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1 |
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Jody Gabourie |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-04 |
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The simplest definition of a strategic alliance is: the joining of forces and resources, for a specified or indefinite period, to achieve a common bjective. Partners can share resources such as products, distribution channels, services, customer lists, knowledge and expertise. In terms of marketing, strategic alliances offer several advantages: - expand their email/customer email lists - provide more and different products and services to their clients - split expenses (if any) - low-cost way to expand the reach, awareness and credibility of your company - increase your professional contacts, knowledge and experience To make sure the strategic partnership works to everyone's benefit, below are some questions to consider as you go through the different stages of setting up and operating a strategic alliance. 1. Develop/Outline Strategy * Feasibility: - Are there companies out there that would be a good fit? - Is your company in a position to be able to offer something to a partner? * Objectives: - What outcomes do you want to achieve with the alliance? - How does a strategic alliance move you closer to your company and marketing goals? * Issues: - Are there any potential problems with partnering, in general, or with a specific company? - Does your company have the resources to successfully create and carry out an alliance? 2. Partner assessment * Reputation: - How great is your potential partner's reputation? - Do they have credibility, offer value, have good client relations and customer support, and so on? * Business Model: - Does the prospective partner have compatible business goals, philosophies, ethics and values with your company? - Do they have similar goals and objectives of the strategic alliance? * Customer Base: - Would their customer base be interested in your product or service, and vice-versa? - Do each of your customer/prospect lists enhance and build on each other? * Resources: - Are there any resource capability gaps that need to be addressed? - Are they in a position to successfully run a strategic alliance with you? * Price Point: - Are your prices compatible with each other? - How will the prices set by the alliance be viewed by each company's respective customers - positively? 3. Contract negotiations - Are each partner's contributions, commitments and rewards clearly outlined? - Is any proprietary information protected? - Are the termination clauses and penalties for poor performance stated and agreed upon? 4. Operations - How are you measuring and rewarding the alliance performance of each partner? - How are you evaluating the effectiveness of the alliance and the meeting of each partner's stated objectives? - How are you allocating and tracking resources devoted to the alliance? - What mechanisms are in place for adjusting priorities, resources, direction as required? Strategic partnerships can move your company up to the next level of profitability and success, or waste your time, money and resources. By being as thorough as possible, you can work to ensure that your company reaps all the numerous rewards afforded by strategic alliances.
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2 |
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Drew Stevens |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-04 |
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Everything in life is a compromise; everything in life is a negotiation. We all seem stifled by the word and implications that surround negotiating. Yet what most of us do not realize is that we have been negotiating since we were born. From the time we wanted a bottle or refused napping our education in negotiation began. In fact, research for this article illustrates that 43% of the American workforce changed jobs since 2006. And, the divorce rate in the United States hovers at over 53%. However, we become increasingly befuddled by negotiation. We hold strong beliefs that negotiation is meant to be a battle. We begin negotiations on the defensive and seek to end them in a similar manner. The most vital idea to comprehend about negotiation is its definition. Negotiation is nothing more than an exchange of ideas and values between two or more parties with different interests. Conceptually negotiation is a communication and critical thinking exercise inducing creative problem solving. This article seeks to address ways in which you can negotiate and still move away with your credibility and friendships in tact. The best concept for understanding negotiation is to indicate what it isn’t. We first need to debunk the myths. Myth: Negotiation is about winning and losing. The myth of win-lose is ancient. Validation of winning is not bequeathing more concessions than the other party. One simply needs to be concerned with the amount of take. This denotes loss. Myth: Negotiation is about power All people in a negotiation have power. If two sides are negotiating each as an equal amount of power, one desires something from the other. Yet negotiation is not so much about power, it is about honesty or lack thereof. Power stems from the side that enables it. Donald Trump by nature believes he has power due to wealth and notoriety, yet if he desires something from someone else the power shifts. The larger concern is not relinquishing power to the opposing side. Myth: Negotiation is about chicanery In reality, negotiation is about resolving an issue where both sides obtain equal value by amicably and honestly agreeing to terms. However, negotiation is similar to chess, strategies are used and sometimes held so that each party gains more than they requested. Rather than lie, most negotiators are honest, they simply do not fully disclose information. Myth: All negotiations are about prices and are sales related Nothing is further from the truth. Negotiations stem from all walks of life: from dating, to deciding upon a movie to noise decibels. Negotiating establishes boundaries and how far each side allows another within them. Perhaps the most understood principle of negotiation is a requirement to plan. Most often, negotiations fail due to improper procedures, paperwork or misread issues. Planning is the first and vital step in every negotiation. Each party should strategize to define the motives of each side, goals that might be addressed, time frames and players. Research affirms that in 73% of most negotiators are unprepared. This step is vital to assist in moving forward. Good planning and comprehension help to avoid miscues and maintain proper and efficient conversation. Exemplars of good negotiation techniques are barely surprised by new information. Negotiations are mixed motive situations. Each side arrives with a variety of goals and objectives- even timeframes. What appears urgent to one; is apathetic to another. It is imperative that issues be immediately addressed. Most importantly, the issues must be documented so all parties agree without a misunderstanding. A foppish issue should not resurface at a latter time. The more detailed the documentation the easier it becomes to facilitate conversation. Once agreed to, timetables should be established so as not to languish on any one issue. Negotiation is information and relationship dependent. Information is crucial to negotiation. The data need be specific; it is easier to comprehend and complete issues. Typically a tactical ploy to assist concessions, most data is not displayed. Negotiators should then decifer the most imperative issues first do that all needed data is disclosed making for effective conversations. Coincidentally, conversations are more placid when parties are familiar with each other. Particular interest is implicitly displayed since familiarity with both parties shares a common interest- “saving face”. Dignity is a traditional process. Whether in business or amongst friends, all desire to maintain honor, especially with familiarity of the parties. As the cliché states familiarity breeds content; the more familiarity with someone the easier the negotiation! Egos and Communication. Another crucial component for negotiation success is to check you baggage and your ego at the door. Good negotiators know they are purposeful and do not advertise their success. A negotiation is concerned with mutual agreement not wins and losses. Keeping egos in check helps alliances and other desired relationships. Additionally, all negotiators need reminders for ears and eyes and not mouth. Too often negotiators tend to spoil alliances by speaking too much. Peter Drucker once stated, “Communication is often about what is not stated”. Listening enables all to understand issues, allow for issues that might go unstated and strategically enable the “opponent” to move first. The alliance builders understand the vitality of listening, it is a practiced art form. Compromise, Commitment and Conclusion. Negotiation would not exist if not for the power and the reciprocity of compromise. Concessions enable negotiators to agree on small things to assist in declaring small victories. Accommodations negate foolish issues and streamline discussion. Once decided, agree to commitment and document so as not to rehash. Trivial details take time away from other important issues. It is more important to move forward then review unnecessary data. Once the issue is complete, move forward or conclude, it allows less time for pondering decisions. To allay any fears of negotiating, it is best to align this business tactic with athletics, it is a learned format not born. Admittedly, there exist individuals that love to converse and banter yet negotiation is not an easy skill. It takes patience, persistence and proper listening to understand the issues. Negotiation is a part of everything we do in life, almost every day. It is a skill that combines crucial critical thinking, reciprocity, and professional communication. It is not easy to win friends and influence decisions in negotiation, yet if we understand motives, create a thorough plan and expect the unexpected, each negotiation we have becomes easier and more effective. Negotiation increases our perception, our patience and our resolve to maintain business relationships. Copyright (c) 2007 Drew Stevens PhD
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Donald Mitchell |
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Business/Management |
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2008-03-11 |
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Chances are that perfect allies for you are also out there looking for allies and have not considered you. The main reason that your two organizations are not currently allies is that you have no current business relationship.
