Strategic Alliance Essay Example for Free

Strategic Alliance Essay The collaborations between companies have been one of the most critical changes in industrial field during the last three decades. Through outsourcing and taking off ‘non-core’ activities, corporate borders have been pulled back and large companies are increasingly cooperated with other companies to access resources and devote themselves to activities outside their own boundaries. Business cooperative relationship between companies is regarded as ‘hybrid’ organizational forms (Borys and Jemison, 1989; Powell. 987; Thorelli. 1986). In order to access more international market and reduce risks, the hybrid organizational forms are mainly realized by contractual agreement, strategic alliance and joint venture. Compared to some casual cooperative arrangements between companies, strategic alliance is refer to a long-term, substantial collaboration, which is ‘an agreement characterized by the commitment of two or more firms to achieve a shared goal entailing the pooling of their resources and activities’ (Teece. 1992, p. 19). It can be put on a continuum, where contractual agreement is on one end, characterizing low control and resource commitment, whilst the other end is joint venture, representing a high control and high resource commitment (Hill et al. 1990). Variety types of strategic alliances include shared new product development, supply chain partnerships, technical collaboration, outsourcing agreements, joint research projects, etc. In these days, strategic alliances are more and more important for firms to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in the international market. Through cooperation rather than competition, firms can access knowledge and market resources over both firms, instead or acquiring them. It is not just costs and time saving, but also increasing the efficiency with which knowledge is utilized. Firms are entering into strategic alliances because of numerous factors. The rapid change in technology with high expenditures on RD, intensifying competitions, globalization and so on. Different companies have their own competitive advantages, which can be beneficial to other parties. Resources, especially technology and market information, can be shared by parties under strategic alliance. For example, Starbucks entered an alliance with Barnes and Nobles Bookstores in 1990s, to provide their in-house coffee service in their stores. Barnes and Nobles’ market resources has been utilized, resulting in Starbucks coffee being marketed into bookstores. As well as that, more customers were gained by Barnes and Nobles, thanks to the outstanding Starbucks coffee offered in store. Although theoretically, forming strategic alliances can bring immense benefits to companies and reduce the risks in projects, it is not rare to see problems in practice. Differences in cultural and language, control related problems, even the differences in cognizance can lead to failures. In this article, we will focus on not only on the increasing importance of strategic alliance in international market, but also the motives, benefits, related costs and limitations. Our group work is done in three parts. Part (A) Introduction and Literature Review is done by Jiaxing and Lily. Jiaxing gives the definition of strategic alliance, while Lily is responsible for literature research and critical review. Followed by the literature review, a case study will be given in part (B) by Xinrui, to demonstrate how the literature is confirm or disconfirmed by practice. In part (C), a brief conclusion of this topic will be given by Mehedi and come up with the forecast of trend and new topics in this area, based on Part (A), Part (B) and the further information collected by Kazi. Literature Review There are abundant studies trying to address the definition of strategic alliance. Based on resource-dependence theory (Pfeffer. 978) and the resource-based view of the firm (Penrose, 1957), some scholars (Van De Van and Walker, 1984; Rothaermel, 2001) have identified strategic alliances as a quest for resources. Also, a majority of researchers view the alliances’ priority objectivity as sharing of knowledge (Inkpen and Crosssan, 1995; Khanna et al. ,1998; Kale et al. , 2000), which is the organization learning perspective. As a result, alliance member seek to learn faster than other parties, trying to achieve a positive balance in the trade of knowledge, which is so called ‘Competition for Learning’ (Hamel, 1991). The number of strategic alliance has been increasing rapidly since late 1980s (Vissi, 1997). The following is an integration of our findings in literature. Motives of Alliance Formation In the article of Varadarajan and Cunningham (1995), motives for firms entering a strategic alliance is analysed: Globalization and intensified international competition: With the development of telecommunication and traffic, there is a major trend of globalization in the last few decades. More and more corporations are trying to break into foreign markets to widen their market. Strategic alliance is an efficient and effective way in gaining complementary resources from a foreign party and reduces risks. Remove barriers to enter new markets: In certain international markets, especially the developing ones, firms often have difficulties due to some domestic factors, such as government regulation and local parties’ resistance. By forming an alliance with local firms, the expansion can be realized more smoothly and the risk is reduced. Broaden product lines/ narrowing product line gap: Firms can be especially interested in finding another partner, when they are in lack of technology or not able to bear the high RD costs. Existing technology of partner can be utilized in a short timeframe and also costs-saving. In this way, their product lines can be broaden and the gap between product line can be narrowed. Enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of utilizing resources: each partner in strategic alliance should have their own competitive advantages, such as technology, market resources, local experiences, logistic systems, etc. y forming the alliances, these advantages can be shared by parties and making all of them more competitive than before. Extension and acquire new resources: Resource acquisition is an essential motive in formulation of strategic alliance. Manufacturing firms often enter into alliance to acquire RD resources; whilst technology companies is seeking to gain the market resources as much as possible. There are two forms of strategic alliances: market related and technology related (Vyas et al. 1995). In a mature market, it is often the case in which the market related alliances are more profitable. However technology, related alliance tend to be more beneficial for high-tech firms compared to others (Rai et al. 1996). Researches of Vyas et al (1995) show that synergy between the partners is the key factors