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Newsletter - December 08

Partnership eNews

- news & views from the Global Business Partnership Alliance

This month
	> Relationship Healthcheck > Achieving partnering success between Indian and UK companies > Partnering between China and the West > Senior Executive Sponsors' Dinner > Special Interest Forums early in 2009: London > Collaborative Innovation Conference

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holly Welcome
What do you do when the terrain is tough and the way forward is not clear? Do you try to go on by yourself, or do you marshal your key partners and progress with growing confidence together? If it's the latter, you can be sure that GBPA can help you.

This final 2008 Partnership eNews suggests how you can take stock of your critical relationships, through GBPA's Relationship Healthcheck service, so you can make sure they are fit to withstand stormy economic times ahead. Also, you will find information about current GBPA research-led Discovery projects, plus news of GBPA initiatives in 2009.

The very full new year programme of GBPA events and Discovery Projects will address a wide range of partnership issues to respond to organisations' challenges in turbulent times. In January, for example, GBPA will share results of its latest Discovery Project - this is examining the challenges and key enablers to successful partnering relationships between companies in India and the West; and we are currently undertaking a similar Discovery Project focusing on China and the West, in which participation is invited.

Early in the new year we will be launching the results of our Discovery Project on 'Moving towards the connect and collaborate future organisation', which explores the challenge and opportunities to connecting and collaborating presented by the impact of the increasing global business environment, advances in technology and the presence of the Net Generation in the workplace.

The GBPA team wish you and your family a Happy Christmas and great success in all your collaborations in 2009.

Amanda Crouch
CEO Global Business Partnership Alliance

> Relationship Healthcheck

In tough times, competing demands can test the very best of relationships to breaking point. And so it will be in this severe economic downturn, when the difference between succeeding and failing will have a high dependency on the effective alignment of your critical relationships.

GBPA's Relationship Healthcheck is designed to enable both parties to gain the necessary insights to get the most from the relationship at this critical time. It can identify areas for potential greater value realisation, minimises the risk of failure and reduces valuable management time being used up on issue resolution. GBPA provides an analysis of the strengths of the relationship and areas to be addressed and compiles a Relationship Assessment Map, which provides a visual perspective on the areas of (mis)alignment. The objective insights from the Relationship Healthcheck provides the basis of initial feedback to the relationship senior executive sponsors, and for a facilitated workshop with participants from both teams targeted on building on the strengths and resolving issues so as to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes.

To explore how you and your critical relationships can benefit, and commission a Relationship Healthcheck, please contact Liz Collins ecollins@gbpalliance.com

> Achieving partnering success between Indian and UK companies

GBPA is pleased to announce the publication of its Discovery report 'East meets West' supported by the UK India Business Council, which explores the challenge and potential of global partnerships between India and Western organisations, particularly in the UK.

The key finding is that trust is considered to be the major obstacle to partnership success by all participants. It is regarded as the foundation of a successful relationship and many of the other obstacles cited have a direct impact on its development. Other key obstacles highlighted by all participants were cultural awareness and change management.

In addition, the relational approach of Indian organisations versus the commercial approach of UK companies emerged as a significant issue, as did the differences between agile business models of Indian organisations and the structured business models in the UK. Indian companies were particularly concerned with issues of respect, equality and commitment, whereas the UK organisations highlighted transparency, language and employee continuity of service as significant issues.

As 'perceptions are reality', the aim of this report is to enable organisations to develop successful global partnerships by understanding and addressing the perceived obstacles that have been identified.

GBPA members will receive a copy of the report in the new year. Copies can be ordered by non members from GBPA in the UK at £575 + VAT, and in India at Rs15,000 by contacting us at India@gbpalliance.com

> Partnering between China and the West

China cooperation GBPA is currently undertaking a research-led Discovery on the challenges that Chinese and Western companies experience when partnering with each other, and what they regard as the key enablers to partnership success.

GBPA will be pleased to hear from any readers of this eNews who have experience of partnering with companies in China, including important customer and supplier relationships. Participants in this research will receive a free copy of the published report.

To find out more about how you can become involved and gain access to the research, please contact Magda Pansegrouw mpansegrouw@gbpalliance.com

> Senior Executive Sponsors' Dinner

At this dinner on 26 February in London, senior executive sponsors of their organisation's GBPA participation will have the opportunity to explore with their peer group and the GBPA leadership team how to drive effective, collaborative business relationships in this challenging economic environment.

Personal invitations will be sent before the end of this year, and to find out more please contact Magda Pansegrouw mpansegrouw@gbpalliance.com

> Special Interest Forums early in 2009: London

meeting The next GBPA Special Interest Forums (SIFs) in London are morning sessions (09:00 to 11:30) on the following topics:

* Dispelling the Internal Customer Myth - 27 January - will explore collaborative and integrated working practices that ensure a 'one team' approach for delivery to the customer, rather than the silo approach that prevails inside many organisations.

* Working with Listening - 4 February - will be particularly helpful to those who recognise the value of being able to develop the 'right dialogue' with colleagues and customers, and this session will examine the power of listening, and what leads to constructive and destructive listening.

To register for these SIFs, contact Magda Pansegrouw mpansegrouw@gbpalliance.com

> Collaborative Innovation Conference

GBPA and NESTA are working together on exploring the cultural characteristics of organisations that are successful at collaborative innovation, and we will be sharing our findings in a highly participative morning conference in London at NESTA's office on 24 March 2009.

More details will be available early in the new year, and to register interest in participating at this event please contact Magda Pansegrouw mpansegrouw@gbpalliance.com

We look forward to the participation of members and guests in the GBPA programme in 2009. As always, please contact Magda Pansegrouw for more information on GBPA or to register for an event, at mpansegrouw@gbpalliance.com
With best wishes from the GBPA team
Christmas
Global Business Partnership Alliance

email: mpansegrouw@gbpalliance.com
phone: + 44 (0)203 0093 122
web: http://www.gbpalliance.com

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Newsletter - December 08

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