This thesis provides a coherent theoretical account of the role of trust in strategic alliances from varied disciplinary perspectives and by establishing some common ground among these perspectives. Approaching the integration of the literature about trust and strategic alliances from the resource based view, the transaction cost view, the dialectical perspective, and the social network perspective is aimed at creating a new systematic explanatory scheme. The unique combination of these four perspectives provides overlapping explanations for strategic alliance behaviour and serves as a methodical device for analysing the dynamics of trust relationships. This theoretical-methodical foundation will serve as tool for sorting out and highlighting different research streams regarding the two key topics. An integrative framework of the notion of trust in strategic alliances is built around the key issue “culture of trust”. The culture of trust is addressed, because one of the main findings will be that collaborative relationships require some minimum social base with trust as its constitutive element. Arguments will be provided that inter-organizational ventures characterized by high interdependence, require the trust mechanism to make leadership effective. The tension between trust and control in strategic alliances is discussed and attention is drawn to the possibilities and key abilities of leaders in establishing trust as a constitutive element in strategic alliances.

About 97% of Taiwan¡¦s businesses are small to medium enterprises, and the majority of which are categorized as the traditional industries. Small to medium business enterprises of the traditional industry has made significant contribution to Taiwan¡¦s economic miracle. Although in recent years, high-tech industries have become leaders in the whole economy, material changes have occurred in the economic structure. We have also observed changes in the overall economic environment, the impact of internationalization and globalization are the main reasons. But, we wish to see the industry continue to grow; we do not wish to see the rise of some industries while others fade. Hence, current status are studies and researched in detail, hope that some valuable recommendations can be made. Stability and growth has always been the key issue for all business management. Small business enterprises are naturally in a poor position for resource. Faced with the rapid changes in the internal and external environments and fierce competition, small business enterprises often fall into a stagnant situation that bottlenecks growth. In order to break out of its stagnant situation, business strategies and directions must be adjusted. Small businesses must also develop toward high economic value, such that growth targets can be achieved. During its growth process, due to changes in the environment, understanding of internal resources and capabilities, shows speed, flexibility and responsiveness. The best growth strategy suitable to the business enterprise needs to be developed and implemented. Resources at hand and advantages should be strengthened, business competitiveness enhanced and promote synergy, so that the business may continue to grow and prosper. Hence, small businesses should develop its business environment with a predictive management style. It should grasp the trends of the industry, predict its future and actively accumulate resources and should not have too many passive responses to uncontrollable environments. Leaders needs to continuously think about the current status of the business enterprise, what should be done, what can be done, and how. The business enterprise will gradually shift its business focus, avoid competition and adapt to external environment, so that synergic effects can result from integration of advantageous resources. This study is a qualitative study. It attempts to investigate a business growth model for small business enterprises. In search of the growth strategy of the case study enterprise, business leaders were interviewed in depth, and the growth pattern of the business enterprise was observed from the perspective of its business operations. Chapter 1 of the study introduces the backgrounds, motivation, objectives, process and scope of the study. In chapter 2, literature review, theories of business management, growth strategy, resource-based view, industrial network relationship and strategic alliance were reviewed. The research methodology and design are reported in chapter 3, describing the conceptual framework, research methods, design and limitations. Having drawn the theoretical profile of the study, secondary data were used in chapter 4 to investigate the characteristics of small to medium business enterprises in Taiwan and their current status. The industry of the case study enterprise, its development history and relationship analysis, profile of the case study enterprise were reported. In chapter 5, the study attempts to verify the theory with in-depth interview. In addition to many visits to and observation of the case study enterprise, the factors that affect the growth of the small businesses are analyzed. Finally, the key factors of growth strategy for small business enterprises are: 1. focused scope of operation, hold onto niche market, 2. establish industrial network or clustering effect, 3. develop human capital, ensure customer and employee value, 4. accumulate strategic resources, develop core competence, 5. make use of resource leverage, expand synergy, 6. organization reengineering and change, integrate and enhance business capabilities. The 6 strategic factors must support leadership characteristics as the core of growth strategy. The growth model for small businesses are also developed.

Based on the theories, such as the resources-based theory, new product development and Strategic alliances, we proposed the equity-building process of new ventures of Internet industry. We note that new ventures¡¦ purpose of capital raising actions before going public is not simply to raising fund, those actions represents that organizations attempt to obtain rare resources, building core competence, through equity invested or conjoined. In other word, equity portion to the new venture can become a means not necessarily an end. Through several Internet new ventures¡¦ interview, we discussed factors that affect the equity-building process, such as original core resources and primary exchanging resources. Four propositions have developed. First, original core resources of new ventures would affect equity-building process, especially on target selecting, conjoining timing, and interaction. Second, on the affection of single equity relation¡¦s occurs, primary exchanging resource didn¡¦t evidently a decisive factor, for, it¡¦s hardly to tell it apart from original core resources. Third is our basic notion, we hold that equity-building process before IPO becomes a portion of growing strategy of emerging organization. Fourth, based on the observation of these selected cases, we conclude that characteristics of core resources of new ventures would affect their manners of acquiring resources, especially needed for organization growth. Due to the limitations of organization condition and capital market, new ventures¡¦ equity-building process of Internet industry could not apply the financial views of analysis. For this reason, we proposed new analysis manner, tried to indicate that how to select and equity portion, and how to build-up competitive advantage during infant stage.

