Abstract This paper examines Southwest Airlines' many identified weaknesses, such as poor short-term liquidity, lack of strategic alliances, and declining revenue yields. The paper asserts that it is imperative that the firm forms more strategic alliances, especially in the airline industries. The paper contends that the advantage of this is that the Southwest Airlines will then have a larger market share and, when collusion takes place, it is tantamount to acting like a monopoly, resulting in more profits in both the long and short run for the airline. The paper also suggests that the firm incorporate technology in its operations. To summarize, the paper suggests that both strategic alliances and the implementation of recommended technology will improve the business.
Outline:
Introduction
Incorporating Technology in its Operations: Increasing Strategic Alliances for Southwest
Benefits from Technology for Southwest Airlines
Conclusion
From the Paper "Southwest Airlines can incorporate this aspect of operations by using its exceptional profit margin to gain acquire more cost efficient and technologically advanced assets. The Airbus 380 landed in Los Angeles International Airport which is one of the biggest and cost efficient jets, Southwest Airlines should be at the forefront in debuting improvements in technology like this one to leverage alliances and increase the choices for consumers. Southwest currently uses Boeing 737s because it does smaller frequent flights from city to city. However increased technology can be achieved with upgrades to the current fleet or an introduction of fixed assets."
Abstract This paper discusses the intersection between entrepreneurship and strategic alliances and explores research opportunities related to this particular relationship. The paper contains four sections including background information relevant to entrepreneurship, research objectives, research methodology, and a conclusion with recommendations.
From the Paper "The purpose of this report is to examine the nexus between the entrepreneurship and strategic alliance literature and to explore research opportunities related to this ..."
Abstract This paper identifies the salient factors that must be taken into account in developing and sustaining strategic alliances for at home and abroad. The World Air Cargo Organization (WACO) alliance is presented as a classic example of how strategic alliances have been used to good effect by local companies in establishing a multinational network that can compete in an increasingly globalized marketplace. The paper reviews the literature to identify factors that lead to long-term, profitable alliances.
Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
Introduction to the Organization
Literature review on Strategic Alliances Environment Analysis (External and Internal)
Analysis of Existing Strategic Alliances Identification of Activities Contributing to the Development of Competitive Advantage
Identification of Alternative Strategic Alliances that will Complement and Enhance the Company's Competitive Position
Choice of Solutions and Justification
From the Paper "In some industries, though, this level of insight may not be possible or may be flawed at any given point in time because of a dearth of timely information concerning what others are doing. As Greenwald and Kahn point out, the choice of solutions for a given company at a given point in time would largely relate to what information was available upon which to formulate a best estimate."
Tags: cross-border, competition, multinational, complementary, information
Abstract The paper provides an overview of the relationship between therapeutic alliance and retention with reference to the underlying influence of attachment theory. The paper aims to discover how the therapeutic alliance is perceived by the patient and the therapist and how this perception impacts the decision to continue with therapy, change the procedure or to change to another therapist. A brief overview of the history and significance of the therapeutic alliance is offered as well as a look at the attachment theory. The paper concludes that the therapeutic alliance is an essential component in the positive outcomes of therapy as well as in retention.
Outline:
Introduction
Brief Background to the Understanding of Therapeutic Alliance The Value of Therapeutic Alliance and its Relationship to Retention
Attachment Theory
Conclusion: The Question of Client and Therapist Perceptions of Therapeutic Alliance
From the Paper "In 1934, Sterba defined alliance as the relationship between the reasonable aspects of both the therapist and the client. (Sterba, 1934) Therefore, in order to enable positive outcomes and retention, the client's ego "...needed to be strengthened in its interactions with the therapist" (Delaney, 2006). This process was facilitated by an intense form of understanding and cooperation between therapist and client. The concept of alliance was therefore seen as an indispensable process, whereby the client would accept or acquiesce to the therapist's view and insight into the particular problem, which in turn would increase the likelihood of positive outcomes to the therapy.
"The view of therapeutic alliance was taken further by therapists such as Zetzel, Rogers and Greenson in the 1950s and 1960s. These therapists advanced beyond the theory of transference towards an understanding of the therapeutic alliance as a conscious process, which leads to the development of a situation of trust and cooperation between the client and the therapist."
Abstract This paper examines how in today's globally competitive environment it is almost impossible to survive without the use of strategic alliances to some degree. It explores the nature of strategic alliances including, the forms of relationships, motives for creating alliances using real world examples, suggestions on how to effectively develop and manage a growing portfolio of alliances and the potential barriers and pitfalls. It also outlines the many lucrative opportunities and benefits companies could anticipate through successful alliance acquisition and management practices.
From the Paper "The task of identifying and creating valuable strategic alliances can be a daunting endeavor for many businesses. The MIT Sloan Management Review article titled, "How to Make Strategic Alliances Work", suggests the use of a dedicated strategic alliance function to effectively manage and reap superior benefits from partnerships. ? The dedicated function coordinates all alliance-related activity within the organization and is charged with institutionalizing processes and systems to teach, share and leverage prior alliance-management experience and know-how throughout the company.? This is a very resource intensive strategy, although necessary in some business environments."