to achieve efficiency and effectiveness. In order to know the synergy, a comprehensive understanding of the value that partners can bring to the alliance has to be acquired before entry. Also, a balance of control and contribution to the alliance need to be agreed to ensure the success and avoid conflict as much as possible. Limitations of Strategic Alliances When the needs of each partner are fulfilled, each party can benefit from the formation of strategic alliances. However, alliances are not without its problems. Due to numerous reasons, such as differences in cognizance, aims and resources, changes can be triggered. In some cases, projects with imbalanced benefits or control between parties can end up damaging the relationship of trust. In some cases strategic alliances broke up as a result. Usually the factors driving to a failure can be imbalanced control, unequal gains, differences in cultural values and antitrust charges. According to Day (1995), the liquidation cost of a strategic alliance can be one of the most expensive costs to a corporation. Even if the partnership remains, there are many factors thwarting the normal operations of the combined entity. One of the most important factors is the extensive time managers have to spend on communication, trust-building, and coordination. As it takes time for parties in a partnership to consolidate their internal network, both in terms of communication and interests groups, there always comes with the strategic alliances very time-consuming consolidation process. A manager has to first know the personnel he is supervising as well as his own supervisors, who are possibly from a totally different business culture. It takes time for managers to know whom they can trust and who trust them. Only based on trust can further coordination be performed. Another factor that affects the long-term value of the firms participating in the partnership is the clash of egos and company cultures. Say if Google once form a strategic alliance with Goldman Sachs, the investment bankers cannot easily forgo their perfectionism to Google’s relaxing and creative culture fostered for their wired-in programmers. While there is a possibility for two different business culture to combine and generate an even more unique and efficient business culture, in most cases the history and the effort invested to build the current corporate culture may be wasted; traditions are inferior in strategic alliances. Part B: There are many successful market related and technology related alliances taking place in contemporary market. From the successful examples contributed by Apple, Helett Packard and Disney, and Eli Lilly, we can see the sharing of sources in alliances facilitate breakthroughs in technology and revenue maximization in marketing. While most strategic alliances play a propelling role in pushing the business of parties in the partnership further, there are some offsets implicitly caused by the alliance strategy. The notorious WorldComs, Global Crossings, and Enron scandals offer us convenient examples in showing the unconfirmed part of strategic alliances. This part will first discuss the cases provided by Apple, Helett Packard and Disney, and Eli Lilly that show the confirmed side of the theories enclosed in the literature in this essay. Following the confirmed side is the unconfirmed side contributed by the scandals originated from WorldComs, Global Corssings, and Enron. White the iPad redefined personal computers and created and captured the tablet market, it the strategic alliance behind the scene that makes the popularity of iPad possible. Apple’s technology alliance with Clearwell makes the development of iPad much more efficient when these two firms jointly developed the eDiscovery Platform. The eDiscovery Platform is the electronic discovery software solution that enables enterprises, governments and law firms to manage legal, regulatory and investigative matters using a single application. Such platform makes it easy for orgaizations to cost effectively and defensibly solve real-world chanlleges from legal hold and collections through analysis, review and production. Such technological largely helped Apple to capture the market in large legal entities. Hewlett Packard and Disney exemplified their alliance as a long-standing partnership. Starting back in 1938, the alliance enabled Disney to rely on HP’s RD capability, which helped Disney out from the eight oscillators for sound design sold to Disney over 70 years ago to the most recent digital film making techniques offered by HP engineers to Disney’s Imagineers. Undoubtedly, the technology support to Disney makes it a dominant mass media firm. Furthermore, the business generated fruitful RD products and cash inflow for HP to march farther. As a pharmaceutical tycoon, Eli Lilly features as a powerful research partner for nearly a century. Its enormous contribution to Diabetes medicine saved multimillions people. Similar to most pharmaceutical companies, the multi-phases RD process outsources the firm’s research capability, legal resources, and capital. Eli Lilly was able to save the costs by seeking international partners, such as the Belgium-based company Galapagos, Canada’s BioMS medical group, and the Japanese Kyowa Hakko Kogyo. Its alliance with Galapagos fasten the development of treatments for osteoporosis; its cooperation with the Japanese firm determines that Lilly will have the exclusive license to sell the targeted cancer treatment in Japan; and the partnership with BioMS in a licensing and development agreement for a novel treatment for multiple sclerosis saved overall costs. These real world examples confirmed that strategic alliances provide an efficient way to research and develop new products, to save legal cost, and to capture the international market at faster speed. While the classical strategic alliances examples confirmed with the literature, there are notable failures caused by the shortcoming of strategic alliances. As the most notorious business scandals in this century, Enron and its alliance with Arthur Andersen bring a vivid example of how alliance help them avoid legitimately report their financial standings and gain illegal benefit from forfeiting financial statements. When the scandal was exposed to the media, both firms bankrupted in an instant, making the largest bankruptcy in the US history. Other the Enron scandal was the WorldCom forfeit their income statement when trying to incorporate Verizon and evolve to the largest telecommunications provider. When the US government launched an anti-trust suit, WorldCom collapsed immediately. The shared resources play a beneficial role in lower the fixed cost for parties in the strategic alliances. However, joint effort and resources also mean joint benefit, which can propel the corporations as well as ruin it. When there is a conflict of interests, the advantages brought by strategic alliances are harmful.

