Dynamics of the termination of global alliances: probing the past, analyzing the present and defining the frontiers for future research

PurposeWhile the number of global alliance terminations in the business world has grown steadily during the past few decades, the scholarly literature on strategic alliance (SA) termination remains limited. This research paper aims to perform a bibliometric analysis of the literature on alliance termination and propose a model for future research agenda that links the termination phase to the pre-alliance termination phase and post alliance termination phase.Design/methodology/approachA search query on global alliance termination identified a total of 69 research papers from the Scopus database, and a bibliometric analysis was performed using the bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer. The analysis further used the TCCM framework to review the set of papers.FindingsThis research analysis reveals that, compared to the pre-formation, formation, and process stages of alliances, limited research has been undertaken on global alliance termination. The bibliometric analysis and TCCM framework provide a complete view of the extant literature on global alliance termination from different dimensions and act as the which as the foundation for a developing the research agenda that links pre-alliance termination phase and post-alliance termination phase to that of alliance termination phase.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed research agenda is unique as it integrates multiple phases in the alliance lifecycle with global alliance termination phase and develops a distinct view for future research that emphasizes on the post-alliance termination phase.Practical implicationsThe bibliometric analysis provides a precise snapshot of the state of the literature on global alliance termination. The research agenda developed provides a direction for further academic research that links alliance termination not only to pre-alliance termination phase but also to the post-alliance termination phase that is nascently explored in the literature.Originality/valueThis study is among the few to review and synthesize the literature on global alliance termination. It, therefore, functions as a catalyst to draw global scholars' attention. Further, it provides global researchers with direction by proposing a global research agenda.

Alliance termination research: a bibliometric review and research agenda

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the existing literature and evaluate the theories, characteristics, context and methods of alliance termination research published from 1992 to 2019. This study also aims to identify the gaps in the literature and recognize directions for future research focusing on alliance termination research.Design/methodology/approachThe main research methods followed in this study are bibliometric review, citation analysis, co-citation analysis and cluster analysis.FindingsThe main findings of this study are the most cited articles, most productive journals and most productive countries. The results show that a total of 100 research articles were published between 1992 and 2019. The maximum number of publications were observed during 2011–2019. The article “Knowledge, bargaining power, and the instability of international joint ventures” (Inkpen and Beamish, 1997) was the most cited article and the “Academy of Management Review” was the most prominent journal, with 847 citations. The USA, France, the UK, Singapore and Canada are the most productive countries. The study also includes the analysis of the network of co-citation of references and co-occurrence of keywords in the context of alliance termination research.Originality/valueTo the best of authors’ knowledge, this study seems to be the first to perform bibliometric review and analysis in the area of alliance termination research. Therefore, it can help academicians and practitioners to identify the research trends and gaps in the alliance termination literature on which future research can be performed. Overall, this research paper leads to a better understanding of the alliance termination research and offers new insights into strategic management studies.

Drivers of and barriers to partner switch in interfirm alliances: a conceptual model

Historically, research on alliance termination assumes that alliance partners only withdraw from alliances in the event of alliance failure (failure-driven alliance termination). However, recent research on the dissolution of alliances shows that firms also withdraw from alliances through alliance partner switch when they find options with higher match quality than the current partner (option-driven alliance termination). This paper builds on previous work in that field and develops a comprehensive conceptual model of drivers of and barriers to partner switch in interfirm alliances. Based on matching theory, the rectification of alliance partner fit is defined in relation to strategic need, social status and social power as the main drivers and switching costs, social embeddedness and social norms as the main barriers to partner switch. Furthermore, it is argued that market uncertainty and behavioural uncertainty as well as the financial strength and social status of the focal firm have a moderating effect on such drivers and barriers.

Sensitivity of Alliance Termination to Prealliance Conditions: Expectation Effects of Alliance Partners

Alliances are formed according to firms’ expectations about postalliance value generated by partners, which are based on certain conditions during the processes of selecting a partner and forming an alliance (i.e., the prealliance conditions). This study predicts that alliance terminations are likely to occur when such expectations are not satisfied, which is likely when partners’ postalliance characteristics are inferior to their prealliance levels, or when firms have heightened expectations of alliance partners because they have forgone superior potential partners before alliance formation. Results of an analysis using data of codeshare alliances in the global airline industry show that alliance termination results from reduced market complementarity or a reduced number of common partners relative to prealliance levels, and from the presence of not-chosen prealliance potential partners characterized by high market complementarity or large numbers of common partners. The results also show a general propensity for these effects to diminish as alliance duration increases.