Abstract This paper examines how strategic alliances in a global marketplace arguably entail the need for greater attention and how, in addition to the difficult task of managing the relationships, there are not only corporate cultures to negotiate, but national ones as well that have an effect on the workings of a B2B strategic alliance. It looks at how the oldest players in the arena of B2B strategic alliances are the international transport companies and how, even before globalization became a catch-phrase, these companies were dealing in essential and strategic ways with their counterparts on other continents. The paper discusses transport companies' experiences with B2B strategic alliances.
Outline:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Problems in Strategic B2B International Transport Alliances Complex Relationships in International Transport
Literature Review
How International Transport Works
Conclusion
From the Paper "Dussauge and Garrett found that, in studying international strategic alliances, various organizational structures and various levels of economic performance of the partners contributed to the longevity and success of the alliance. They also noted that the technical quality of the alliance was not affected by whether the alliance was unstructured or semi-structured; those factors influenced the sales and marketing functions more than they influenced the technical aspects of the alliance. Nonetheless, these authors did conclude that what produces enhanced economic performance is the achievement, before entering into the alliance, of a satisfactory level of technical quality. They found it was also essential to choose the proper partner in the alliance."
Abstract The paper focuses on Cincom Systems and analyzes the company's partnerships and strategic alliances in the enterprise software marketplace. The paper provides a literature review on strategic alliances and offers an external and internal environmental analysis of Cincom. The paper also discusses Cincom's mediocre performance with partnerships and strategic alliances based on a vertical market strategy and considers potential solutions. The paper concludes that Cincom should partner with Microsoft at the technological level for their Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) platform.
From the Paper "Enterprise software applications enable companies to coordinate and synchronize the many processes, systems and roles in their organizations in support of strategic plans and objectives. Designed for the most common processes and system integration areas, there are many outlying processes enterprise software companies do not address due to how niche-oriented and small in terms of market potential they are. As a result, strategic alliances and partnerships form the foundation of nearly every enterprise software solution in operation today. Oracle's reliance on strategic alliances is evident in the 6,500 developers currently supporting their next-generation Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) platform called Fusion, and their archrival SAP's reliance on partnerships and strategic alliances to expand the company's reach into manufacturing and process industries."
Tags: partners, value, trust, collaboration, Microsoft
An examination of the appropriateness of the Helping Alliance Questionnaire-2 (HAQ-2) as an instrument for measuring a psychologist's ability to assess the therapeutic relationship.
Abstract This paper discusses the importance of a therapeutic alliance for treatment. It explores the ability of clinical psychologists to improve the health of the therapeutic relationship between a therapist and patient. It then explores the appropriateness of the Helping Alliance Questionnaire-2 (HAQ-2) as an instrument for measuring psychologist ability to assess the therapeutic relationship.
Table of Contents:
Part 1: Therapeutic Relationship or Client-Therapist Attachment?
Understanding the Elements of the Therapeutic Relationship
Understanding Client-Therapist Attachment
Comparing and Contrasting the Therapeutic Relationship and Client-Therapist Attachment
Research Rationale
Part 2: Assessing Measurement Instruments
Relationship Measurement Instruments
The Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ-2)
Reliability and Validity of the HAQ-2
Comparison with Other Instruments
Limitations of the HAQ-2
Appropriateness of the HAQ-2 for the Intended Study
From the Paper "When one considers all of the variables associated with selection of the research instrument and the desired outcomes of the intended research, the HAQ-2 stands out as the most obvious choice. The HAQ-2 has many advantages over other research instruments for this study. One of the key considerations is ease of administration. It is short and only takes a few minutes to complete. This is a key reason for ruling out other research instruments, such as the BLRI. The WAI is another possibility, but it does not allow the potential for direct comparison of client and patient results for the same session."
Abstract This paper examines the challenges presented by the leveraging of joint ventures and alliances. It discusses the need to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing across the organizations at the start of a new inter-firm relationship from the perspective of an executive. The paper provides a framework and examples taken from case studies.
Table of Contents:
Learning and Knowledge Sharing
Joint Ventures
Alliances Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "One of the most common instances that encourage learning and sharing is cultural differences. In the case study involving the ABB PBS Joint Venture the two companies found it rather difficult to understand certain cultural differences. These differences existed because the managers and employees of the venture were from the post-communist country of the Czech Republic and were new to the structure of a free market economy. The venture had a difficult time interacting and understanding the culture of the European nations that they were conducting business with. To facilitate learning and knowledge the managers of the venture had to change the mentality of employees and develop ways to motivate them to reach the goals of the company. ("The ABB PBS Joint Venture in Operation")"
This paper discusses the strategy of strategic alliances in the airline industry, the policy of partnering to share expenses and thus increase revenues for all the partner companies.
