International Purchasing Alliances: An Empirical Study

In this exploration of formal international purchasing alliances, a broad overview of why firms become involved in international purchasing alliances is developed. Then, using a data base developed based on formalized international alliance activity reported in The Wall Street Journal , characteristics of international alliances are explored. The research also uses exploratory case studies to corroborate and develop a deeper understanding of international purchasing alliances. Implications of international alliance involvement for the purchasing function are also discussed.