How can you make contact with potential allies?
Increasingly, individuals and organizations are springing up who specialize in helping you find allies. A CFO joined an organization of other CFOs who were not competitors of his company. At a meeting for prospective members, another CFO (who was not yet a member of the CFO organization) for a small customer worked with the first CFO on a planning exercise for adapting to irresistible forces.
As a result of this experience, the customer CFO suggested that both CFOs could do better if they met and worked together on joint projects in the future. Within months, sales to the customer company increased substantially, based on the projects initiated by the two CFOs. From this experience, the first CFO's company developed a policy of having each senior executive work regularly with her or his counterparts in customer and supplier companies to establish closer and more effective relationships.
Cross-industry groups of all kinds can provide similar kinds of exposures and experiences. Experts who often come into contact with people from other enterprises and cultures can also play this role for you, by helping you consider who would be the best allies.
Unfortunately, many companies construe this advice as encouraging them to work primarily with their investment bankers for this purpose. That approach can bear fruit, but investment bankers are often more highly compensated for developing acquisitions than for crafting informal business alliances. They may follow their pocketbooks as a result.
Keep in mind, too, that having helped someone when it was not expected will often generate a life-long friend. Young people are often surprised to learn that they will bump into the same people again and again for the rest of their lives. After all, it's a big world and it's natural to assume that you will only be meeting new people. Having been surprised by that observation, they fail to realize that their interactions with these same people will have a large bearing on their future success.
A public speaker some years ago made a promise to himself that he would be sure that everyone who heard him speak would enjoy a better life as a result. One way he did this was to teach each person in the audience how to set personal and career objectives, and to offer to discuss these objectives with anyone who cared to follow up at any time in the future.
Every time the speaker met someone who had once attended one of these talks, the hearer would begin by telling the speaker what a big difference the objective-setting training had provided. The rest of the meeting then would tend to focus on how the grateful hearer could now help the speaker.
Over time, dozens of the most successful people in the speaker's field came to credit part of their success to the speaker, and the speaker added allies faster than he had the opportunity to call upon them for assistance.
You can do the same. Magnified and reflected good will toward you fills a reservoir of untapped desire by successful, effective allies to help you.
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4 |
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Christian Fea |
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Business/Business |
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2008-03-28 |
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An alliance is really just a business-to-business collaboration. Some people use the term business networking when referring to alliances. Alliances are formed for many reasons. When you are a small business owner, it's important to understand that there is a strength that can be utilized by strategic alliances, which may be overlooked in light of developing new business and developing additional revenue streams.
Small business alliances produce great rewards
Alliances between small businesses can offer additional benefits besides an increase in business. For instance, there are alliances of small business owners who proactively approach office supply corporations, internet service providers, health care providers and others on behalf of their membership base in order to secure better rates, additional services, and other benefits as the result of the alliance they've formed. There's strength in numbers when you're a small business owner, and if there are some products or services that you're looking for to enhance your business, chances are other small business owners are looking for similar products or services too. Why not form a strategic alliance and approach the product or service provider as a group to show that there is a need? There is a market and that you are aligned in hopes of doing business with large companies who are willing to work with you.
Capitalize upon merged resources
Additionally, small businesses can combine more limited resources in order to appear in more high traffic advertising areas than what each business could afford to do on its own. For instance, one small business networking group decided to participate in a local high traffic tradeshow, on behalf of the businesses that chose to be involved. Using the banner of their combined membership, the group divided and conquered the tradeshow fees and staffing for the event, with each participating company taking a time slot and promoting his or her business, as well as the alliance that they had formed. Not only did the participating members increase visibility and gain new business, the networking group added new members that were unaware of their activities, and thereby increased the strength of the alliance by providing a larger member base to include in negotiations.
Synergetic referrals
Another business group of marketing professionals found strength in forming a strategic alliance amongst themselves in order to offer a more comprehensive service package to large clients than any of the independent businesses was able to offer on their own. While they had to deal with some service crossover, it was determined that the size of the potential contracts outweighed what any one business would give up in revenue if crossover in services did occur. To handle the situation, it was written in the alliance contract that the company who brought the business to the table would have the last say in who would work on each contract and what the final compensation would be in the event of a crossover situation. The business owners were like-minded in that they all agreed to act in the best interest of the alliance's clients first in order to provide a service level above and beyond the large marketing communications firms with which they were competing. By operating as a virtual team of experts, this alliance was able to increase business for all of the participants; they understood the strength in approaching large clients with a more comprehensive offering than any of them could offer independently. It paid off in the end.
Leverage the strengths of a strategic alliance on behalf of your business and tap into clients and resources you may not have thought previously available.
Copyright (c) 2008 Christian Fea
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5 |
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Christian Fea |
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Business/strategic planning |
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2007-12-13 |
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One is the loneliest number in the world – and the statement holds true especially when it comes to business. Considering the vast nooks and crannies where your target audience hides, it is difficult for one company, one marketing strategy, one budget, and one outreach effort to capitalize upon the full spectrum of your potential clients.
Bottom-line benefits with strategic alliances
With the power of strong strategic alliances, your business can significantly increase its revenues, while simultaneously declining your costs. Strategic alliances’ effectiveness stems from the value of collective resources; for example, two companies share the cost of a research study – both obtain the same benefit, but at half the original cost.
The greatest advantage to a strategic alliance, however, is the exponentially increased number of clients you can reach – take your business to the second power, and now imagine how much revenue your business can generate with the third power, fourth power, and beyond.
With a properly created strategic alliance, you can expect to gain:
• Instant exposure to a greater target audience and client base
• Double your sales force for your products virtually overnight
• Reduce your marketing expense, with an increase in client reach
• Increase your virtual inventory and product offerings
• Boost the levels of your sales volume, revenues, and profit
• Augment the levels of knowledge and expertise with information exchange
Successfully managing a strategic alliance
The benefits to developing a strategic alliance run deep, but like any aspect of business, it requires planning and management. An improperly executed strategic partnership will be doomed to fail from the beginning. Like any relationship, a strategic partnerships needs management, communication, and trust.
There are several aspects to keep in mind when you are forging a strategic alliance partnership with another organization:
• Your strategic alliance should be formed with a complimentary company – not a competitor, but a business with positive synergies. For example, if you sell pet products, a great strategic alliance would be with a provider of pet health insurance.
• The alliance must be managed effectively from the beginning, meaning expectations, boundaries, and definitions are outlined clearly. If there are any gray areas in the strategic alliance, both parties will walk away unhappy. In a strategic alliance, it is impossible to be too clear about expectations.
• Communication lines must be constantly open and clear. A strategic alliance is more than an additional marketing force – instead, it is a conglomeration of resources and knowledge; when used effectively, a strategic alliance raises the bar for both businesses. In addition, open communication ensures that the strategic alliance is operating in its healthiest capacity.
• A strong level of trust must be fostered with both formal and informal contracts. A strategic alliance is like any other relationship – to succeed, trust must be developed. The easiest way to build trust in a nascent business relationship is to create definitive contracts and terms.
