Partnering in project management factors influencing the success of unequal partnership

The factors influencing success in strategic partnering between large and small organisations has received little research attention though it is becoming an increasingly common alternative to out-sourcing and sub-contracting in project management. This research sought to identify or confirm factors affecting the success of unequal partnerships in project management. It sought further to develop a practical model for strategic partnering in which identified factors were integrated to the mutual benefit of partners. Based on a case study of strategic partnering between a large organization, fictionally named Telepoint, and six of its smaller partners, this exploratory study engaged a focus group to identify key partnering success factors. The initial findings were confirmed from the literature and substantiated with semi-structured interviews involving senior and operations managers involved in these unequal partnerships in project management. A modified content analysis of Telepoint was used to validate purposive informant interview data and grounded theory approaches were then applied to group confirmed success factors towards a model for strategic partnering. Twenty success factors were identified and grouped to create a matrix of six inter-related success elements from which a model for strategic partnership was developed. Confirming that trust arose from clear communication of commitment to shared benefit through the development of appropriate systems and processes study, this study noted that the roles played by innovation and organisational cultures in unequal collaboration were integral to partnering success while recognising that the significance of small partner creativity and innovative capacity was frequently undervalued. From a practical viewpoint, the study highlighted organisational and strategic changes that would assist Telepoint to transform its perceived partnership domination from a supplier/sub-contractor relationship to strategic partnership and increase its potential to source and maintain integrated project management partnerships for mutual benefit with its smaller partners.