Smart alliances

by John R. Harbison

In Smart Alliances, two of Booz-Allen's senior consultants distill knowledge into an eight-step plan for building and sustaining strategic alliances at every level of the company. From identifying opportunities to mapping objectives to planning and implementing compatible partnerships, they share the secrets of how alliances can be used to take a company global - through the success stories of corporate legends like Corning, Ford, and Hewlett-Packard in regions as diverse as Europe, Japan, and India. Using firsthand experience, in-depth interviews, and a wealth of collective research on more than 500 companies and 6,000 international alliances, they bring statistical discipline to this increasingly vital strategic skill. Their proven best practices can help companies leapfrog the learning curve and form the kind of sustained partnerships that make for repeatable success.