The Internet Encyclopedia (Volume 3)

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DEVELOPING ANDMAINTAINING ASTRONGRELATIONSHIP WITHSTRATEGICALLIANCES 349

Teachers would be able to have help in creating and aug-

menting their courses.

Children would have access to the most cutting-edge edu-

cation content and information in a protective Internet

environment, 24 hours a day, from any computer.

Parents would be able to communicate with their chil-

dren’s teachers to monitor their children’s progress.

Cox Communications would be the first to develop the

largest and most sophisticated ASP in the world

through a partnership with Learning Station and

others.

The main problem of any project of size is to create and

maintain a system that allows and encourages, even de-

mands, constant communication efforts. Communication

works to eliminate barriers, crucial to all partnerships.

Trust also becomes a critical ingredient in the beginning

of any strategic partnership and continues to be an im-

portant issue throughout the relationship. As communi-

cation breaks down from time to time in all projects and

partnerships, success, then, depends on proceeding with

a collaborative effort of mutual respect. There must be

a spirit of resolve: that one party is not trying to outdo

the other and that everyone is important in maintaining

a good communication and effort.

In the bookGetting Partnering Right, the authors say,

“In a complex partnership there will be so many uncer-

tainties and unknowns that the path can’t be charted with

any precision.... Thetarget that a shared vision is trying

to hit is constantly moving” (Rackham et al., 1996 p. 118).

In the previously sited case of American Express and

its disaster recovery, the spirit of the company ingrained

in the employees ultimately solved the severe problems. A

resolution projection for the issues created or for the pos-

sibilities of such a tragic event had never been designed.

However, American Express as a company was able to

weather the storm by the perseverance of employees and

their commitment to the company mission.

The Contract

Once the expectation and vision for a partnership has been

established, how does that evolve to a contract? InGetting

Partnering Right, reference is made to a partnership doc-

ument used by British contract specialist McGregor Cory,

in which the opening simply states that it specifically dis-

claims any legal intent:

This document is not written nor entered into as

a formal or legal agreement but is only a definite

expression and record of the purpose and inten-

tion of the parties, to which they each honorably

pledge themselves. The document covers perfor-

mance criteria and sets up agreed-upon commu-

nications channels. (Rackham et al., 1996 p. 20)

Perhaps business development is changing to be first

dependent upon an honor system of what is right and

just, and then building on character strengths for creat-

ing profits. Businesses and partnerships are recognizing

that profit is a result of taking the necessary, honorable

approaches.

There have been many articles written on how to create

partnerships that avoid any antitrust issues. It should be

stressed that all agreements avoid any potential conflict

with regard to antitrust laws. It is important to obtain

adequate counsel and information regarding the subject,

and to make certain of all regulatory compliance issues.

The U.S. judicial branch of the U.S. government’s Web site

has helpful suggestions and recommendations regarding

this serious consideration.

The Internet, while giving greater control to the con-

sumer, has eliminated many older traditional sales pro-

cesses. The decision to buy today is based, as in the

past, on price, integrity, dependability, service, and desire.

The use of e-commerce brings instantaneous informa-

tion and cross-referencing, giving consumers, instantly,

an unparalleled amount of information and statistics they

need in order to make decisions. The slightest issue, the

smallest critical element, can make the difference in the

sale. Dynamic, growth-oriented strategic alliance partner-

ships seem to be able to focus and deliver on details that

customers search for and are demanding. These details

should be part of the contract.

The contract should discuss all key talking points and

consideration. The best contracts also require some reso-

lution points for possible conflict that might arise into the

future. Typically, the more complicated, longer contracts

seem to be those that create the greatest aggravation to

the forward purpose of the relationship. It is always ad-

visable to obtain help from a contract attorney to finalize

the document.

Win/Win? Or Not?

Is there any other way? In the past, several win/lose

philosophies were invoked, perhaps not win/lose but at

least win/more win. The philosophy of winning by caus-

ing others to lose has been rampant throughout corpo-

rate America. Employees were taught in many instances

not to support each other and some felt that the only

way to obtain recognition or a promotion was to under-

mine or eliminate another’s opinion or position. Corpo-

rate executives, unsure of their own standing, have re-

moved valuable employees from their teams as employees

appeared to have talents not held by the executive. Instead

of practicing teamwork and encouraging value for contri-

butions, many employees have been taught to divide and

conquer within their own departments and, ultimately,

within the company. Secretive meetings, positioning, and

last-minute layoffs have been common during the past

decade.

Win/lose attitudes, common in many large and small

corporations, created unhealthy models for competition

or for partnering. Less than ethical personal and corpo-

rate behavior has had an enormous backlash. Employees

laid off or rearranged in new positions many times coinci-

dentally end up working together again. Former managers

have become employees of individuals the manager once

fired. Competitors purchasing formerly competing com-

panies have forced a merging of teams. It seems that in

many cases “what goes around, comes around.”

Winning through Intimidation(Ringer, 1993) suggested

that if one learns how to intimidate first, then one might

be able to avoid the pitfalls of being intimidated. It seems