More and more industries have collaborated aggressively with other fields, and try to strengthen their relationship recently in cultural creative industries. However, people always focus their attention on the successful reason of executing alliance, but they ignore the successful reason of concluding alliance. The process of concluding alliance usually come fault because of the gap in their concept. For the reason, this thesis will research the factor of concluding alliance successfully. According to the process of concluding alliance, we have known the result of concluding alliance would have affected by motive, partner selection and the type of alliance. The alliance could conclude when the factor match up with each other. Base on this structure, the thesis try to explore which reason affecting the alliance conclusion. This thesis applied in-depth interview method to gather the firsthand information of the cultural creative industries. According to the research structure and firsthand information, it could generalize five successful factor of concluding alliance. Finally, it would have examined the development of cultural creative industries in Taiwan and found them lack for a channel to connect.

<p>After the deregulation of the airline industry new actors entered the market and among them were the low-cost airlines. These actors are not involved in the same traditional airline alliance used by the traditional airlines to strengthen their position on the market.</p><p>Little research has been made regarding the benefits for low-cost airlines to engage in strategic alliances. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate if low-cost airlines benefit from engaging in strategic alliances or collaborations, and identify possible alliance configurations.</p><p>To fulfill the purpose we have used a qualitative method and case studies. Interviews with respondents from two low-cost airlines as well as an airline industry field expert were used to gather information about the thesis subject.</p><p>We have concluded that the low-cost airlines in this study benefit from engaging in strategic alliances. The low-cost airlines are using vertical as well as horizontal alliances principally to gain cost-reduction or efficiency benefits. Both cases were against traditional airline alliances due to the high costs involved, and the fact that they do not share the same motives for alliances.</p>

<p>Background: Traditionally defined boundaries and borders between organizations are at present being re-evaluated because of new and tougher demands. Today we can see a trend where these boundaries are being lowered or even eliminated when organizations choose to co-operate instead of compete. </p><p>Purpose: In order to create an understanding for the partner selection process in the newly founded joint ventures between the companies which are building the Swedish 3G Network, the determining factors are being studied. </p><p>Delimitation: The studies companies are co-operating as network operators but are at the same time competing as mobile operators. This relationship is in the literature described as co-opetition, which will not be investigated in this paper. </p><p>Realization: Taking our starting point in Geringer’s task- and partner-related approach, a simple model has been created for the task. Empirical data have been collected through interviews, and have been analyzed with this model. </p><p>Results: Essentially the same factors have been found determining for the companies which have committed themselves for co-operation. These factors do however tend to differ partly between the two joint ventures that have been founded. In the Europolitan Vodafone” Hi3G joint venture, compatibility between top management and culture&structure seem to be the motivating factors. From a Telia - Tele2-perspective, the mutual factors seem to be financing and compatibility between top management. An important criterion has in both joint venture constellations to the access to existing real capital and infrastructure as well as having existing customers.</p>

In today's marketplace firms have to become specialized in specific technological aspects in product development due to intensifying competition. Further, the increasing complexity of offerings make firms become more dependent on other value-chain contributors such as providers of complementary and component technologies. Therefore, in addition to the inherent market of appeal of product, a successful introduction may depend on the firm's interactions with suppliers and even "competitors". These interactions with other firms in the marketplace present a unique set of challenges to firms. In this dissertation, we explore how a firm's approach to interacting with supply chain partners and/or competitors may depend upon how its product provides value to customers. In the first essay, we look into how a firm should design the interdependence between a durable good and a consumable such as a printer and a cartridge and utilize the benefits of an industry of generic consumable suppliers. In the second essay, we analyze the different approaches that firms adopt while commercializing their technologies to competitors in a networked environment (such as telecommunications). We identify the impact of the competitor's development capabilities on the trade-off between the increased competition and network benefits. In the third essay, we explore situations in which firms collaborate to develop a component innovation that they later market individually; they codevelop and jointly market; and they choose to individually develop and market. We consider how competitive strategies between development partners should consider the influence of supplier formation on the investment incentives of an OEM. In summary, this dissertation examines how the management of interactions with supply chain partners and competitors can play an important role in technology development and deployment. Our results highlight key trade-offs and provide insights for managers who are involved in developing and deploying new products. / text

