Network of environmental themes Affecting Strategic Alliance Formation (Study Case: Iranian Medical Tourism)

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

tourism faculty,semnan university

Abstract

Different tourism industry features like fragility, highlighted SMEs involvement and vast dependent industries make strategic alliance formation as one of the most important strategies in tourism. Meanwhile, the formation of such alliances in some tourism branches like medical tourism is more important because of two fields are engaged here; Tourism and medical. Meantime, it seems that up to now, there has not been any research in Iran about the dimensions and components that affect the formation of strategic alliances between medical tourism businesses. Hence, the present study sought to identify environmental dimensions and factors affecting medical tourism alliances formation in the country. To this end, 17 medical tourism experts have been recognized by snowball sampling. Data have been gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with Maxqda10software based on theme analysis. Findings show that 6 main themes including legal, cultural, economic, technological, communicational, political elements as well as patient-absorption channels can effect on medical tourism alliance formation in Iran.

Keywords


Al Khattab, S. A. (2012). Marketing strategic alliances: The hotel sector in Jordan. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(9), 222-232.‏
Adnan, S. M., Ramanathan, K., Turpin, T., & Chapman, R. L. (2010). A conceptual model of the strategic alliance process: from initiation to conclusion. International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 7(1), 39-62
Bretherton, P. (2004). The rationale for strategic alliances: An empirical study. Journal of Euromarketing, 13(1), 73-93.‏
Brouthers, K. D., Brouthers, L. E., & Wilkinson, T. J. (1995). Strategic alliances: Choose your partners. Long range planning, 28 (3), 18-25.‏
Boyatzis, R. E. (1998). Transforming qualitative information: thematic analysis and code development, Sage.
Büchel, B. (2000). Framework of joint venture development: Theory‐building through qualitative research. Journal of Management Studies, 37(5), 637-661.‏
Beverland, M., & Bretherton, P. (2001). The uncertain search for opportunities: determinants of strategic alliances. Qualitative Market Research: an international journal, 4(2), 88-99.
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2), 77-101.
Chao, ch., & Kao, K.T. (2015). Selection of strategic cargo alliance by airlines. Journal of Air Transport Management, 43, 29-36.
‏Chonko, L. B. (1999). Case Study: Alliance formation With Direct Selling companies: Avon and Mattel. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 19(1), 51-62.‏
Cavazos, C. (2013). Entering into strategic alliances: an empirical test of the direct and interaction effects of managers' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 21(1), 3-24.‏
Drucker, P.F. (2008). Management. New York: Harper Collins Publishing.
Dunning, J.H. (1995). Reappraising the Eclectic Paradigm in the Age of Alliance Capitalism, Journal of International Business Studies, 26, 461-491
Das, T. K., & Teng, B. S. (2002). The dynamics of alliance conditions in the alliance development process. Journal of management studies, 39(5), 725-746.‏
Evans, N. (2001). Alliances in the international travel industry: Sustainable strategic options? International journal of hospitality & tourism administration, 2(1), 1-26.‏
Franco, M. (2011). Determining factors in the success of strategic alliances: an empirical study performed in Portuguese firms. European J. International Management, 5 (6), 608- 632.
Gursoy, D. Sayyman, M. & Sotiriadis. (2015). Collaboration in Tourism Businesses and Destinations: A Handbooks. Emerald.
Genç, N., Alayoğlu, N., & İyigün, N. Ö. (2012). A conceptual model proposal for determinants, form, functions and structure choice in strategic Alliances. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 1594-1600.
Gomes, E., Angwin, D. N., Weber, Y., & Yedidia Tarba, S. (2013). Critical success factors through the mergers and acquisitions process: revealing pre‐and post‐M&A connections for improved performance. Thunderbird international business review, 55(1), 13-35.‏
Garcia‐Pont, C., & Nohria, N. (2002). Local versus global mimetism: The dynamics of alliance formation in the automobile industry. Strategic Management Journal, 23(4), 307-321.‏
Holmberg. S. R., and Cummings. J. L. (2009). Building Successful Strategic Alliances, Long Range Planning, 42, 164-193.
Huang, L. (2006). Building up a B2B e-commerce strategic alliance model under an uncertain environment for Taiwan's travel agencies. Tourism Management, 27(6), 1308-1320.‏
Inkpen, A. C., & Tsang, E. W. (2007). learning and strategic alliances. The Academy of Management Annals, 1 (1), 479-511.‏
Jamal, T., & Getz, D. (1995). Collaboration theory and community tourism planningAnnals of Tourism Research, (22)1, 186_204.
Kauser, S., & Shaw, V. (2004). International Strategic Alliances: objectives, motives and success. Journal of Global Marketing, 17(2-3), 7-43.‏
Larson, A. (1992). Network dyads in entrepreneurial settings: A study of the governance of exchange relationships. Administrative science quarterly, 76-104.‏
Morley. C. L. (2003). Globalisation, airline alliances and tourism: A strategic perspective. Journal of Tourism Research, 8 (1), 15-25.
Mandal, P., Love, P. E., & Irani, Z. (2003). Pre-alliance planning: development of an information system infrastructure to support strategic alliance activities. Management Decision, 41(2), 132-
Nielsen, B. B. (2003). An empirical investigation of the drivers of international strategic alliance formation. European Management Journal, 21(3), 301-322.
Pett, T. L. & Dibrell, C. C. (2001). A process model of global strategic alliance formation, Business Process Management Journal, 7(4): 349 – 364.
Park, S. H., & Zhou, D. (2005). Firm heterogeneity and competitive dynamics in alliance formation. Academy of Management Review, 30(3), 531-554.‏
Parmigiani, A. Rivera-Santos, M. (2011). & Clearing a Path Through the Forest: A MetaReview of Interorganizational Relationships. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1108-1136.
Rigsbee, E. R. (2000). Developing strategic alliances. Mississauga, Canada: Crisp Learning.
Pansiri. J. (2009). Strategic Motives for Alliance Formation in the Travel Sector of Tourism. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 10:143–173.
Pansiri. J., and Courvisanos. J .(2010). Attitude to Risk in Technology-Based Strategic Alliances for Tourism, International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 11:3, 275-302.
Ring, P. S., & Van de Ven, A. H. (1994). Developmental processes of cooperative inter organizational relationships. Academy of management review, 19(1), 90-118.‏
Semercioz, F., & Kocer, B. (2004). Strategic alliances in the aviation industry: An analysis of Turkish Airlines experience. Journal of Transnational Management Development, 9(2-3), 29-45.‏
Sompong, K., Igel, B., & Lawton Smith, H. (2014). Strategic alliance motivation for technology commercialization and product development. Management Research Review, 37(6), 518-537.‏
Todeva, E., & Knoke, D. (2005). Strategic alliances and models of collaboration. Management Decision, 43(1), 123-148.‏
Titmas, K. (2012). Coopetition Amongst Hotels in South Africa: A Case Study of Coopetition Amongst Five-Star Hotels in Cape Town, South Africa, Research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration at the University of Stellenbosch.
Toohey. K., Kennelly, M. (2014). Strategic alliances in sport tourism: National sport organisations and sport tour operators, Sport Management Review.
Zineldin, M., & Dodourova, M. (2005). Motivation, achievements and failure of strategic alliances: The case of Swedish auto-manufacturers in Russia. European Business Review, 17(5), 460-470