Alliances and cooperation: theoretical outlooks in the realm of strategic thought

As one surveys the field of cooperative strategies and alliances, some misconceptions are discernible concerning which are the main theoretical frameworks and how they can be articulated among themselves when they focus upon issues such as the strategic process, cooperation and the environment. This article offers a theoretical contribution to this subject. It uses, as a methodological approach, an extensive study and review of the contextual literature. Seven main theoretical outlooks are advanced: military theories; the game theory; the transaction cost theory; the positioning approach; the social networks theory; the resource-based theory; and learning theories. Each one holds a particular set of premises and is derived from specific foundations. Some are compatible with one another, while others are not. The results allow both a more comprehensive view of the whole and an outlook on the possibilities for articulations among the different perspectives and their repercussions on empirical research.