First day of class :: Essays Papers

First day of class The first day of class was absolutely not that bad as I thought it would be. The time that I picked was great its not to last but its not too early. It s just the right time to get to class. The classroom was as scorching like the desert. It is very hot in the class. It makes write in the class hard to do but that is something I guess I just have to deal with. Just like Columbia is around this time of year. The class also seems to have some interesting people in the class. There was a lot of dance and film majors there so I consider were bound to here some intense story’s. I was really impressed on how well organized Alexia Hall was with the class she seem to know where she wanted to the class to be at the end of the semester. We were past out with the class policies and a syllabus of what we were going to do the whole semester. I thought this was very convenient so that there was no mixed signals in the group. Alexia Hall the teacher personally seems to be a person who does not like to play games with her students. She seems like a straight froward person. I have a feeling she has heard a lot of excuse of why students do not have their papers. She warn us not to start killing off are family when paper are due. Which I thought it was funny, because even as a student I have heard some crazy stories about people who just kill of there whole family when a paper due or a test day. I feel that the class is tremendously large, but that always changes at mid term I feel that over 40 % will drop the class they always do. I am just hope that I am not one of those people to drop out of class. The class seems to go really fast. I like the way we can say and write the way we feel about the subject matter. Having the Internet access is also a plus just for the fact that we can look up information on topics and write about it. Class participation was great everyone joined in on the discussion. People in the class felt comfortable talking out loud and putting there two sense in.

