International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances 

About: International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances is an academic journal published by Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Alliance & Strategic alliance. It has an ISSN identifier of 1756-6444. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 71 publications have been published receiving 555 citations. The journal is also known as: IJSBA & Strategic business alliances.

A fresh look at strategic alliances: research issues and future directions

Abstract: This article reviews the current state of strategic alliances between and among firms by discussing the confusion concerning their epistemology and taxonomy; it offers a plain definition and typology of such ventures. Also examined are their evolution and theoretical foundations and important research questions reflected in the extant literature. After clarifying existing misconceptions and presenting a systematic treatment of strategic alliances, it aims at delineating new research issues and stimulating further research for advancement of the current body of knowledge on interfirm cooperation.

Mechanisms of private meta-governance: an analysis of global private governance for sustainable development

Abstract: One of the main characteristics of global governance for sustainable development is its fragmentation. Next to public regulations, there are often many private regulations in force on the same issue, which are induced by collaborations between businesses and NGOs. Traditionally, it is assumed that governments should play a central role in solving this 'orchestration deficit'. This paper argues that the capabilities of private meta-governance have been a neglected and undervalued topic in research. Taking some illustrative cases from the field of private global governance, it defines several private meta-governance mechanisms. Connected to them the paper also defines a specific meta-governance role of states.

The drivers for collective horizontal coopetition: a case study of screwcap initiatives in the international wine industry

Abstract: This paper investigates antecedents for forming collective horizontal coopetition, where all or most major competitors in an industry cooperate to achieve a common goal while competing with each other in other areas of business. The purposes of this paper are: 1) to gain an understanding of how coopetition emerges within an industry using a case study of the screwcap initiative in the Australian, New Zealand and US wine industries; 2) to develop a conceptual model that describes the factors that lead to coopetition among horizontal competitors at the industry level. The following five factors are found to facilitate formation of this type of collective horizontal coopetition: strategic common goals, greater expected collective benefits, safeguards against knowledge transfer, intra-industry complementarities and strong ties in cooperative networks. These factors are presented as propositions. Then, theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.

Interpartner harmony in strategic alliances: managing commitment and forbearance

Abstract: We propose a framework to understand interpartner harmony in strategic alliances. Interpartner harmony in strategic alliances denotes the mutual understanding that alliance members accomplish by managing commitment and forbearance in the context of their interdependence. We proceed from the notion that the pervasive conflict-based view of alliances has clouded the consideration of the quest for harmony as a significant factor in alliance dynamics. We believe that alliances have an inbuilt resilience that makes the emergence of harmony a natural outcome, through the joint exercise of commitment and forbearance, even as conflict and opportunism persist as inevitable challenges. We describe the four kinds of interpartner harmony in alliances – superficial, specious, constrained and communal – based on the degrees of commitment and forbearance. We also discuss the salience of each of these interpartner harmony types in the three principal types of alliances (equity joint ventures, minority equity alliances and nonequity alliances). Implications of the analysis are discussed for further research as well as managerial practice.

University-industry collaboration: careers and knowledge governance in hybrid organisational space

Abstract: In many high-technology fields, large firms have become increasingly keen to engage with the open knowledge networks of university scientists in order to keep at the cutting edge of scientific development. This paper examines how close collaborative relationships between firms and universities have succeeded by constructing network career models between the two sets of organisations. It focuses on a growing category of research scientists referred to as 'linked scientists'. These people engage in the practices of both science and business, and develop knowledge networks and career patterns that straddle the two sectors. The analysis highlights the emergence of a hybrid organisational space structured around the linked mobility of people. The notion of an 'overlapping internal labour market' gives insight into our understanding of the interdependent relationship between flexible projects and more enduring career arrangements that support knowledge governance across organisational boundaries.