The development of opportunism in cross-sector alliances
Over the last two decades, strategic alliances and partnerships across industrial and global boundaries have become an important means to competitive positioning. Despite increases in partnership activity, alliances continue to face problems fuelled by partner opportunism, and cultural incompatibility. This paper seeks to contrast literature examining individual or firm level triggers to opportunism in partnerships with group based triggers. The paper also highlights the emergence of opportunism arising from cross-sectoral partners' differences in cultural values and norms. The literature indicates that cultural differences across industrial sectors are important factors for understanding the behaviour of partners within a collaborative alliance. [Received 26 August 2009; Revised 10 May 2010; Accepted 10 May 2010]