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Creating and taming discord: How firms manage embedded competition in alliance portfolios to limit alliance termination

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  • Navid Asgari
  • Vivek Tandon
  • Kulwant Singh
  • Will Mitchell

Abstract

Research Summary: Firms with resources that make them attractive allies are also desirable partners for competitors so that competition among partners is embedded in alliance portfolios. We develop a framework in which competition within a portfolio creates benefits for a focal firm but threatens partners, increasing the hazard of alliance termination. We then propose four mechanisms for managing the threat of competition to partners reflecting aspects of portfolio configuration: alliance governance, social cohesion, social structure of competition, and partner similarity. We test our framework using a sample of 204 biopharmaceutical firms with alliance portfolios comprising 1,621 alliances between 1990 and 2000. The study addresses the interplay of competition and cooperation in alliance portfolios, and more generally, key aspects of value chain integration strategy. Managerial Summary: Alliance portfolios comprise a focal firm's set of direct partners, some of which compete with each other because of overlapping resources, capabilities, and strategies. The threat of actual or perceived competition from other partners may cause some firms to terminate their alliance with the focal firm. We develop a framework comprising four mechanisms related to alliance portfolios—alliance governance, social cohesion, social structure of competition, and partner similarity—that allows focal firms to attenuate the hazard of termination of their alliances. We find support for our framework in a study of 204 biopharmaceutical firms with alliance portfolios comprising 1,621 alliances between 1990 and 2000. We improve understanding of how firms can manage competition and cooperation within their alliance portfolios.

Suggested Citation

  • Navid Asgari & Vivek Tandon & Kulwant Singh & Will Mitchell, 2018. "Creating and taming discord: How firms manage embedded competition in alliance portfolios to limit alliance termination," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(12), pages 3273-3299, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:stratm:v:39:y:2018:i:12:p:3273-3299
    DOI: 10.1002/smj.2784
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaotian Yang, 2022. "Coopetition for innovation in R&D consortia: Moderating roles of size disparity and formal interaction," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 79-102, March.
    2. Xin Li & Xingyuan He & Lu Zhou & Shushu Xie, 2022. "Impact of Epidemics on Enterprise Innovation: An Analysis of COVID-19 and SARS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-28, April.
    3. Xincheng Wang & Ye Hou & Wan Cheng & Jingzhou Guo, 2023. "How do competitors and partners shape corporate R&D investments," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 1106-1125, June.
    4. Vivek Tandon & Navid Asgari & Ram Ranganathan, 2023. "Divestment of relational assets following acquisitions: Evidence from the biopharmaceutical industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 1013-1052, April.
    5. Prothit Sen & Phanish Puranam, 2022. "Do Alliance portfolios encourage or impede new business practice adoption? Theory and evidence from the private equity industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(11), pages 2279-2312, November.
    6. Steffen Runge & Christian Schwens & Matthias Schulz, 2022. "The invention performance implications of coopetition: How technological, geographical, and product market overlaps shape learning and competitive tension in R&D alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 266-294, February.
    7. Shuman Zhang & Changhong Yuan & Chen Han, 2020. "Industry–university–research alliance portfolio size and firm performance: the contingent role of political connections," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 1505-1534, October.

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