International Cooperative Strategy

A cooperative strategy is an attempt by a firm to realise its objectives through cooperation with other firms, in alliances, rather than competition with them. It focuses on the benefits that can be gained through cooperation and how to manage the cooperation so as to realise them.

An increasingly large number of firms today engage in co-operative strategies. A cooperative strategy is an attempt by a firm to realize its objectives through cooperation with other firms, in alliances, rather than competition with them. It focuses on the benefits that can be gained through cooperation and how to manage the cooperation so as to realize them.

A cooperative strategy can offer significant advantages for companies that are lacking in particular competencies or resources to secure these through links to others possessing complementary skills or assets; it may also offer easier access to new markets, and opportunities for mutual synergy and learning.

The most common form of cooperative strategy is the joint venture. However there are many other forms including networks and the virtual corporation. In a globalised world cooperative strategy is the means by which most nationally oriented companies attempt to achieve global reach.

The present module is created in full accordance with national educational standards in the field of the higher and postgraduate education, requirements of QAA UK (Quality Assurance Agency). Professors, famous in the academic world of Great Britain, the USA and Europe, took part in development of the program. The original version of the module is developed in English.

Developers of the module assume that the student already has the basic higher finished or incomplete education, is able to work independently with printing and online materials, has access to libraries, including online libraries, and also has the high level of self-discipline and motivation. Experience on the chosen subject matter is not obligatory. Knowledge of English at the level of ability to read literature is not obligatory, but it is desirable.

Module is developed for completely independent studying.

It is supposed that for successful assimilation of a training material of the module the student has to spend about 30 hours.

For a successful completion of the module the student has to execute and protect ONE written work or ONE task (usually it is work of 1,500-2,000 words +/-10%. Work shall be performed in English.

Upon successful completion of this modules the student will receive the following type of certificate:

- Certificate on Completion of the Module.

Topics you are going to learn

1. The Nature of Cooperative Strategy:Context & Forms of Alliances

This introductory session compares and contrasts cooperative and competitive strategy. It explains strategic alliances as instruments of cooperative strategy, identifies the major types of strategic alliance and the key and most common motives for forming alliances.

2. Different Perspectives on Alliances

This session describes the varied perspectives from which alliances can be viewed, notably economic perspectives, game theory, strategic management theory, resource dependency theory, and organizational theory perspectives. It also emphasized the importance of trust in alliances.

3. Partner Selection and Alliance Negotiation 

This session explains the various alliance forms and identifies the criteria is deciding how to choose one. It also deals with an alliance partner selection, the importance of strategic and cultural fit and identifies the major things to consider in negotiating alliances.

4. Alliance Forms, Networks and Virtual Corporations

The session deals with the types of networks and characterizes them. In particular it separates networks into equal partner networks and dominant partner networks. The session also discusses the virtual corporation and its strengths and weaknesses.

5. General Management of Alliances

This session discusses the role of the general manager in strategic alliances. It identifies the key tasks that go with this role and emphasizes how difficult the role is compared with that on running a unified company. It seeks to identify where the key difficulties and challenges are likely to arise.

6. HRM in Alliances

This session sets out the role of human resource management in strategic alliances and other forms of cooperative strategy. It emphasizes that this role is even more important in alliances than it is in unified companies and comments that it is often given insufficient prominent, and this is at a cost. It then contrasts the functions philosophy and operation in the West and in China.

7. Culture in Alliances

This session contrasts and compares the role of national and corporate culture in cross-border strategic alliances. It discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by attempting to create a functioning enterprise from cohorts from different cultures.

8. Alliance Performance and Evolution

This session discusses the difficulties involved in assessing alliance performance. It emphasizes that in strategic alliances the financial performance aspect is not the only one to be considered. It also shows that in some forms of alliance the financial aspect is difficult if not impossible to determine in any definitive way. The session emphasizes the fact that if an alliance shows few signs of evolving into something greater it may not be considered as very successful. If discusses the relative role of the partners in the alliance in power terms, and in terms of what they want out of the collaboration.

9. Alliances in Emerging Economies

This final session discusses the emerging economy environment. It considers entry into emerging economies as well as the management of alliances in emerging economies.

10. Revision

Students are advised to revise all the previous activities on the course.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students should be able to:

• - Understand the role of cooperative strategy, and its expression through strategic alliances, in the modern business context..
• - Appreciate the perspectives from different disciplines that contribute to an understanding of cooperative strategy and strategic alliances.
• - Understand the considerations involved in establishing alliances, selecting partners and choosing an alliance form.
• - Appreciate the issues arising in the management of strategic alliances, with special reference to cross-border alliances.
• - Understand the difficulties involved in the role of a General Manager of a joint venture.
• - Be able to identify the requirements for performance and evolution in alliances.

Progression

Upon completion or in the first instance you can take more MBA level modules. Check similar courses in "other products in the same category" block just below this article.

If within the year you will complete 1-2, 3 or 5 or 8 of them you can be awarded by UK Online Academy:

- 1-2 modules - Certificate on Completion of the Module.

- 3 modules - Advanced Certificate in Business Studies.

- 5 modules - Diploma in Mini MBA programme.

- 8 modules - Advanced Diploma in Executive MBA programme.

Read more about our Mini MBA and Executive MBA programme.

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