ABSTRACT
The Decision Phase describes the process for taking the decisions that have to be made to establish the foundations for collaborative working for two or more organizations, i.e. establishing a partnering relationship and determining how it will be run. The aims of entering into a collaborative relationship including the value proposition will need to be broader than those for a transactional relationship because they will evolve and change over time. Having researched the opportunity and concluded that maximum returns can be achieved by collaborating with others and accepted that investment in a dedicated management system will be necessary, the next step is to explore the availability of suitable partners. The Relationship Managers attended a UK Institute of Grocery Distributers collaboration workshop about reducing running costs and carbon footprint by better utilization of delivery vehicles. Developing close relationships with other organizations is going to be an exploratory process while familiarity and trust build up.
