Governance structures in strategic alliances: transaction cost versus resource-based perspective

In this paper, we examine the pattern of resource alignment in strategic alliances and its relevance to the scheme of cooperation. This resource-based perspective is combined with the transaction cost model to interpret the governance structure of international strategic alliances undertaken by Taiwanese firms. We find that whilst the transaction cost model is powerful in explaining the choice between joint ventures and contractual alliances, the resource-based perspective provides useful insights into the choice between two distinctive forms of contractual alliances, namely, exchange and integration alliances. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.