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This paper aims to propose a framework for understanding interpartner sensemaking in cross‐national strategic alliances, and to discuss how to manage the problems arising from the cultural differences and internal tensions that are inherent in such alliances.

The paper starts from the notion that interpartner sensemaking of the complexities of strategic alliances has important implications for the evolution of cross‐national alliances. The two fundamental interpretive frames that relate to sensemaking are described, that of sensemaking of chaos and that of sensemaking in chaos, and the paper examines how an appreciation of these interpretive frames enables one to better manage cultural differences and internal tensions that inevitably arise in cross‐national alliances.

The framework makes clear that the two types of interpartner sensemaking (“sensemaking of chaos” and “sensemaking in chaos”) need to be appreciated as interpretive frames that are present among the alliance managers to effectively interact and influence partner firms.

As interpartner sensemaking occurs at all stages of alliance evolution, future research may seek to assess the impact of conflicting interpretive schemes: in the stages of formation, operation, and outcome; concerning issues of appropriation and coordination; and in learning processes.

Briefly, the two types of interpartner sensemaking call for different strategies for managing alliances. Alliance partners embedded in different national cultures rely on interpretive schemes to make sense of the conflicts, contradictions, and internal tensions that emerge in strategic alliances.

The paper responds to the need of managers with alliance responsibilities for a framework to help identify and exploit the most effective ways of accounting for the role of interpartner sensemaking in alliances for productive interactions and performance.

This paper aims at identifying practices that help managers to cope with two opposing forces related to global alliance management: the desirable gradual development of the alliance – due to time compression diseconomies in trust formation – and the need to accelerate this development in order to react quickly to the challenges of a global market. On the basis of a single case study, we show that several practices can be used to guarantee that acceleration does not put in danger either trust formation or other sources of relational rents.

The purpose of this article is to propose and discuss a systematic theoretical classification of alliance portfolios that allows to elucidate and develop the concept.

The study applies a conceptual approach. A review of the literature was carried out to support the conclusions of this paper.

The results of the classification identify three types of alliance portfolio, according to the level of management that each of them requires: additive, strategic and managed and strategic. These portfolio typologies are analyzed in an evolutionary perspective.

This article is of interest to managers as it emphasizes the management of the alliance portfolio, highlighting the elements or characteristics that determine the transition from one type of portfolio to another.

This paper contributes to the consolidation and reorientation of the extensive research into alliance portfolios and proposes a systematic classification that can help to interpret the results of research and guide future studies.

The purpose of this study is to examine role stress over the course of an alliance between supply chains. This study examines ambiguity as antecedent to multiple organisational outcomes.

This study subsequently uses a time series design that uses a close replication of the authors’ initial study. The design affords the opportunity to examine the dynamics associated with the evolution of the alliance.

This study recognises that the relationships developed by collaborating firms are enacted by downstream entrepreneurs in the supply chain, yet this observation is rarely incorporated into interfirm research. The authors illustrate that the alliances have a significant downstream influence on operations at the retail level.

This longitudinal research has the potential to reduce common method variance and enhance causal inference. The second limitation concerns the simultaneous collection of the predictor and criterion variables. The third limitation is the use of single informants as the primary vehicle for the analysis of the theoretical model when prior research indicates that multiple informants offer enhanced reliability and validity.

The findings contribute to the management theory of business entrepreneurship and strategic alliances and research on supply chains.

This study underscores the need to examine alliances via time series. Research that attempts to generalise from data collected at a single point in time is unlikely to be able to capture the dynamics associated with the development of a joint venture and offers limited opportunity to make inferences about the causal order of relationships. The model based on longitudinal data reveals that the stage of an alliance influences the level of vertical control and ambiguity and the effect of control on role ambiguity.

The paper seeks to propose a framework for examining the dynamics of learning in the various stages of alliance development.

The three kinds of learning in alliances are described – namely, content, partner‐specific, and alliance management – and the saliences and implications of particular types of learning in different alliance stages are discussed.

The framework makes clear that alliance learning varies according to the stages of the alliance developmental process (formation, operation, outcome), and that different types of learning have different strategic implications.

Briefly, content learning augments the collective strengths of the alliance, partner‐specific learning (i.e. learning about a partner as opposed to learning from a partner) is crucial in determining whether or not an alliance gets formed, and alliance management learning helps build the confidence of the alliance partners in managing alliances.

The article responds to the need of managers with alliance responsibilities for a framework to help identify and exploit the most effective types of learning opportunities, vis‐à‐vis partners and the alliance as a whole, during the specific alliance development stages of formation, operation, and outcome.