Strategic alliances can be an important tool in your company’s marketing toolbox. Without having to exert additional marketing budgets, you can essentially double your company’s exposure, resulting in higher revenues and profits. With proper management, a strategic alliance can often become a company’s catalyst for reaching the next level of business success.
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6 |
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Steve Hanson |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-05 |
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Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store It doesn't matter if you just started your cleaning business or if you have been in business for several years, you will always be looking for new clients. The traditional ways of advertising - newspapers, radio, TV, and direct mail - can be expensive, time-consuming, and ineffective. As a small business owner it can be tough to do all the marketing yourself. A great way to market your cleaning business is to get other people talking about it! How can you do that? Develop strategic alliances with other businesses in your area. What is a strategic alliance? It is a way to gain competitive advantage by partnering up with other businesses. It is an alliance with another business that can bring about mutual benefits to both parties. Look for a business that is not in direct competition with you, but provides similar products or services and is looking at the same target market. A strategic alliance can be a formal or informal agreement. The important thing to remember is to make sure that both parties know what they are expected to do and what they will get out of the alliance. As a small cleaning business, it's not possible for you to provide every service that a company will need. By teaming up with other businesses you can provide your clients with sources to fulfill all of their needs. And, you should gain new clients as your partners refer work to you that they cannot do themselves. As a cleaning business what types of companies should you approach about developing a strategic alliance? * Residential Cleaning Business - If you offer commercial cleaning services, a residential cleaning company can make a great strategic alliance - and vice-versa. * Landscape Maintenance Companies. Whether you clean residential homes or commercial facilities, landscape maintenance companies have the same target market. * Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning Companies clean both commercial and residential and would make a great strategic alliance for any cleaning company. * Fire Restoration Services. * Duct Cleaning Companies. * Carpet Cleaning Companies. If you don't offer carpet cleaning services, you can refer your customers to your carpet cleaning partner and they can refer you to their customers. * Hard Floor Care Companies. * Janitorial Supply Companies. If you don't supply your customers with janitorial supplies, you could refer them to your supplier and they might put in a good word for you when they become aware of a business looking for a cleaning company. When thinking about whom can be an alliance for your business, look for situations that will be a win/win for both parties. If you are cultivating a relationship with a large corporation, develop connections with several people in the company. In large companies there can be a great deal of turnover and you could easily lose your contact person. Developing strategic alliances is a smart way to help grow your cleaning business. Forming an alliance with other businesses will help you get more referrals and will benefit your customers by having a source they can turn to when they need services that your cleaning company does not provide. Expand your business opportunities, increase your client base and grow your profits by teaming up with other businesses!
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7 |
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Andrew Nester |
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Business/Business |
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2008-03-30 |
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The last decade has been a decade of change in how companies manage their resources, obtain funding, and do business. This change has been fueled by: the Internet, innovation, competition, available human resources, market conditions and the capital required to build a business. Strategic alliances have become the vehicle of choice for supporting this change. Today's businesses are wholeheartedly embracing strategic alliances. Indeed, 80% of businesses surveyed viewed alliances as a means to: - Rapidly gain new strategic capabilities and advantages in the marketplace. - Reduce the investment cash and ongoing operating expenses normally required to increase revenue and profits - Create less dilution and debt, thus more owner value. Larger corporations are adding alliance specialists to their staff as a key organizational function. An Internet business grows it's revenue faster when joint ventures are formed. These two trends give credibility to the strategic alliance as a superior business strategy. What is a Strategic Alliance? An alliance is a relationship between two or more firms, or individuals, involving the sharing of complementary disciplines, technology, products, services, organizational structures, marketing and/or financial resources. Types of Alliances There are five fundamental types of alliances: - Funding - Joint Venture - Merger/Acquisition - Product/Services - Cooperative Each type of alliance is usually subdivided into several special categories to fit specific business needs. Each strategic alliance uses varying types of agreements, from hand shakes and letters right up to tightly-defined legal documents. The needs of the parties involved, the depth of the involvement and the duration of the alliance all play a role in the type of agreement needed. Every alliance has its own unique blend of economic, strategic and cultural circumstances. Each relationship is unique and should be executed according to its own set of guidelines and the core values of the alliance partner. In order to determine what type of alliance is needed to support your business' goals you must first assess your business' strengths and weaknesses, your competitive position, emerging opportunities and the resources needed to achieve your goals. Alliance Ownership The ownership in the alliance can take many forms depending on the type, contribution, tax and legal ramifications and the goals of the alliance partners. Alliance Strategy After you have defined the type of strategic business alliance needed a strategy and business plan can be put into place. The strategy and business plan should define the following: - Alliance needs - Core competency - Alliance goals and objectives - Criteria for success - Partners' roles and relationships - Characteristics of good and bad partners - Potential candidates - Operational details Deal structure with exit plan. With your business plan and an alliance strategy plan in place a proactive search for an alliance partner can be implemented. By establishing your own business alliance strategy then working with potential partners to jointly develop the alliance operating plan you lay the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship. Qualifying Potential Alliance Partners Once potential alliance partners have been identified, the next step is to qualify them for: - Complimentary strengths and available resources - Cultural and values compatibility - Organizational planning - Management structure and commitment to plans - Flexibility and willingness to truly establish a win/win situation. Reasons Alliances Fail Alliances fail because of: - Cultural incompatibility (largest reason) - Inflexibility in adapting to changing needs - Not understanding the time commitment required to establish and maintain an alliance - Lack of a written plan - Poor day to day management of the relationship. Reasons Alliances Succeed Alliances succeed because of: - Good planning (begin with the end in mind) - Proactivity An early start (it takes longer than you think) - Relationship building - Synergistic thinking - An early "win-win" or "no deal" decision - Proper staffing - Timing and follow through (these are key). The end result of any alliance should be that "the sum has greater value to all participants than the parts." For a Free copy "How to Identify, Form and Capitalize on Strategic Alliances" guide visit alliances-report.html>http://www.bizstrategies.biz/reports/strategic-alliances-report.html Andrew Nester is a Business Management Consultant providing Business Development Strategies and support to companies of all sizes. Visit our web site at http://www.bizstrategies.biz for additional information on Biz Strategies and Andrew's Bio.
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Christian Fea |
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Business/Business |
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2008-04-23 |
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Strategic alliances have become a major factor in today's business models. Strategic alliances can enable the business owner to offer more services to their most valued clients ' and for many businesses, strategic alliances are the most profitable avenue of revenues.
Strengths of Strategic Alliances
According to recent research, 80% of surveyed CEOs found strategic alliances beneficial for several purposes:
-Quickly enter into the marketplace
-Promptly obtain technology advancements without research costs
-Minimize the budgetary costs typically associated with growth investments
To ascertain what type of strategic alliance is right for you, it is important that you assess your business thoroughly. Are you looking to penetrate a greater volume of the market share? Are you looking to reach a potential partner's customer base? Would you like to launch a new product line? Understanding your specific goals ' as well as your market position, strengths, weaknesses, and available resources ' will help you craft an appropriate strategic alliance.
However, the main reason why strategic alliances fail is because at least one of the partners is not happy with the results. Why does this occur? In most cases, the strategic alliance fails because a solid plan was not created at the outset of the endeavor.
