Second, a recent Ernst and Young survey of computing and electronics business leaders suggests that CEOs are focusing more than ever on savvy partnership-building. More than 66% expect to increase marketing, technology licensing, joint product development and distribution alliances over the next five years. More than two thirds say that alliances are crucial to their future plans.
Most want to access new markets, while others see enhanced distribution as the key to developing partnerships. Almost three-quarters recognise that partnerships fail primarily because of overly optimistic expectations, poor communications and lack of shared bene- fits. "Press release partnerships" are more a triumph of hope than mutual com- mitment. Also, alliances should not be used as a substitute for strategy. Most agree that contracts don't cover close relationships, which is what a partnership must be about if it hopes to survive. Trust, commitment and trans- parency are more important if one sees the partnership as part of a broad, long- term aim. There must also be shared risk and shared reward. Risk means that you develop as part of the partnership's interdependency so that both parties have to deliver. It's not a one-way situation.