Alliances between companies have become a crucial weapon in the battle for competitive advantage. Managed wisely, a strategic alliance can help companies develop and exploit their unique strengths. For example, a large company can break down the marketing barriers that face a small company, which in turn brings entrepreneurial creativity to the partnership. An alliance can also be a powerful tool for accessing new technology and developing domestic or international business opportunities.Yet many companies mismanage their alliances, leading to wasted money, time, and effort, sometimes with disastrous results. In Intelligent Business Alliances, consultant Larraine Segil shows how to establish and manage winning alliances, starting with the crucial process of picking the right partner and creating realistic expectations on both sides. Segil then explains how to analyze the corporate and individual personality types involved in an alliance, using her unique Mindshift approach, which can help managers forecast and avoid problems due to miscommunication or mismatched value systems.Based on the author's years of experience as an entrepreneur, attorney, and international consultant specializing in alliance strategies, Intelligent Business Alliances covers every important type of alliance, including partnerships, joint ventures, distribution deals, and equity investments. It offers practical advice on every stage of the alliance process, from exploratory talks through negotiating the deal and day-to-day management of the alliance. Read Less