Know Your Business ' and Your Partner's
All strategic planning deals with three key questions:
-What do we do? It may sound simple, but to effectively join efforts with a strategic partner, you must have a good concept of what your business offers. Without a clear defined understanding of every aspect of your goods and/or services, it is nearly impossible to target a valuable strategic partner.
-Who do we serve? Every business has a target customer or client. That doesn't necessarily mean that your business will solely market to that target profile, but it gives you a deep understanding for who is using your products. This allows you to key in on the specifics when choosing an alliance partner.
-Who is our competition? In order to stay at least one step ahead, it is important to keep informed as to who your competitors are and what they are doing. By placing your head in the sand like an ostrich on this issue only gives your competitors an edge on rising above your business. In order to compete in any business, you must not only "Keep up with the Jones," but you must beat them. A huge benefit to creating a strategic alliance partner is that often a business can avoid competition by aligning with proper partners.
Develop Your Plan
Alliances succeed with good planning. Whether you are looking to join email marketing campaigns, or perhaps a new product launch, a strategic alliance must have a clearly developed plan. Within your plan, you must clearly define several elements:
-Goals of the strategic alliance
-Specific marketing plans
-Analysis of cost sharing
-Defining the success of the relationship
-Encouragement of formal communication
-Marketing plan management details
Once a business and strategic alliance plan are in place, a proactive search for alliance partners can then be implemented. In order to create a solid strategic alliance, the first step is creating an in-depth strategic plan.
Copyright (c) 2008 Christian Fea
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Jeff Stats |
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Reference Education/Reference Education |
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2007-04-05 |
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Corning is a company with a multi million profits and a century long history. James Houghton is a current CEO of the company that is facing a few dilemmas and they have to be resolved as soon as possible in order for the company’s further successful development. The core of the company’s operations and main course of business was edge-cutting technology, however at this time their technology is not a market leader and they have to decide what to do with their three major branches. They need to remodel or cut off one or two of them so that they can carry on gaining leading positions in the business world and produce excellent product. Lab sciences division is one of the three vital arteries in the body of the Corning company. Currently this branch is not being he most success, although in the course of past seven years, according to the financial statement, it has been the most profitable of the three and future forecast predicts further growth. The problem arises though, Ciba-Geigy a Swedish company who owns 50% of the Ciba Corning corporation is a partner who needs to be taken into consideration. They could buy Corning’s share for 150$ million and Corning would be free to do whatever they want. Ciba is a very well developed company with reputation and mutual business. On the other hand the competitors are spending huge amounts of money on the R&D, three times as much as Corning. It’s inefficient for real breakthrough and simply dangerous considering the possibility of losses if the competitors win over their market share which can happen if they do not increase R&D funding. Corning would be probably better off in case of terminating mutual business with Ciba-Geigy and turning to expanding fields such as professional testing for AIDS or chemical addiction. Combining forces with three other companies each of which is a professional in a specific field (pharmaceutical, clinical and environmental testing) Corning would be able to gain leading positions again. Spending almost 500$million on the investment into the purchase of such promising companies and getting back about 150$ million from selling of Ciba would be an optimal decision. This choice is a very risky one, although if money starts working immediately on the new products of the three new entities, it would most probably bring more profit than Ciba with its low return. Considering the history of the company and its quality orientation, a new redirection of funds into a more perspective business would be a better idea than sticking with a more or less safe but slowly dying company. Corning is a company with a big experience in laboratory testing and important connections and partnerships that will help maintain high profit levels. Another business sector Corning is involved in is communications sector. In 1980s when this field was only developing and Corning had a lot of patents on fiber and fiber and fiber-making products, it was receiving high profits. In a few years market for fibers grew immensely and Corning as a leading producer in the field gathered big dividends. The problem in the present time is that the customer needs a new approach with the fiber technology. For instance Corning should be focusing on the local systems rather than on long distance links which was already saturated enough in the US market. Besides it was a right decision to start introducing new sophisticated terminal peripherals to large communication companies and computer corporations. This is a way of the moving progress and together with these new technologies in computer sphere and local systems. Taking into consideration the amount of money that Corning is going to spend on the development of its laboratory testing division, it should hold back from big purchases and new joint ventures. The possible PCO’s partnership with IBM seems like a good project with a lot of potential but it should not be considered at the moment. PCO is able to develop on its own and thus it is on a safer side for the company to just continue doing what it was and stick to the 10$ million profit a year, even incurring operating loses. The proposal with 100$ million investment into expending the U.S. capacity and making tough new fibers for the service homes is a prospectively successful and profitable venture. Distributing those 100$ million in three years is a smart decision and with growing market for such technologies it would bring profit without a doubt. The core strategy of the company coincides with such decision as Corning has been in this business for a long time besides it is only going to strengthen their evolving network organization. Interrelated businesses will only win from this situation and gain a supportive partner in the face of PCO, such businesses as their testing laboratories in need of local operations based on fiber produced by the same company. The third division of Corning’s business is television glass. In 1988 company had to close three big factories manufacturing television glass, the reason for it being an increasing expansion of Asian and especially Japanese competitors. Their production was of higher quality and definitely with newer high-tech features. Moreover one of the Japanese companies bought considerable shareholding in one of Corning’s companies Owens Illinois. In this difficult situation of severe competition and forced reduction of business units, Corning has to make a decision as to further activities in this field. Suggestion to cooperate with Asahi and to sell 49% of its glass business would be a helping hand for a drowning company. Asahi as a Japanese entity and a former business partner for a long period of time, which guarantees a secure environment, would be perfect candidate for the creation of a new fruitful alliance. It would provide an ensured cooperation with other Japanese companies and help survive on the American market. On the other side Corning will acquire resources for the development of liquid crystal displays which are major products of the future. Timing of this venture is suitable for both companies, as the foreign wants a helper to promote itself on an unknown market and Corning wants a technologically update partner. In case of purchase of Corning by Asahi, the company would place itself in a new position in a strategic sense. Clearly in this situation Asahi would be the one with most control, because of their connections with Japanese TV manufactures and cutting edge technology. Thus Corning is left a role of the marketer and public relations specialist. On the other side there is a wonderful possibility to spend time and money for R&D to design an innovative model of liquid crystal displays, the goal that was set when creating a mutual business with Asahi. As was already said, Corning in this partnership will not be the one in leading position, but rather in learning and in case of successful technology development it will be a profitable one. In such egalitarian corporation as Corning it is important to keep in mind that although all ‘children’ companies are independently run, there needs to be a firm controlling hand. Big money is involved in all three of possible ventures described above and by taking risk with any of them, company can lose a lot. On the other side by taking these steps or not taking them as in IBM case, they can realize huge profits and bigger market share due to increased quality ( alliance of three professional laboratories) and technological innovations (in Japanese partnership). According to their corporate strategy that follows from their strategy wheel, Corning aims at keeping businesses in four different areas. Specialty materials such as video displays, LCD, memory storage; communications- optical fibers and fiber optic cables; laboratory products and testing; consumer house ware-cookware, tableware, sunglasses are those areas. Regarding the companies current situation keeping all four of them and maintaining a 25% share of the whole company business is not a strategically secure decision. House ware division needs to be at least reduced to 15%-10% in order to lessen spending on the part which is not company’s unique competency. Efforts should be focused on the other three segments to return invested money and to make profit. Narrowing down production and operations would only save company money, human resources and help maintain focus on the ultimate goal of surviving. Jeff Stats is an expert at Mindrelief.net. Our custom essay writing service is a great chance for you to present an essay of the highest standard to your professor. The assistance of our writers is a priceless input in your professional development. Order college essay or research paper from our writing service.
