Key Factors for Sustainability of Inter-organizational Alliances: A Case for Cooperation Strategies

Abstract

The denomination of the relations of cooperation between companies as Strategic Alliances is the result of more than 20 years of research on this subject. However in XXI century appear new forms in response and adaptation to a turbulent environment. Therefore, the paper presented deals with the study of alliances from an inter-organizational relationships perspective, organizational networks and Resource-based Theory. The main objective is to deepening in the alliance management process from the beginning: motivation for an cooperative strategy and after governance mechanisms, attitudes and interests of the parties or actors involved and finally the performance expected by the partners. This study was based in the hotel business in a caribbean tourist destination, combining the qualitative methodology of case study with a questionnaire method applied to 31 experts; partners and managers of local and foreign companies that have established alliance portfolios in the period 1990-2008.International alliances; cooperative strategies; networks; hotel business; Joint Ventures; Cuba; success factors