While sustaining long term strategic relationships is critical for success, an ever more common response to the rapidly changing business environment is the formation of short term alliances designed to address specific tactical goals, projects or initiatives. In many instances these arrangements bring together people from different disciplines who may come from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Add in long distances and different time zones and the complexities and challenges of sustaining successful working relationships increase even more.
Interface
The Interface Crucible 3. We’re Getting Hitched: Long Term Inter-organizational Relationships
Not all relationships are created equal and in business, asymmetrical power balances between supplier and customer and between different partners in strategic alliances are more the norm than the exception. We see these asymmetrical relationships all the time between manufacturers and their logistics services companies, between suppliers and their customers, and between producers and their distribution channel partners.
The Interface Crucible
Forging International Supply Chain Relationships among Small and Medium Sized Businesses for Competitive Advantage in a Globalized Economy