Abstract This paper discusses strategic alliances in the airline industry, which include partnering not only with other airlines, but also with other businesses related to the airline such as travel agents and food services. The paper relates that this strategy could mean higher ticket prices and more waiting time. The author feels that airlines who form strategic alliances will be more likely to improve their bottom line. This paper includes a SWOT Analysis.
From the Paper "The airline industry faces some tough issues and must work fast to come up with creative solutions to their problems. Currently, they are attempting short-term measures such as reducing the number and frequency of flights, laying off employees and other cost cutting measures in an attempt to ride out the storm. However, these measures are not sustainable and, if the situation does not turn around, some will simply cease to exist. One of the strategies the industry is using is strategic alliances. They are sharing resources; this new level of sharing may improve service for the customers of all of the airlines and may benefit everyone involved."
Abstract This paper presents a history of the Alliance movement, explaining that it began as a response by farmers to their long-held grievances against railroads, lenders, grain-elevator owners, and others with whom they did business. The paper explains how the Alliance movement early on turned to politics to further their demands, implementing a successful strategy that eventually formed the Populist party. The paper then looks at the struggles the Populist party began to face after its creation, its eventual demise as well as how some of the ideas from the Populist platform survived into the new century.
From the Paper "The southern alliance began in Texas in 1875 but did not assume major proportions until Dr. Charles W. Macune took over the leadership in 1886. Its agents spread across the South, where farmers were fed up with crop liens, depleted lands, and sharecropping. By 1890, the Southern Alliance claimed more than a million members. Like the Grange, the Alliance distributed educational materials, and it also established cooperative grain elevators, marketing associations, and retail stores."
Abstract This document discusses the case study entitled 'The Renault-Nissan Alliance' published by the Harvard Business School. The case study discusses the alliance between Renault and Nissan, first as an investment by Renault in Nissan and subsequently a full 50/50 joint venture. Although there were certain operational and engineering difficulties the joint venture has proven to be an astounding success due, largely, to Carlos Ghosn's leadership.
From the Paper "Renault, long one of Europe's largest automotive manufactures, invested heavily in Nissan in 1999. These figures represented an approximate $5.4b amounted to a 36.8% stake in the company for Renault and represented a substantial risk (Yoshino & Fagan, 2003, p.6). For Renault the move was as strategic one to gain global scale while for Nissan the investment amounted to a vital life-line. In 2002, the Renault minority ownership in Nissan was upgraded to a joint venture complete with shared platforms, technologies, and synergistic markets (Yoshino & Fagan, 2003). The new full-fledged alliance was termed Renault-Nissan BV and it brought out the best from each company and ultimately fashioned a formidable competitor. "
Abstract The paper discusses the increasing use of outsourcing and strategic alliances. The paper explains that this is due to cost pressures, weak economic conditions and rapid advancements in communication technology which have completely changed businesses by erasing geographic borders. The paper shows how the benefits of the two strategic directions discussed are real and through careful planning and implementation, with both internal and external factors considered, organizations can gain a competitive advantage.
Outline:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Organization Change as a Result of Outsourcing and Strategic Alliances Conclusion
From the Paper "Outsourcing and strategic alliances do not impact all organizations alike. There are major differences in the amount of change and adaptation required, depending on many factors. Two categories of change can be identified - incremental and transformational. Incremental change is part of the organization's natural evolution in building on the existing ways of operating to enhance or extend them in new directions. It is a smooth process that molds on the existing organization, pushing for change slowly. Transformational change is more radical, resulting in a major overhaul of the organization or its component systems. The organization is constrained to adapt to a large amount of novelty."
Abstract This paper examines descent theory and alliance theory and some of the ethnographies associated with them in an attempt to discover why these formulations are not considered satisfactory analytical tools today. It then turns to modern developments in kinship to try to analyse the common points of failure for both theories. It takes the view that the two theories in question were very much a product of an attempt to reproduce a conception of existing in the world that is the product of a European elite.
From the Paper "Descent theory became popular in the 50?s, and was used as an analytic tool to explain everything from divorce rates to witchcraft accusations. In this application to everything, the first cracks in theory began to emerge. In Papua New Guinea, where descent theory seemed to be an almost perfect fit, John Barnes notes that it did not explain why the foundations of community organisation included a large number of non-agnates who were powerful figures in the community. Behaviour is descent theory, as evidenced by these examples, is simply not realistic. Social systems allow room for manoeuvre and manipulation."
Abstract This paper discusses the failure of the Grand Alliance with respect to Germany in the aftermath of World War II. It explores the impact of the division of Europe and restructuring the global community. The author expands on the fate of a conquered Germany. The paper also researches the influence of the Cold War.
From the Paper "This essay will evaluate the success of the Grand Alliance formed after World War II with respect to restructuring the global community and more specifically addressing the fate of a conquered Germany. It will be argued ..."
Tags: Grand Alliance, World War II, bipolar world, Cold War
