2009International Small Business Journal Researching EntrepreneurshipRequires access

Alliance Formation Motives in SMEs

Anita Van Gils, P.S. Zwart

Open publisher page 61 citations

Abstract

Cooperative agreements are important tools to improve the competitive position of small and medium-sized firms.This explorative conjoint analysis study simultaneously examines the importance of firm, environmental and partner motives on the formation of two types of SME-alliances. In addition, we study the influence of the sector of industry and the CEOs' characteristics. Results indicate that alliance formation is determined by a combination of organizational, partner-and industry-related motives, and that each of these factors should not be studied in isolation. Moreover, motives differ across functional area types of alliances, and both the sector of industry and a CEO's experience affect the probability of alliance creation.

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What this paper is about

Cooperative agreements are important tools to improve the competitive position of small and medium-sized firms.This explorative conjoint analysis study simultaneously examines the importance of firm, environmental and partner motives on the formation of two types of SME-alliances. In addition, we study the influence of the sector of industry and the CEOs' characteristics. Results indicate that alliance formation is determined by a combination of organizational, partner-and industry-related motives, and that each of these factors should not be studied in isolation. Moreover, motives differ across functional area types of alliances, and both the sector of industry and a CEO's experience affect the probability of alliance creation.

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Available abstract

Cooperative agreements are important tools to improve the competitive position of small and medium-sized firms.This explorative conjoint analysis study simultaneously examines the importance of firm, environmental and partner motives on the formation of two types of SME-alliances. In addition, we study the influence of the sector of industry and the CEOs' characteristics. Results indicate that alliance formation is determined by a combination of organizational, partner-and industry-related motives, and that each of these factors should not be studied in isolation. Moreover, motives differ across functional area types of alliances, and both the sector of industry and a CEO's experience affect the probability of alliance creation.

Key concepts: Alliance, Business, Affect (linguistics), Industrial organization, Position (finance), Marketing, Psychology, Political science

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