Handbook of Strategic Alliances

The Handbook of Strategic Alliances covers the state of art of research on strategic alliances and serves to lay out a research agenda on collaborative strategy and alliance management. Leading scholars in the field chart the alliance literature, its evolution, current state, and future course. The handbook covers the theoretical foundations that guide work on inter-firm collaboration, ranging from sociological perspectives to real options theory to diverse traditions within organizational economics. It proceeds to open the "black boxes" of alliance management across the life-cycle phases as well as functional spectrum, addressing topics such as contracting, design choices, and interorganizational trust, as well as the neglected areas of organization behavior and human resource management. An in-depth look at cross-border alliances is then followed by an examination of new alliance forms in the new economy, entrepreneurial networks, and collaborations between for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. The handbook concludes by examining methodological issues and addresses the prospect for interdisciplinary research. Features and Benefits: Brings together the leading scholars and practitioners from around the globe. Provides direct interface with functional areas (strategy, OB, HRM, entrepreneurship) in an integrated way; Links theory and practice Has separate treatment (section) devoted to cross-border alliances Has separate treatment (section) of research methodologies Examination of non-traditional alliances, attention to research methodologies for alliances, breath of coverage on theoretical foundations