The new strategic partnering: learning from dolphins

By Farhadi (Henley Business School), Tovstiga (EDHEC Business School) and Adriani (Harvard Business School)

Beachcombers on Florida’s Atlantic coast are occasionally treated to the spectacle of dolphins engaging in so-called corralling – a highly sophisticated hunting technique commonly deployed by these cetaceans. Smaller prey attempting to escape a pursuing dolphin are deliberately driven straight into a pod of waiting dolphins. Deriving from deeply innate instincts, sophisticated collaborative stalking, isolating and capturing techniques enable dolphins to achieve collectively what would otherwise be impossible for any individual member of the pod. 

Are there any lessons in dolphins’ team hunting behavior for managers?

#Strategic partnerships and #alliances in business are not new; they have been part of corporates’ strategy repertoire for several decades now. What is new, however, are new forms of strategic partnering emerging in a radically changing global competitive context.

In our new article on strategic partnering, we examine the renewed logic for strategic partnering; take stock of emerging best practices in this area, and introduce a novel approach to strategic alliances as working ecosystems. 

See our new upcoming publication in M&A Review in April 2017: Gemeinsam jagt es sich erfolgreicher! Nachhaltiges Wachstum durch strategische Allianzen by Farhadi, Tovstiga and Adriani.