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10 |
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Adrian Carol Ott |
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Business/Marketing |
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2007-12-13 |
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By forming strategic alliances, large pharmaceutical firms gain visibility to new drug concepts. New technology and customer solutions are jointly developed and delivered in high-technology. Businesses of all types reach new market penetration.
In the alliance between Yahoo and EBay, EBay owns PayPal and Skype and now is extending its reach to the huge Yahoo user community. Yahoo benefits from Ebay as an advertising client and together they deliver a strategic strike against Google in the Internet advertising space.
Yet, when you ask business professionals "What are strategic alliances?" They say:
- Two companies working together, it is kind of fuzzy.
- Those employees over there, we don't know what they really do and what value they provide
When conducting research studies with Ann E. Trampas, Adjunct Professor of Marketing at the Keller Graduate School of Business and Chairman of the President's Council-The Association of Strategic Alliances Professionals, I discovered that many companies treat alliances as a narrow sales, marketing or R&D function. The value of strategic alliances is continually described through the services it delivers for that particular function. Too often, alliances are pushed in the direction of "What sale has this partner delivered for us lately." This will not deliver significant innovation for your business and will not create the value and growth you would expect. Hare Are My Top 4 Factors That Signal You Are Not Getting the Most Out of Your Strategic Alliance's Organization: 1. Organization: Where do alliances reside in your corporate structure? If alliances reside entirely within a functional area such as sales, it is siloed. It only supports objectives for that part of the organization. 2. Mindset: How do executives and alliance managers view alliances? If executives view alliances as strategic rather than tactical, they will invest in it. If they do not, alliance budgets will be cut the moment belt–tightening occurs. If alliance executives only have experience in a single functional area, they typically will shape the organization from that perspective. Remember, people operate in their comfort zone. 3. History of Success: What worked before? If alliances have been successful in building an efficient supply chain, they are thought of as part of procurement. If alliances have been part of an effective distribution channel, they are thought of as part of the organization's sales success. Again, siloed thinking. 4. Compensation Plan: How are alliance successes rewarded? If bonuses are tied to quarterly revenues, results will be short-term tactical opportunistic approaches. Alliance managers will find partners who have the near-term deal even if partnering with another company will bring greater opportunity later. If executive bonuses are not tied to alliance performance, there will not be any executive involvement or support. To keep pace with today's realities, alliance management needs to become a horizontal, broad-based approach as much as it is a vertical "function." It needs to be corporate-wide competency embedded in all employees that collaborate with outside firms. Employees must learn partnering concepts and apply it to their day-to-day business. And executives need to eliminate any siloed thinking. Objective, leading-edge alliance organizations can help you focus on ensuring that alliances and channels are structured correctly from the outset, with the optimal mix of influence and reseller relationships relative to business objectives. Here are 5 more ways alliance organizations can help you... 5 Ways Leading-Edge Alliance Organizations Deliver Significant Innovation, Value Creation and Growth
- They act as an enablement group, similar to M&A to support the rest of the corporation in learning partnering best practices, and as the "go to" experts for structuring relationships.
- They work hand-in-hand with M&A and strategy groups by serving as a vanguard on the latest techniques and strategic opportunities.
- They measure and reward work across functions instead of in a silo
- They manage investments across the partner portfolio
- They manage and negotiate major relationships.
Follow my advice and you will be able to create an effective strategic alliance that enables your organization to gain visibility, create and deliver new products and services, and reach new market penetration.
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11 |
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Shawn Miller |
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Careers/careers |
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2008-02-28 |
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San Jose, CA, February 25, 2008 -- Wealth Masters International announces key additions, adding to its rapidly growing team. Wealth Masters International is an up and coming company in the financial education and lifestyle design industry. The company has tripled in the past five months and is continuing to grow at this rapid rate. Founded by Kip Herriage and Karl Bessey in 2005, Wealth Masters International creates success and wealth in others, one person at a time. The Company provides access to world-class, cutting-edge education and time-tested solutions that allows their members to achieve a secure, prosperous future. "In the midst of economical downturn, were experiencing booming growth. WMI Members recognize that our unique structure brings quality solutions to the market place in the areas of wealth, health and personal growth," said Mike Budny, Director of Member Services. WMI is proud to announce the addition of the Six Figure Mentor Winners Team to the Company as one of it's distributors. This team has an extensive entrepreneurial background and is recognized internationally for his wide-ranging expertise in Internet marketing. The newest addition to the organization is Chris Monet. Chris spent the last 10 years in the Corporate Offices of the largest Personal Lines Insurer in the U.S. He now brings his corporate marketing and real estate investing expertise to Wealth Masters International as a member of the Six Figure Mentor Winners Team. This is an enhancement to the current marketing arm of Carbon Copy Pro, which was aligned with WMI in the summer of 2007. ( http://YourSixFigureWealth.com) Wealth Masters International offers three innovative products centered on their branded program, Six Steps to Freedom; all tailored to design the lifestyle clients want. About Wealth Masters International, Carbon Copy Pro and the Six Figure Mentor Winners Team Wealth Masters International ( WMI) is a Texas based L.L.C. WMI features a combination of world class education, services, and strategies along with proven Independent Consultants that have extensive, successful track records in their respective fields. WMI markets to individual consumers looking for cutting edge, powerful solutions that assist them in every important area of their life. Working through top-ranked alliances, Members have access to financial and estate planning, wealth creation strategies, tax minimization, debt relief, health and wellness, credit planning and restoration, personal empowerment and an income opportunity uniquely structured for professional entrepreneurs. Carbon Copy Pro has been contracted as the marketing arm making WMI their flagship product. During the past 4 years they have expended over $400,000 of market testing, earned millions in revenue and has perfected the most powerful, automated, turn-key, sales and marketing system on the internet. Carbon Copy Pro Marketing is on track to create over 100 millionaires during the next 5 years. Six Figure Mentor Winners Team is a California based group which features a combination of world class education, enhanced online support services, and strategies supplied by Six Figure Mentor Earning Coaches that have extensive, successful track records in their respective fields. The Six Figure Mentor Winners Team helps online marketers to succeed by following their cutting edge, powerful solutions that assist them in every important area of their online business. Working through top-ranked coaches, members have access to free software resources, successful marketing campaigns, 1 on 1 coaching, live webinar training, video step-by-step tutorials available 24/7, and free telephonic support from SEO experts to ensure success of the online marketers on their team. For More information on the Six Figure Mentor Winners Team and Founder, you may visit or call the following information Contact: Johnny Scofield Six Figure Mentor, SEO Expert and Founder of the Six Figure Mentor Winners Team 805-201-6320 http://YourSixFigureWealth.com
