Title: Effects of resource mix and internationalisation on alliance portfolio configuration

Authors: Wei He; Tantatape Brahmasrene

Addresses: College of Business, Purdue University Northwest, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, Indiana 46391, USA ' College of Business, Purdue University Northwest, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, Indiana 46391, USA

Abstract: Studies focusing on the strategic outcomes of alliance portfolios are receiving attention recently. However, only a handful research addresses the areas of determinants of the portfolio mix or its characteristics. This study attempts to fill this gap by investigating the key drivers of alliance portfolio configuration. Drawing on multiple theoretical lenses and a two-dimensional typology of portfolio composition, a longitudinal study is developed and applied to a sample of multinational firms in the global hospitality sector. The results suggest that alliance management experience, brand image, and organisational slack play significant roles in predicting the type of alliance portfolio configuration. Moreover, focal firms' degree of internationalisation moderates the predicting effects. Using firm-specific factors, this study bridges the gap between firms' internal resource mix and alliance portfolio complexity, and sheds new light on how alliance portfolio configuration is defined, measured, and predicted. Implications for policymakers are also discussed.

Keywords: strategic alliance; alliance portfolio complexity; alliance portfolio configuration; resource-based view; resource dependence.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEPEE.2025.147475

International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, 2025 Vol.22 No.1, pp.1 - 24

Received: 28 Dec 2020
Accepted: 20 Sep 2021
Published online: 18 Jul 2025 *

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