Alliance Brand: Fulfilling the Promise of Partnering

410 Pages·2006·3.71 MB·English

by  Mark Darby

ALLIANC E
BR AND
Fulfi lling the Promise
of Partnering
Mark Darby

ALLIANCE
BRAND
‘It is not enough to bring big names together simply because it seems to make sense. An alli-
ance must create a value proposition that could not have existed within either enterprise. Mark
Darby’s practitioner expertise and extensive research have brought him unique insights. Using
accurate and dynamic models, he provides us with powerful tools to address the tough questions
that the daily business of alliance management obscures.’
Jonathan Cohen, Practice Principal, HP
‘Alliances provide the opportunity for both commercial and not-for-profi t organisations to build
competitive advantage, increase sustainability and brand value. However building the necessary
relationships can be a high risk undertaking for all sides. Mark Darby brings insight tempered
by his extensive experience to guide directors and managers when considering the strategic and
operational implications of this option for their business.’
David Yates, President, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Sussex
‘SEEDA is dependent on alliances for success. Mark Darby helped our Enterprise Team
make positive strides forward. We have enthusiastically embraced his advice, and his book can
help you to also get great results from alliances and a positive reputation for partnering.’
Jeff Alexander, Executive Director, Business and
International, SEEDA
‘FDM has relationships with companies that have resource constraints at the point of software
product implementation. We built our unique IT staffi ng “Mountie” model on the principal
of alliances embedding it into our company’s culture and philosophy. We have worked exten-
sively with ALLIANTIST to shape and refi ne this approach. Alliance Brand shows you
how to build that partnering capability too.’
Rod Flavell, CEO, FDM Group Limited
‘Alliance Brand achieves three things. First, it helps optimise ROI from alliances at an
operational level. Second, it provides for good corporate governance. Third, and probably most
important, alliances are now part of the business planning strategic agenda. Get this right and
the other two fall into place. Mark shows you how to do it all in this book.’
Antonio Betes, CEO, Vetlab Services Limited
‘As an SME we work closely with a number of partners but don’t have the budgets that many
large corporates might have for alliance management. However, our reputation as the dispensing
solution partner of choice for our customers, suppliers and stockists relies on us continuing to
develop our capability and invest in those relationships. By working with Mark and following
his philosophy we have got smarter about where we invest and how we work internally as well
as with our partners, to great effect. His philosophy is not just for the large corporates; everyone
who partners, especially SMES, will need a positive reputation for alliance management just
to compete in the future, let alone prosper. Buying this book and applying his simple yet
effective methods could be the best return on investment you ever make.’
Stephen Woolmer, Managing Director,
Brightwell Dispensers Limited
ALLIANC E
BR AND
Fulfi lling the Promise
of Partnering
Mark Darby
Copyright © 2006 ALLIANTIST
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Darby, Mark
Alliance brand : fulfi lling the promise of partnering / Mark Darby.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-03218-3 (cloth: alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-470-03218-9 (cloth: alk. paper)
1. Strategic alliances (Business) I. Title.
HD69.S8D387 2006
658′.044—dc22 2006016561
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 13 978-0-470-03218-3 (HB)
ISBN 10 0-470-03218-9 (HB)
Typeset in 11.5/15 pt Bembo and Univers by SNP Best-set Typesetter Ltd, Hong Kong
Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall, UK
This book is printed on acid-free paper responsibly manufactured from sustainable forestry
in which at least two trees are planted for each one used for paper production.
For:
Marshall and Tegan
In memory of:
Sandra Darby; only after Mum had been taken did I
realise that what she gave me was so valuable.
Timothy Foster; founder of Adslogans.com. A truly
gifted and charming man who helped establish
ALLIANTIST.

CONTENTS
FOREWORD BY JEFF ALEXANDER, SEEDA xiii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xv
PREFACE xix
PART I U SING ALLIANCES TO CREATE VALUE 1
1 HOW VALUE AND ADVANTAGE AFFECT
FIRM ACTIVITIES 3
What is value 3
Understanding competitive advantage 6
2 UNDERSTANDING ALLIANCES 13
Alliance ambiguity 13
Defi ning alliances 14
What alliances are not 16
Assets are what you access 17
Alliances pervade the value chain 18
Alliances have differing values and importance 21
Partners come from various sources 24
Complex relationships 26
viii CONTENTS
3 FORCES DRIVING FOR ALLIANCES 29
Customer demands and industry standards 30
Increasing pace of change with growth and cost
pressures 31
Regulation and governance 33
Increasing M&A challenges 35
Capital, size, learning and competitive threat 36
4 WHAT WINNING ALLIANCES LOOK LIKE 39
Alliance spirit 39
Building trust 40
What an organisation that wins with alliances does
for success 47
5 FORCES CHALLENGING ALLIANCE SUCCESS 53
Alliance failure rates 53
Other forces challenging success 60
6 ALLIANCE BRAND 67
Reputation in context 67
Brand in context 70
Alliance brand; a timely initiative 72
Examples of alliance brands 76
Getting results, reputation and alliance brand status 80
Does your organisation need an alliance brand? 82
PART I S UMMARY 85
PART II HAVING A CAPABILITY TO PARTNER 87
7 CLARITY ON STRATEGY AND DIRECTION 91
The importance of clarity on strategy and direction 92