Robert E. Spekman, PhD
Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business, Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia; ISBM Fellow, Penn State

Why, When, and How to Begin, Manage—and Gracefully Exit—Successful Business Alliances...

There is not a sector of the economy that has not witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of alliances used by its firms to improve their competitive positions. Despite the fact that an alliance is formed nearly every 90 seconds, failure rates appear to occur in nearly 60 percent of all alliances. In most instances, failure is not a function of the alliance being a bad strategic option; rather, failure is attributable to managerial error. These errors can occur at any phase in the development, nurturing, or management of the alliance. Alliances fail because managers do not understand the complex interplay of a number of factors that can cause even the most well intended alliance to experience problems. In this seminar, Professor Spekman, a leading authority on business alliances and the extended enterprise, shares insights, frameworks and best practices on how to form, build and sustain profitable business alliances.

Objectives

• To develop a framework for alliance management that raises the probability of success and better leverages the skills of the partners
• To better understand when alliances make sense and when another organizational form is more appropriate
• To develop a solid approach for accessing the alliance capabilities of your partner(s) and your own firm
• To assess and develop one’s alliance capabilities and to recognize what key alliance skills are
  
• To gain an appreciation for aspects of alliance governance and how to form, manage, nurture and terminate alliances
• To better measure alliance performance
  

A premise of this seminar is that firms that are not facile at alliance management will be relegated to second class positions in the markets they serve.  Market entry, new product development and the like are too expensive to be attempted solo.  Alliances are critical to corporate survival and alliance skills and capability have become essential management tools.

Who Should Attend

This program is aimed at executives who either manage alliances or are impacted by the alliance activities of their firms.  Participants tend to be responsible for alliance management, business development, new product development/ R&D, channel management, supply chain, and marketing and sales.

Content

• Alliance definitions and types of alliances
• Why an alliance and not a merger or acquisition
• Getting started and managing through the alliance life cycle
• Alliance governance – do’s and don’t
• Alliance performance and alliance metrics
• What to do when the alliance begins to derail and how to manage through the tough times
•  Developing an alliance competence and the role of the alliance manager
• The No Blame Review© -- its use in solving problems
  
  

Format

The two-day seminar starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. each day. The seminar combines lecture and discussion, real-world cases, and team exercises. With limited attendance, there is ample time for extensive discussion and interaction. All materials for the seminar will be provided.  The program is action oriented and interactive.  Cases, exercises and discussions are the primary pedagogical vehicles utilized.   Participants will receive an alliance workbook which includes many important tools for developing and managing their firm’s alliance activities. 

Instructor

Robert E. Spekman, Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business Administration, is an internationally recognized authority on business-to-business marketing, supply chain/channels management, and strategic alliances. His consulting experiences range from marketing research and competitive analysis, to strategic market planning, supply chain management, channels of distribution design and implementation, and strategic partnering. In addition to teaching MBA courses, his executive program experience includes general marketing strategy, sales force management, channels strategy, creating strategic alliances, and business-to-business marketing strategy. He has edited/written seven books and has authored (co-authored) over 80 articles and papers.

Spekman, who joined the Darden faculty in 1991, previously taught at the University of Southern California, University of Maryland, and the Norwegian School of Business Administration and Economics.

Contact Us

Paula Dorminy or Gary Holler
814-863-2782
isbm@psu.edu