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12 |
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Shane Brooks |
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Business/Marketing |
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2007-06-11 |
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13 |
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Sunita Paul |
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News Society/Current Affairs |
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2008-04-09 |
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Globally in recent years, Communists (leftists), atheists and Islamists are getting close and closer in forming anti West and anti American platform, which is gradually becoming a potential threat to international peace and stability. A number of top scholars in the West, including Daniel Pipes has written on such unique grouping of these elements. Although ideologically they seem to have very different agendas, in many cases, these groups have unified formulas such as anti-Semitic theory and spreading of religious hatred. While Islamists are rather open promoters of anti-Semitic theme, leftists and atheists promote such theory in a very tricky way. Let us first have a glimpse over scenarios is the world. When the US-led coalition had its operations in Iraq in March 2003 to oust authoritarian Saddam Hussein, few would have imagined that the move might lead to the formation of an alliance between the radical Left and hard-line Islamists in Western Europe. But this is precisely what happened. In this month's election for a new European Parliament, voters in several European Union countries, notably France and Britain, are offered common lists of Islamist and leftist candidates, often hidden under bland labels. The Islamist groups, for their part, are learning many tricks from the Left about how to exploit the inevitable weaknesses of an open society. In Britain, the new Marxist-Islamist alliance is the offspring of the so-called anti-war coalition set up four years ago to prevent the liberation of Iraq. The coalition has a steering committee of 33 members. Of these, 18 come from various hard Left groups: communists, Trotskyites, Maoists, and Castroists. Three others belong to the radical wing of the Labor party. There are also eight radical Islamists. The remaining four are leftist ecologists known as Watermelons (Green outside, red inside). The chairman of the coalition is one Andrew Murray, a former employee of the Soviet Novosty Agency and leader of the British Communist Party. Co-chair is Muhammad Asalm Ijaz of the London Council of Mosques. A prominent member is George Galloway, excluded couple of years back from the Labor party, who is under investigation for the illegal receipt of funds from Saddam Hussein. Galloway heads a list of candidates backed by several radical leftist groups, notably The British Socialist Workers Party (SWP), as well as the Muslim Association of Britain, the British branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and a dozen Palestinian groups financed by Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian checkered headgear, worn by the leftists as a cache-col, has become the symbol of this left-Islamist alliance. Marxist-Islamist alliances have also been formed in Belgium and Germany, where the Muslim Brotherhood itself has been taken over by radicals sympathetic to al-Qaida. The European Marxist-Islamist coalition does not offer a coherent political platform. Its ideology is built around three themes: hatred of the United States, the dream of wiping Israel off the map, and the hoped-for collapse of the global economic system. Europe's hard Left sees Muslims as the new under-class in the continent. "Are these not the new slaves?" asks Olivier Besanconneau, leader of the French Trotskyites. "Is it not natural that they should unite with the working class to destroy the capitalist system?" The idea of an alliance with Islamists has even seduced the more traditional French Communist Party (PCF), which commissioned a study of the possibilities of electoral alliances with Muslim organizations. The Islamists, for their part, are attracted to the European hard Left because of its professed hatred of the United States and Israel. "We say to anyone who hates the Americans and wants to throw the Jews out of Palestine: ahlan wa sahlan (welcome)," quipped Abu-Hamza al-Masri, the British Islamist firebrand. "The Prophet teaches that we could ally ourselves even with the atheists if it helps us destroy (the) enemy." The first to advocate a leftist-Islamist alliance against Western democracies was Ayman Al Zawahiri, al-Qaida's number 2. In a message to al-Qaida sympathizers in Britain in August 2002, he urged them to seek allies among "any movement that opposes America, even atheists." The idea received support from Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, the Venezuelan terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal. In his book Revolutionary Islam, published in Paris last year, Carlos, who says he has converted to Islam, claims he has advised Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader, to forge an alliance with "all guerrilla, terrorist, and other revolutionary groups throughout the world, regardless of their religious or ideological beliefs." Carlos said Islam is the only force capable of persuading large numbers of people to become "volunteers" for suicide attacks against the US. "Only a coalition of Marxists and Islamists can destroy the US," he said. Now just let us see, what is happening right at our land, this South Asian region. We all know that, Marxism did spread in this region for years, particularly through the platform of democracy haters. They also have deep feelings against United States, the West and Israel. Anti-Semitic sentiment within these elements is no less. But for years, especially in India, which is considered to be the largest democracy in the world, leftists and Marxists were somehow pushed to a corner or disadvantageous position. If someone will visit India, it will be very prominently seen that Marxist government in West Bengal has already become a kind of sin for the people in this part of India, while most of the states are seeing lights of prosperity for past few decades. Although Indian administration were successful in cleansing Naxalite elements from West Bengal, it is unfortunately yet to succeed in defeating the leftists and Marxists, because, these elements have already established strong alliance with Islamists and are keeping strong grip on ballot through provocative anti-US, an-West and anti-Semitic slogans. In neighboring Bangladesh too, leftists, atheists and Islamists have formed hidden or open alliance with the similar ideology and slogans. But the disadvantage there is, leftists and Communists have already penetrated in various important organs of the country, while radical Islamists have planted their own people in various strategic positions, including some of the Western missions in Dhaka. It was learnt few years back that, Islamists are already holding sensitive positions with US Embassy in Dhaka as well as other Western missions. And, such alliance of leftists, atheists and Islamists are causing a kind of either isolation or misconception on moderate Muslims, Islamic forces (not radicals) and pro-West minds in Bangladesh. Take the case of Mr. Shahriar Kabir, who is well known Communist and hater of United States. To my knowledge, Kabir considers America as an imperial force and has written such thoughts in a number of articles and at least one of his books, which is regularly distributed right within United States amongst his contacts. He also has secret affiliation with Islamists. This was some how exposed when Awami League (one of the largest political parties in Bangladesh) signed a treaty with Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish for establishing Shariah law in the country if they would win the election in 2006. Major section of Bangladesh's moderate Muslims including some of the political parties criticized this treaty while Communists like Shahriar Kabir were arguing to justify the 'significance' of such agreement. People like Kabir, although openly speak on various national and international issues; they maintain strange silence in saying anything about Saddam's dictatorial role (rather they criticize United States and West for ousting Saddam). They even always bear extremely anti-Semitic notion as part of their anti-US and anti-Israel sentiment. These leftists or Communists or atheists strongly believe that Israel is the best ally of United States, and that is why, they always try to oppose both Israel and United States in various ways and means. And, of course, they have support from Islamist forces as their strong strategic partners. Sunita Paul is considered to be an expert on South Asian affairs.
