The literature on strategic alliances has for some time
included attention to the issue of risk in these
relationships. Typically, in researchers'
conceptualizations, risk is manifested in terms of
uncertainty regarding partner performance outcomes, and
uncertainty about cooperation among alliance partners.
Underlying both dimensions is the notion of an alliance
partner's risk profile - an organization's propensity
toward taking business risks. Unless the strategic focus
is diversification, matching risk profiles in strategic
alliances can be a good measure of fit. Because there
are individual, organizational, cultural and industry
differences in interpretations of risk, attempting to
match risk profiles may be problematic. Pdf-file. 1999
