Date of Award

9-1991

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Corporate and Industrial Communications

Department

Business

First Advisor

Michael Castro

Second Advisor

Michael Kramer

Third Advisor

Daniel W. Kemper

Abstract

This thesis will focus on a method of doing business in which two companies, whose businesses are complementary, work together in a relationship that strives to benefit both.

Large corporations continually examine ways to constructively manage the vast concept of change, and maintain their competitive posture. One way in which some corporations are beginning to strengthen their assets and their capabilities to deliver products or services is through a relationship known as "partnering."

As an oversimplified way of defining partnering, in a business-to-business relationship, one firm specializes in providing a service required by another company that the latter may not have the depth of resources to provide on its own. The second company hires the service firm for one task and, over time, hires the service company for successive assignments. A level of trust is established; the company in need of service begins to realize additional technical capabilities the service firm offers and other benefits of retaining the firm, and eventually a long-term relationship is established between the two.

Hoping to maintain the level of trust -- indeed, build trust over time -- the service firm increases its efforts to ensure that services to its client are of the highest standards and competitively priced. By having a guaranteed client, the service firm benefits by learning about that client's business, its culture and production requirements; the client company benefits by having the additional resources of the service firm at its disposal, as an extension of its own staff. In theory, the supplemental services of the service firm would enable the client company to maintain a higher level of competitiveness.

Because construction and engineering services play a major role in the capabilities of a corporation that produces a product or service, this thesis will emphasize the potential for partnering between engineering and construction firms (E & C) and corporations that produce products or services.

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