Alliances between companies are an example of a collaborative strategy adopted in anticipation of highly uncertain markets. Since 1980, the commercial airline industry has been affected by a progressive liberalization worldwide. In this historical context, most airlines reacted with defensive movements in the face of high competition. In the case of airlines in the Spanish market, one of the largest in the world due to the weight of the tourism sector in its economy, airlines responded in various ways to the intensification of competition. Iberia, the main Spanish airline, established different defensive alliance policies. In the 1980s, alliances were mainly collaborative. Since 1998, airline alliances have become coopetitive in nature, as was the case with the creation of One World group (American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Iberia). The partners began to interact in a more horizontal way, maintaining various agreements (code-sharing, handling, schedule coordination, shared sales, fleet maintenance) without renouncing their independence in the face of global competition. Iberia has subsequently modified the composition of its portfolio to move towards a more vertical collaboration with the integration into the IAG Group (Iberia, British Airways, Air Lingus and Vueling). This second phase is a quest to increase market power with deep changes in the nature of its alliances while maintaining coopetitive alliances.

Alliances have been the focus of research studies often because they offer an attractive alternative to traditional arrangements. With a global economy, rapid product cycles, capital constraints and advances in technology, no one firm has all the capability to maintain and grow market share. Factors such as these are leading firms to consider different forms of partnerships including alliances. Contemporary alliance research is often segmented by types of arrangements, durations, returns, failures and best practices. Studies that evaluate and rank specific alliance criteria are somewhat limited. To explore specific alliance risk and value variables a study was conducted at a large manufacturing organization with extensive alliance history. A questionnaire was developed and distributed that contained both ordinal and scale rankings of specific alliance value and risk criteria. The aggregate responses were prioritized and a weight was assigned allowing for quantitative assessment for both alliance value and risk. The information was later converted into an alliance value/risk check sheet to be used to rank multiple projects.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate significant impact of partner similarity on the success of horizontal alliances in logistics service providers (LSPs) from China.

Primary data were collected via questionnaire distribution to 380 Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors in 262 small and medium logistics enterprises in China. There are 316 valid questionnaires for further analysis with 83 percent accuracy in response rate. Structural equation modeling was used to test the impact of partner similarity on alliance management capability, stability and performance.

Partner similarity and logistics alliance management capability (LAMC) are positively correlated to alliance stability and performance in horizontal alliances among Chinese LSPs, especially competence similarity and cultural similarity. Moreover, alliance stability mediates the impact of partner similarity and LAMC on alliance performance.

The basic limitation of this research is to collect data just from small and medium logistics enterprises that operate in China with sample size (n=316). This research could further be extended to other regions in China or other countries.

This research verifies the positive relationship between partner fit and management capability. Besides, based on research findings, the research proposes guidelines for LSPs pursuing horizontal alliances

This research proposes an experimental model for Chinese LSPs to cooperate successfully and build horizontal alliances in order to increase their effective customer response capability.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive view of the role of previous cooperative relationships between partners at the different stages of development of strategic alliances: formation, design and post-formation, as well as their effect on alliance performance.

This paper is a comprehensive review of the literature.

This paper shows that the relationship between prior ties and alliance outcomes is more complex than what it seems at first sight. The impact that prior ties have on alliance performance and organizational adaptation is not always positive.

The main implication of this paper for researchers and managers is to show the need to consider the risks of repeated relationships between partners. This research could be developed by conducting a meta-analysis.

This paper provides a comprehensive view of the impact of prior ties between the partners in strategic alliance outcomes. This paper sheds light on some inconclusive results of previous research on this topic.

The purpose of this paper is to argue that the productive analyses of logistics alliances in the literature have led to a multitude of heterogeneous contributions. These should be consolidated and systematized in order to synthesize the existing findings in a meaningful way and guide future research for effective design and management; and improve logistics alliance performance in practice.

The authors use a systematic literature review to screen and consolidate current knowledge on effective design and management of logistics alliances.

This paper categorizes the logistics literature on vertical and horizontal alliances into four key areas in order to systematically consolidate key performance factors, their sub-constructs and performance effects to identify implications for both research and practice.

Within the research agenda, the authors develop concrete research opportunities in four areas: horizontal logistics alliances; vertical logistics alliances; transfer of new research streams into the context of logistics alliances; and the incorporation of impediments and negative effects.

By consolidating existing research results, the authors provide guidance for managers looking to establish or adapt logistics alliance structures and management systems.

The consolidation of key performance impact factors on logistics alliances (both vertical and horizontal) provides a platform for further research. The developed agenda offers specific research opportunities to improve the understanding of logistics alliance performance.