The Soul of the Corporation: How to Manage the Identity of Your Company

Chapter 7. Identity in Strategic Alliances and Joint Ventures

Strategic alliances^[1] have increased dramatically, in numbers and depth, as companies focus on core businesses, outsource peripheral activities, share investments and risks with other firms, enter new geographic markets, or venture into new sectors. However, the potential economic benefits of these arrangements often are not fully realized because of the complex set of factors that come into play when two firms attempt to work together. These factors include cultural misunderstandings, conflicting loyalties, hidden agendas, power games, and mistrust—all of which have been extensively discussed in the academic and popular management literature.^[2] Not surprisingly, we believe that identity ...