Strategic Alliances: An Introduction

Strategic alliances have long been studied from several micro perspectives including factors that bring about the alliance, alternative forms of relationships that shape the structure of the alliance, efficiency gains from the alliance, and the life cycle of the alliance. A major shift in the analysis occurred in the last years. The strategic alliances that are now being observed more and more frequently – and studied less frequently than firm-with-firm alliances – are those that involve partners other than firms. In many advanced nations, strategic alliances are subsidized by the public sector in the belief that they advance economic growth. One form of such a public/private partnership involves universities as the public partner; another form involves a government agency(ies) as the public partner; and a third form involves both.