Competing successfully in globalized markets requires a complex mix of product, price, promotion and distribution. It requires novel approaches to ownership in overseas involvement and the development of new modes of global relationships. In response to these needs, new types of alliances are emerging as corporations endeavor to meet the global challenge. At the forefront of globalization, the telecommunications industry is experiencing a high-rate of cross-border alliance formation. / This thesis attempts to straddle both business and legal domains, on national and international levels, to survey the evolution of the telecommunications industry and to envisage the future prospects of multinational telecom carriers with respect to the conduct of transnational alliances for international expansion. Chapter 1 describes the changes occurring in the field of telecommunications, while Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 provide an essential understanding of the motivations and the modalities of cross-border strategic alliances and propose contracting techniques for the purpose of surmounting managerial and operational challenges that may be confronted when engaging in global strategic alliances. With a focus on the telecommunications industry, Chapter 4 explores the motives of and difficulties encountered by multinational telecom carriers in using alliances to expand globally, and examines their business strategies and performing phases. Chapter 5 further questions the necessity of using cross-border strategic alliances in an increasingly international competitive environment by examining the current national and international regimes with respect to the transactions of telecom services. The Conclusion reviews significant factors that may infringe upon the use of strategic alliances as a business strategy.

This study examines the issues of collaboration and competition in the context of oil and gas sector organizations. The convergence of economics and organization science literatures suggests a connection between the prevalence of extraorganizational exchange and the role of technology in driving innovation and growth. Specifically, the role of collaboration as a strategy for increasing the returns to technology and providing competitive advantage is explored in this research. / Two questions were advanced to examine the framework. The first investigated the relationships between a set of organizational characteristics and collaborative success; four propositions were developed to test this question. The second issue explored how organizations manage collaborative-competitive tensions in an environment characterized as fiercely competitive and marked by widespread collaborative arrangements. / Using a qualitative research methodology, thirty face-to-face interviews were conducted with executives and senior-level managers from twenty-three companies over an eight-month period; a questionnaire was also used to gather the more objective information. The sample included diversified energy, exploration and development, pipeline and oil and gas service companies. The majority of firms were located in the Houston, Texas area. / The most important implications of the study pertain to innovation and organizational change issues. Principal findings were that the ability to manage complex and multiple time frames was positively associated with an organization's level of collaborative capability, a construct that measured collaborative experience and expertise; organizational boundaries that are neither completely permeable nor fully defined were consistent with more successful collaborations; and the proposed direct relationship between collaborative capability and competitive advantage was only weakly supported. Further results indicate that three-fourths of the sample did not experience conflict between collaborative and competitive strategies, while those firms that noted tensions were confined to oil and gas service companies; and collaborative arrangements were motivated by three imperatives of capital intensity, competition and dependency, each of which led to distinct organizational outcomes.

In today’s business world, strategic alliances are becoming a common method for achieving a competitive advantage towards industry rivals. This tool, however, is not a guarantee for success as the failure rate of alliances is between 30-70%. Even with this high failure rate, strategic alliances continue to grow and becoming more and more common. Through strategic alliances, the organizations can gain the possibility to access, acquire and implement new knowledge from its partners as a step to achieve competitive advantage. However, by engaging in alliances or inter-firm arrangements they also place themselves in the risk zone of giving away knowledge, both intentionally or unintentionally, which is also known as knowledge leakage. Studies have shown that trust is important in knowledge sharing, and managers must understand the role of trust and distrust in this equation, in order to be able to successfully achieve an effective and trustworthy knowledge transfer for a firm. Previous research has focused mainly on the effects of trust on knowledge sharing and a few exceptions have focused on knowledge leakage. However, these articles have been ignoring the factor of distrust. The purpose of this thesis therefore lies in investigating the effect the dimensions of both trust and distrust simultaneously have on knowledge sharing and leakage, as theory view trust and distrust as separate but co-existing concepts. The dimensions chosen for investigation are goodwill trust, competence trust, goodwill distrust and competence distrust. In order to achieve this purpose, a quantitative research method was used. A questionnaire was developed and sent out to Swedish firms operating in knowledge-intensive industries according to Eurostat. 55 companies fully completed the questionnaire. From this a factor analysis and regression analysis was conducted in order to fulfill the purpose of this thesis. This thesis found that goodwill trust has a positive effect on knowledge sharing and negative effect on knowledge leakage. Competence trust and competence distrust was found to have a positive relationship with knowledge leakage. Also, the authors developed the dimensions of goodwill and competence distrust as well as empirically proved their existence. This thesis contributes by acknowledging the importance of both concepts, trust and distrust, and also providing managers with an idea of what dimensions of trust and distrust are important when associating it to knowledge exchange.