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14 |
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Timothy McGaffin |
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Business/Business |
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2008-05-04 |
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Upon initial investigation, when conducting a review of Lightyear Alliance, it appears to be a no-brainer to join as an independent representative because of its seemingly solid foundation as a provider of digital phone services. But after doing more research there may also be a real downside. Lightyear Alliance is a telecommunications provider of VoIP which stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol and is basically digital phone service. A July 2005 issue of Fortune Magazine called VoIP the "most important shift in the entire history of modern communications since the invention of the telephone." Lightyear Alliance was founded in October 2003 by Sherman Henderson with a mission to become the largest provider of VoIP technology in the United States and Puerto Rico. Additionally, Lightyear Alliance is the first direct marketing sales provider of the digital phone service. Or in other words, Lightyear Alliance provides VoIP through network marketing and was the first to do so. At first glance it seems to make sense to join Lightyear Alliance as a representative because it sells a product consumers will be using as a new phone service and representatives get paid a commission of each consumer's phone bill. But once more of a review is conducted on Lightyear Alliance it may not be as much of a no-brainer as once thought. Why Network Marketing Fails: It is a statistically documented fact that 95% of all network marketing representatives will fail no matter how great the product or the company. Since Lightyear Alliance is also a network marketing company it is not immune from this fact as well. To become a representative of Lightyear Alliance a one-time licensing fee of $349 is paid and a replicated website is provided. To a brand new entrepreneur it usually seems like an easy thing to drive traffic to your replicated site and have a certain number of people who visit the site join your team and start providing you growing commission checks in the mail. But the more experienced business-minded professional knows driving traffic to a replicated site and converting that traffic to sales or new distributors is almost impossible. Due to this high degree of difficulty most people will fail as a representative in Lightyear Alliance or any network marketing business for that matter. Another Documented Fact: It is also well documented that most telecommunication network marketing companies collapse within 5 years. However with most of those failures the products being sold were services at much higher prices than other well-known providers at the time. In other words, they failed because they cost consumers more money. But on the good side of Lightyear Alliance, VoIP is sold for less than through other providers. More well-known providers of VoIP spend as much as 7 million dollars a day in advertising. Lightyear Alliance doesn't spend any money on advertising because its independent representatives do the advertising. Thus Lightyear Alliance can provide VoIP for significantly less than national providers. Why Do The 5% Succeed? As 95% of network marketers fail another 5% succeed. And those that do succeed usually all become millionaires because their monthly commission checks are in the amounts that most people make in an entire year in the corporate world. So how do you become one of the 5% that succeed? First, you need to make sure the product you are selling is of real value in the marketplace. Second you need to know how to market. As far as Lightyear Alliance is concerned the product of digital phone service is of real value in today's marketplace. And although most telecommunication network providers usually fail in 5 years that should not be a problem for Lightyear Alliance because they sell VoIP for much less than other providers in the marketplace. However, the fact still remains that most Lightyear Alliance distributors will fail unless they gain an education of how to market to build their business fast and effectively. In conclusion, Lightyear Alliance is a solid company in my review and it sells a product of real value. However, even though Lightyear Alliance is solid, it still is a network provider and it does not properly train its representatives to succeed in this competitive industry and within the direct sales business model.
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15 |
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Anderson Josiah |
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Business/Business |
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2008-03-01 |
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Forming a strategic business joint venture is when companies join together for a certain period of time, its like a short term merger between companies, An alliance is usually formed with companies that are not directly competing with each other and sell similar goods or services that are trying to sell to the same targeted audience. As someone new to online marketing it might be in your best interest to form alliances or have joint ventures with bigger more established companies. These are some reasons why it might be best benefit form alliances with other companies. You can now offer your visitor a larger variety of services and or products, this would allow you to focus more time in marketing and promoting your website without having to worry about spending time effort or money on creating and developing your own new products or service to sell. Your entire customer base will increase because you are now combining your customers with other businesses customers. This gives you the opportunity to increase sales without having to spend time and money to hire new workers. You have just doubled, tripled or maybe quadruple your advertising and promotion budget because the budget is now shared among all of your business joint venture partners. You now have the ability to offer all your loyal customers more back-end products this will defiantly increase your profit margin. Your employees and business will benefit from a greater number of very skilled individuals working on the same sales promotions. Your employees can learn from the other employees skills and strong points, The knowledge base and skills of your staff should improve and your business will be better and stronger in the future. You can beat your competitors by being able to offer more free samples and sell more to a larger customer base, so if you are very good at creating alliances there is no end to the potential, you can get as much customers as you want and more customers mean more money. You now have the ability to exchange endorsements with your Joint Venture Partners; you will now improve the creditability of your business and gain the trust of potential buyers, for this reason it is very important to form alliances with partners who has a very good reputation. Your business will expand allot quicker that it would have without an alliance; you have the ability to do a whole lot more because of your additional resources. Some good examples of joint ventures to consider are located in the link below. You can deal with queries and problems faster and more efficiently because of the larger work force because you would have a bigger number of employees thinking strategically. This will give all the Joint Partners the ability to come up with more profitable strategies quicker and mere efficiently than they could have by themselves. For more information and examples of joint venture Partnerships check the link below for Dotcomology the art of making money on the internet.
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16 |
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Christian Fea |
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Internet Business/Internet Business |
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2008-02-11 |
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As strategic alliances continue to grow in popularity, with small and large businesses alike, many people write asking me about the different types of strategic alliances available. Indeed, like all relationships, there are different ways you can structure your strategic alliance. Whether you want to keep it casual or prefer a committed, long-term relationship, there is a wide range of options when it comes to your strategic alliance.
Developing the foundation of a strategic alliance
Fundamentally, a strategic alliance is the partnership between two or more partners, who share the same customer base and carry synergistic products and services. For example, if you own a graphic design firm, then you could partner together with a web design firm. You would share a similar base of customers: businesses that are looking to start or re-vamp their image. The services you provide have synergies with each other, while simultaneously being complimentary from the customer's perspective.
Taking the strategic alliance to the next level, there must be inherent value built into the relationship. The benefits you offer your partner, and vice-versa, must be lucrative enough to allow the strategic alliance to rise to its full potential. Whether you create a commission or cross-promotional relationship, the key is to develop value for each partner.
With some creativity, the potential for strategic alliance relationships are endless. However, the key is to find a close fit, as the more niche your common customer base is, the more fruitful the strategic alliance.
How to format the strategic alliance partnership
There is a wide variety when it comes to formatting your strategic alliance partnership. First, you must determine whether the partnership will be a one-way or a two-way street - meaning, will you provide them with the benefit, or will the benefit go both ways? For example, will you be offering a commission for each sale they recommend? Or, will you also recommend clients to your partner, resulting in a two-way commission structure?
Once you have determined if the strategic alliance will be a one-way or two-way structure, it is time to ascertain what methodology you will utilize in the partnership:
*Shotgun announcement: Your partner sends an email or letter out to all of their customers with an exciting offer from your firm, such as a discount code, free shipping, or credit towards purchase.
*Tortoise speed: Sending out the announcement or promotion in smaller batches can be a great strategy, especially if the partner has a very large client base. In addition, this can allow you to tailor the promotion to each particular audience, as well as any current trends in the marketplace.
*Customer appreciation sale: When your partner's customers make a purchase, they are offered a "bonus," customer appreciation product - which comes at a discount.
*Giveaway offer: You can jointly offer a free giveaway promotion, choosing a product that has very low-cost for you both. This gives you an ability to increase exposure, branding, and a greater client list.
There are many other creative ways to structure a strategic alliance, but these are the most popular and time-tested methods. Remember, each industry can benefit from a targeted, niche approach, and with planning and the right partnership, your strategic alliance can take your current business to the next level of sales.
