The role of partnering factors in international learning alliance success

Abstract

Recent empirical findings and conceptual work point to the importance of partnering-related criteria in dyadic learning-alliance outcomes. Consistent with existing research on alliance partner selection, and building on the literature from organisational learning, knowledge transfer, alliances and international management, this paper develops a new multi-component model of key partnering factors linked to dyadic international learning-alliance outcomes. In order to delineate the model, we develop propositions with the aim of identifying a set of partnering-related criteria that can be used by firms to evaluate potential international learning partners and by future researchers to measure and examine the achievement of learning outcomes. We also fill a literature gap by proposing interpartner harmony as a potential mediator in the relationships between these partnering factors and learning outcomes.