Dear Senator

Dear Senator I am a long-time resident of Idaho, and I am writing to express my concern about recent discussion and the pending decision to employ the Boulder White Cloud Wilderness Bill. I understand that the decision is being considered to enable the bill to be passed in the House of Representatives later this month. However, I do not believe that the benefits of the Wilderness Bill outweigh its inherent flaws. Consider: Wilderness areas are selected to serve as safe havens and homes to our nation’s wild species; they should not be treated as parcels of land to be purchased and used to build trophy homes for the wealthy. The further bias of the bill towards land use for motor vehicle recreation will disrupt the natural habitats of many animals, not to mention put people in harms way. Allowing the Bill to cater to ATV drivers, snowmobile enthusiasts and motorcyclists, will promote pollution, encourage greater numbers of vehicle accidents, and possibly lead to the deaths of unknowing victims that are attacked by large preditors in the territory. It would seem that providing acreage for an official Wilderness Area would create longstanding natural resources. However, consider that the Bill allows nearly 3,000 acres of land to be dispense, free of charge for local Idaho counties to develop any way they deem appropriate. Would an incinerator, oil refinery or chemical plant built on the very edge of wilderness be appropriate? As already mentioned the Bill would also allow the purchase of land in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area for the building of trophy homes. A Wilderness Area should be for wilderness, not a human resort with spackled areas of â€Å"rustic† wealthy dwellings. Lastly, I have heard that the state and local governments will have as much authority as the federal agencies to determine the process of fire hazard prevention within the boundaries of this area. If bulldozers and chainsaws enter into the picture unchecked, what will prevent entire forests from being razed? Are these tradeoffs that we really want to make? I am curious to know all of the details of this bill, rather than just the rumors I have read about and heard. I would also like to know your stance regarding the bill, and what actions you intend to take regarding its exploitation. I am looking forward to your response and insight on the matter. Sincerely, References: Barker, R. (2003, December 8). In Boulder-White Cloud mountains, another wilderness compromise. High Country News. Retrieved online June 21st, 2006, from http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=14429 Ekker, T. (2006, February 15). Devil in the details of Boulder-White Cloud Wilderness Proposal. Lowbagger. Retrieved online June 21st, 2006, from http://lowbagger.org/boulderwhitecloud.html Stahl, G. (2004, June 23). Boulder-White Cloud plan scrutinized. Idaho Mountain Express. Retrieved online June 21st, 2006, from http://www.mtexpress.com/2004/04-06-23/04-06-23wildcriticism.htm   

A Mother Critical Analysis Essay - 731 Words

A Mother’ ‘A Mother’ is one of the short stories that is part of James Joyce’s literary masterpiece Dubliners. The themes that run through this short story, and indeed the book itself, are: Simony, Gnomon and Paralysis. ‘A Mother’ is written in third person omniscient narration and focuses mainly on the point of view of Mrs Kearney. Who is, as I will try to justify further on, a serial simoniac and a victim of social convention. The first example of Mrs Kearney’s simony is her marriage to Mr Kearney, a bootmaker, who is far older than her. She married, not for love, but in order to keep her status in society respectable: â€Å"her friends began to loosen their tongues about her she silenced them by marrying† (pg 153) Another example of Mrs†¦show more content†¦Mrs Kearney never receives full payment. It is this which is the source of her revengefulness and anger during the progression of the tale. I believe also that Mr Kearney is a gnomic character, in the eyes of his society at least. He is an incomplete man who is controlled by his wife. He does not stand up to her, even in public and this lessens himself as a man in society She depersonalises her husband by saying â€Å"She appreciated his abstract value as a male† (pg 159) Paralysis casts a dark shadow over this story. Characters who I believe to be the most affected are Mr Kearney and Mrs Kearney herself. He is paralysed by his stale marriage and ruled by her. It is notable that he does not speak throughout the entire story. When Holohan tries to evoke a reaction from him concerning his wife’s behaviour he merely â€Å"continued to stroke his beard† (pg 164) He is paralysed and is unable to speak or do much of anything other than his wife’s bidding. Mrs Kearney is paralysed by the end of this story. She has lost everything she has been striving for by her own folly. She is shunned by society whom I believe Joyce has used Mr O’madden Burke to represent. 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