Stability and Complexity of Inter-Firm Cooperation : The Case of Multi-Points Alliances

Francis Bidault , Melchior Salgado (1)

1 SAF - Laboratoire de Sciences Actuarielle et Financière

The authors examine alliances involving inter-firm co-operation which they term 'multi-point alliances'. These are first defined and considered in varying degrees of complexity. A typology of multi-point alliances is produced, and interviews conducted with French and Spanish corporations followed by a two-stage questionnaire survey of France's largest corporations. The dynamics of multi-point co-operation were then examined. The results include support for the authors' research hypothesis that both business complexity (scope) and organizational complexity (structure) impact the evolution of co-operation: the higher the complexity, the more likely the co-operative arrangement will diverge from its initial objective.

Mots clés: Alliances; Multi-point co-operation; Joint ventures; Inter-firm co-operation; Co-operation dynamics Alliances; Co-operation dynamics

Domaines: Gestion et management

Francis Bidault, Melchior Salgado. Stability and Complexity of Inter-Firm Cooperation : The Case of Multi-Points Alliances. European Management Journal, 2001, 19 (6), pp.619-628. ⟨halshs-00768866⟩