of alliance purposes. We argue that since alliances are moves to pursue corporate strategies, selecting alliance purposes to align with specific corporate strategies would increase the performance of partnering firms by facilitating successful strategy implementation.

Keywords: alliance purpose; need-growth impetus; internal-external context; corporate strategy; strategy-purpose fit; partnering firm performance; access resources; neutralise threats; exploit resources; explore opportunities; strategic alliances.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSBA.2009.025351

International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances, 2009 Vol.1 No.2, pp.132 - 149

Published online: 19 May 2009 *

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