Daily, more organizations are turning to partnership strategies to help global competitiveness. Business leaders realize that their businesses can no longer go alone. Many realize success and business growth through methodical and strategic planning. Three important reasons for you to consider adopting the development of strategic alliances in your strategic plan are:
1. Increased technological sophistication
2. Improvement of training
3. Accelerate your innovation process
Technological sophistication
An exchange of technology to complement your base forces Shore your basic weakness and improves production capacities to better serve customers. An example of this type of alliance is the Alliance of Kinko Service Services (Copy Centers) and Xerox to establish a national network for the fax of large format documents. This service was particularly useful for architects, contractors and advertising agencies before the file transfer protocol became practical. Kinko receives a revenue boost and Xerox receives additional placement and unit sales.
Technical hotlines and on-site technical support are regularly available from the suppliers with whom you have developed alliances. Although a large part of this has been subcontracted in India over the years, this type of alliance can overcome the cost of costs by subcontracting the offshore.
To receive a technological contribution or possibly a technological advantage in your sector as the alliance between IBM and Apple to develop a new computer operating system that allows the two material formats to communicate, or like Nynex Corp. and Philips Electronics who have joined the development of residential use screen phones.
Training
Learning commitment of the curve. Cost savings are transmitted as an experience gained in the production of a new product and discounts are available on boot products to encourage advance sales.
Better sales and technical training for your employees are an important advantage in partnership with your suppliers. More manufacturers and distributors are developing training programs for resellers.
Guggenheim Dental, a dental supply distributor in southern California currently offers training programs for their best customers. Recently, at a seminar, I delivered for the National Nutritional Foods Association, I suggested to the retailers they only buy their nutritional suppliers from providers offering training DVDs. This is an added benefit in the seller / buyer relationship.
Innovation
The computer and electronics industries have greatly benefited alliance relationships. Innovation has become banal for companies that have chosen to work together. The Foundation of Innovations from the University of Toronto signed an agreement with Northway Explorations Ltd. and Polyphalt, a private company from Ontario, Canada to provide asphalt material technology modified by polymers for sustainable roads to the commercial market.
Differentiate from competition. Steelcase Alliance with unparalleled lighting, located in Berkeley, California, offers office-based office lighting. The relationship brought Steelcase from $ 15 to $ 35 million in annual furniture sales from $ 15 to $ 35 million. In addition, they received additional dollars from billing light light.
A term that appears in some business publications, an open innovation really means innovation through partnerships. Open innovation refers to companies that admit that they do not have all the answers and are now considering strategic alliances with other companies to access their own or intellectual properties to use in new ideas for their own business. Although it is simply a new name for the strategic alliance, the system has been successful for decades. Finally, more organizations are on board with the idea.
