ABSTRACT
This chapter presents several case studies which identify some themes and challenges which appear common to many alliances. The challenge is to establish whether the relationship under consideration is in fact a strategic alliance relationship at all. In very many situations organisations apply the titles strategic or alliance apparently at random. The first case study discusses two companies: British Telecom and Cisco. This study provides a powerful lesson: readers need to categorise their alliance relationships carefully to ensure that they apply the right resource to the right situation. Another case study discusses IBM and Intentia. In 2001 IBM and Intentia announced a strategic alliance. The partnership would deliver an integrated hardware/software offering built around Intentia's business tools. Analysts like Computer Reseller News suggested that the move represented IBM's latest efforts to develop integrated server offerings targeted at small and medium-sized businesses. The relationship had a paradoxical conclusion, because in June 2005 Lawson Software announced its intention to buy Intentia.
