How do firms develop its Alliances Management Capability? A case study with a multi-sector Brazilian Group

Abstract

The literature presents the elements that compose the Alliance Management Capacity (AMC). However, the understanding of how firms develop this capability is still a research gap. The objective of this paper is to investigate how firms develop in their internal scope the alliance management capability and the structures, tools, and processes involved. The study is based on a qualitative case study of a Brazilian multisector company that strongly relies on strategic alliances. The collected data consist of documents, observation, and interviews with 11 professionals who worked on the firm alliance’s management. The main results demonstrate the development of AMC within the firm by (1) demonstrating the high commitment that favors the creation of alliances, (2) creating independent structures to manage them, (3) associating with leaders to pursue growth through alliances, (4) to encourage internal knowledge exchanges between alliances. The paper contributes to the existing literature on alliances management capabilities by showing how this capability develops over time. As a managerial implication, the AMC development process described in this paper can serve as a reference for firms that aim to develop such capability.

Keywords

• alliance management capability
• historical-longitudinal approach
• development of dynamic capabilities.