Assessment Statement
“The business unit manages Alignment with alliance members along the dimensions of common strategic aspirations, complementary capabilities, joint ventures, operational practices and routines, and interpersonal interactions to build trust and promote synergy.”
Interpretation
This item assesses how effectively the business unit manages alignment with its strategic alliance partners across key dimensions such as shared aspirations, complementary capabilities, joint operations, and interpersonal trust—all with the goal of building synergy and promoting mutual value creation.
This addresses:
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Strategic Alignment: Are all parties aligned on goals and direction?
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Operational Coordination: Are processes and routines coordinated across partners?
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Relational Trust: Do interpersonal dynamics support collaboration and openness?
Example: Starbucks & PepsiCo Bottled Frappuccino Partnership, Score: 5 – Strongly Agree
Starbucks and PepsiCo formed a joint venture to bottle and distribute Starbucks Frappuccino beverages globally. Strategic Alignment: Both aimed to expand Starbucks’ retail presence beyond cafes and leverage PepsiCo’s global distribution networks. Operational Coordination: PepsiCo managed bottling and logistics while Starbucks oversaw product development and brand integrity. Relational Trust: Longstanding collaboration and clear communication built mutual confidence and operational synergy. This alliance succeeded due to proactive alignment on goals, strengths, and routines; creating long-term value for both.
Reference: PepsiCo. (1994). Starbucks and PepsiCo form North American Coffee Partnership. https://www.pepsico.com
Learn more here: R. M. Kanter, Collaborative Advantage: The Art of Alliances. Harvard Business Review, (July-August,1994)
C. U. Ciborra, The Platform Organization: Recombining, Strategies, Structures, and Surprises, Organization Science, Vol. 7 No. 2, (1996)