Alliance Formation Motives: A Comparison of International Perspectives

Establishing and maintaining successful alliances is an increasingly attractive, yet difficult strategic option for most firms in today's business environment. One component of the alliance process that has recently received considerable attention concerns the motivations of a firm and its potential partner to establish an alliance. This paper examines and compares alliance motives at three channel levels (manufacturer, distributor and logistical service supplier) and across three geographic trading regions (North America, Europe and the Pacific Basin). The managerial implications of the results are discussed with particular regard to developing and sustaining successful cooperative supply chain relationships.