Assessment of stability of international strategic alliances

Abstract

Despite the growing number of strategic alliances and joint ventures in the world, subject of stability of these cooperative agreements remains unstudied. As a result most of the alliances cease to exist before the moment when they begin to bring expected benefits for partners in the alliance. The aim of this study is to develop a methodology to support decision-making in companies before the formation of a strategic alliance and at the stage of joint activities. Existing approaches to the assessment of the stability of strategic alliances were studied in order to be the basis of improved methodology. Presented improved methodology is a result of the combination and improvements of existing methods of assessment of strategic alliances, and includes an assessment of motivational, dynamic and strategic stability. The methodology allows companies to make informed decisions about the possible positive and negative gains from cooperation, position in the alliance, as well as the best strategy to gain most possible positive gains from the cooperation. In order to prove theory by example methodology was approbated on following alliances: TNK-BP, Statoil-BP, Rosneft-ExxonMobil.