The project, which is conducted with AAU as a partner, seeks to shed light on how SMEs create alliances with international suppliers with the purpose of innovating. SMEs need key suppliers’ innovative inputs, but they often struggle with attracting the attention of the suppliers because the SMEs often represent limited financial business opportunities for these global suppliers. We therefore seek to understand how SMEs attract the attention of suppliers and engage in different types of collaborative initiatives to innovate with the suppliers.

We are currently recruiting 10 Danish companies that intend to create alliances with specific selected key suppliers. Applying a combination of process studies and action research, we study their alliance building processes. We intervene by hosting workshops and arranging development activities in certain stages of the processes in order to strengthen the companies’ alliance capabilities. The project lasts for three years.

Please find more information about the project on the Danish Industry Foundation website 

Please contact Chris Ellegaard for further information on the project.