Abstract: We examine relational and structural antecedents of alliance termination within alliance portfolios – firms’ ego-networks. We suggest that prior partnerships, common partners and joint brokerage position can exert a different impact on the termination likelihood of the alliances with different functions. Given that partners of alliances with an R&D function and of alliances which combine R&D and marketing activities are involved in new product development but face a higher risk of knowledge leakage regarding marketing and/or R&D know-how, their (in)stability is particularly sensitive to relational and structural factors, which create a trade-off between innovation benefits versus opportunistic behavior.

Abstract: Joint ventures are a popular mode of inter-firm cooperation to achieve various objectives but they are associated with high failure rates. Based on two unique cases in the ready-to-drink tea industry we disentangle the factors of both joint venture success and failure. Although both joint ventures have very similar histories and starting conditions, the joint venture between Nestlé and The Coca-Cola Company collapsed in 2012 whereas the joint venture between Unilever and PepsiCo still prospers. The Nestlé-Coca-Cola joint venture started off on the basis of false expectations and imbalanced capability contributions. Furthermore, communication problems, hidden intentions as well as unclear contributions created distrust, which eventually led to the downscaling of this joint venture. We provide a step-by-step guideline for managers to effectively manage joint ventures.

Abstract: Examining supplier-client relationships in patent legal services, I unpack and empirically test two important conditions for the survival of suppliers; client retention and business expansion. First, I theorize and find that suppliers who focus more on serving preferred, long-term clients suffer a survival penalty, but suppliers who receive greater relationship commitment from their clients are more likely to survive. Second, I consider firm expansion in terms of a supplier’s scope of client services, and as the ratio of clients to attorneys. I find that, independently, these expansion strategies confer survival advantages to suppliers, but when implemented jointly, they can attenuate this survival advantage by competing for managerial resources. This paper extends research in the relational-view, corporate diversification, and contributes to resource-based theory.