Copyright (c) 2008 Christian Fea
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dimitri konchin |
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Reference Education/Reference Education |
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2007-03-13 |
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Alliance and Leicester today is a landmark institution in the UK’s financial scenery. The group is a major player in both commercial and personal banking market with 5.5 million personal customers and handling over £63 billion in business transactions. Two major events in the history of Alliance and Leicester group were the merger between Alliance and Leicester Building Societies in 1985 and the acquisition of Girobank in 1990. However, the origin of the group dates back to the 1852 when Leicester Permanent Benefit Society was created. From that point on a steady growth has slowly transformed the organization from a local office with a few members to a larger national outfit that it became in 1940s. By 1950s through organic internal growth coupled with aggressive acquisition program Leicester Permanent Benefit Society became one of the Top 10 building societies in the country. At the same time Alliance Building Society also came to the forefront of UK’s financial scene. In 1985 the two merged into what is known today as Alliance and Leicester Group. The organisation continued to grow both internally and externally constantly scanning for new acquisitions. In 1989 one such acquisition occurred that catapulted the firm into the elite. Alliance and Leicester acquired Girobank being the first ever building society to buy a clearing bank. The new partnership has allowed Alliance and Leicester to venture further into the fields of commercial and personal banking and reach a greater number of customers. In 1994, for example, personal banking sections of Girobank and A&L were joined together and 24-hour telephone banking program was launched. In 1997 the group made a decision to convert from a Building Society into a publicly owned corporation giving its members free shares. In April of that year Alliance and Leicester becomes a bank and its shares get listed on the London Stock Exchange. With the growth of technology in the late 90's Alliance and Leicester tried to stay at the forefront of the financial innovation. The bank became one of the first to take applications for credit cards and loans over the internet. Also, the bank was UK’s first to offer cashbacks on purchases made with the bank’s credit card. In 1999 Mortgage Direct is launched providing individuals with a better access to the mortgage market. By the year 2000 most of the bank’s products and services are available online. The strategy of innovation and strategic partnerships continues today. In this decade, a number of strategic alliances were formed and new and innovative programs were launched such as www.moneyback.co.uk, partnership with MBNA bank, Online Saver savings account, Car Price index and many more. Today the company continues to build its reputation as a reliable yet innovative financial services provider and the future definitely looks bright. Alliance Leicester Quote
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Nickolie |
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Computer/Computer |
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2007-09-30 |
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In World of Warcraft, you create your alter ego by choosing from a variety of colorful races and powerful classes, and then you begin exploring, questing, and battling in Azeroth. World of Warcraft came after Warcraft III, another fun role playing computer game.
The game is a perfect depiction of the term fantasy, the landscapes are beautiful, the characters and animals are not of this world, and the structures are massive.
After countless hours spent playing, I got tired of the tedious procedures of leveling up and gaining gold. I got on the internet and started looking for tips and advice on ways to level up easier and faster and gain massive amounts of gold in a short amount of time. I bought 2 books, one was a leveling guide and the other was a gold guide with leveling tips and I will share them with you below.
Brian Kopps 1-70 Alliance Leveling Guide
This guide offers a lot of advice and tips for leveling up faster instead of longer. I whent from noob status to where I can compete with the higher levels without running all the time in a short period. The tips and advice in this book are very easy to understand and comprehend so you will be out there leveling up fast in no time.
Warcraft Domination
This guide offers advice on how to gain huge amounts of gold in a short amount of time along with advice and tips on how to level up fast. I only got it for the advice on the gold gaining but the leveling tips are also very usefull as well.
If you are tired of leveling slow and gaining small amounts of gold then you should check the guides out. I have a few other guides in here too for those of you that are interested. This game is the best game in the world, it was made for anybody and It does not matter who you are, once you start playing it you are hooked for life.
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dimitri |
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Finance/Finance |
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2007-03-13 |
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Alliance and Leicester today is a landmark institution in the UK’s financial scenery. The group is a major player in both commercial and personal banking market with 5.5 million personal customers and handling over £63 billion in business transactions. Two major events in the history of Alliance and Leicester group were the merger between Alliance and Leicester Building Societies in 1985 and the acquisition of Girobank in 1990.
However, the origin of the group dates back to the 1852 when Leicester Permanent Benefit Society was created. From that point on a steady growth has slowly transformed the organization from a local office with a few members to a larger national outfit that it became in 1940s. By 1950s through organic internal growth coupled with aggressive acquisition program Leicester Permanent Benefit Society became one of the Top 10 building societies in the country.
At the same time Alliance Building Society also came to the forefront of UK’s financial scene. In 1985 the two merged into what is known today as Alliance and Leicester Group. The organisation continued to grow both internally and externally constantly scanning for new acquisitions. In 1989 one such acquisition occurred that catapulted the firm into the elite. Alliance and Leicester acquired Girobank being the first ever building society to buy a clearing bank. The new partnership has allowed Alliance and Leicester to venture further into the fields of commercial and personal banking and reach a greater number of customers. In 1994, for example, personal banking sections of Girobank and A&L were joined together and 24-hour telephone banking program was launched.
In 1997 the group made a decision to convert from a Building Society into a publicly owned corporation giving its members free shares. In April of that year Alliance and Leicester becomes a bank and its shares get listed on the London Stock Exchange.
With the growth of technology in the late 90's Alliance and Leicester tried to stay at the forefront of the financial innovation. The bank became one of the first to take applications for credit cards and loans over the internet. Also, the bank was UK’s first to offer cashbacks on purchases made with the bank’s credit card. In 1999 Mortgage Direct is launched providing individuals with a better access to the mortgage market. By the year 2000 most of the bank’s products and services are available online.
The strategy of innovation and strategic partnerships continues today. In this decade, a number of strategic alliances were formed and new and innovative programs were launched such as www.moneyback.co.uk, partnership with MBNA bank, Online Saver savings account, Car Price index and many more. Today the company continues to build its reputation as a reliable yet innovative financial services provider and the future definitely looks bright.
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Christian Fea |
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Business/Business |
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2008-04-30 |
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A strategic alliance can significantly open your market opportunities, connecting you with a desired audience. Forming a strategic alliance should begin with taking an honest look the many aspects that make up your business - and making sure the other partner fits those elements well. Finding the right strategic alliance is crucial. The concept of two minds being better than one can work, but make sure to take a look at the following:
Vision: Assess what the company wants to become. Then, based on current practices, compare the vision with the company's potential to achieve its vision. With that information, you will have a clear idea about what the company needs to achieve that vision. Core Values: Determine the organization's values. Ask what it cares about and who will it benefit. These answers will play a key role in choosing your alliance, as you'll want to find a company with beliefs comparable to your own. Evaluation:
Evaluate your strengths and be objective about your weaknesses. Determine where you succeed and where you are challenged. Your time is most valuably spent doing what you do best. If you spend more time doing things you struggle with, you are losing money. Find an affiliate company who succeeds where you struggle. Chances are an alliance with them will also come with added value to your own clients and would give you time back to do what you do best.
History: Evaluate when the company started, its major successes and failures. Make sure your understanding of their history is detailed and complete.
Real Issues: Now it's time to start thinking about the real issues the company has. Make bullet points of everything that is happening internally and externally. Include economic conditions, legislation, and public perception.
Goals: The company's goals should be not be to make money, but to provide a tangible benefit to someone or something. Making money is a symptom of filling a need. Strategic alliances could enhance the benefit to your clients, which will equally greater profits.
Key Publics: This may be the most important aspect to consider when shopping for an affiliate. Pick at least ten of your key publics and prioritize them. Define their importance: who they are and why they are important. When two companies have mutual publics, they have a common goal.
Message Statement: Consider the perception your public will have about your company. Now ask yourselves what are the top three things you want to be known for. Forming an alliance can create or re-enforce the essential message you want your clients to hear. Sending the desired message is invaluable and many companies have used alliances as a creative marketing tool ultimately getting the attention they desire.
When considering forming a strategic alliance, there are many issues to consider. Once you've collected all the data, analyzed the company's current situation in comparison to where they are going and ultimately where they want to be, you may find an alliance a great vehicle to get you there.
Copyright (c) 2008 Christian Fea
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