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 Strategic Alliances
April 2004 - Summary
This issue of Advisory looks at an area that underscores
much IT consultancy work, the forging of alliances with IT
vendor companies.
Consultants face an upfront choice between informal alliances
(where the firm takes joint working opportunities on a business-by-business
basis); formal alliances (where there may be joint marketing
initiatives or free training, but no direct financial payment
to the partner); or full reseller agreements (where the consulting
firm/systems integrator sells on software at a profit).
Their choice here will determine their level of independence
and objectivity – a key message they send to the market as
well as a business ethical dilemma that is debated in our
Round Table article.
The whole theme of partnership has grown more important with
the rise in outsourcing – involving long-term supplier and
client relationships – as well as the trend for consortia-based
public sector contracts.
Among our Management Briefing articles, Nick Andrews looks
at the specific area of outsourcing-based
alliances, while Jacqui Simpson of EDS gives a view on
best practice from the consultancy
side and Larry Smith of IBM speaks
for the vendor camp.
Consultants' Advisory 2004
Copyright © 2004 |
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