Benefits and Risks of Marketing Cooperations: An approach to the identification of potential partners based on the example of Condor Flugdienst GmbH

Abstract

Este trabajo está centrado en el proceso de selección de socios cooperadores en el campo de marketing. El estudio examina el procedimiento actual de la elección de socios cooperadores de la empresa Condor Flugdienst GmbH con el motivo de proponer mejoras. Se elabora un plantenamiento para la identificación de posibles marcas colaboradoras y por otra parte se intenta hacer recomendaciones acerca de posibles socios colaboradores. Estas recomendaciónes para Condor Flugdienst GmbH, están basadas en una encuesta denominada ¿global fit analysis¿. Además se analizan las posibles ventajas y desventajas de cooperación en el campo de marketing y los factores de éxito de las alianzas mediante entrevistas con expertos.

The poor choice of cooperation partners is one of the primarily given motives for the failure of alliances. Yet, little literature has been published on how to select alliance partners. Therefore, this study explains an approach of how to detect suitable associates. It also examines the chances and risks of marketing cooperations. Moreover, this thesis is designed to give Condor Flugdienst GmbH recommendations for potential partner brands. For the purpose of explaining an approach for the selection process, a literature review was conducted. Findings are complemented through specialists' knowledge by means of expert interviews. In order to identify fitting counterparts for Condor, a preselection of brands was conducted based on specific criteria. Subsequently, a global fit analysis by means of a customer survey was applied. Therein, a number of ten brand combinations were tested. The theoretical and practical findings revealed a variety of possibilities for the partner selection. The results show that brands should preferably be evaluated according to fit criteria. Consumer surveys, as demonstrated by a global fit analysis, were proven to be a useful tool to avoid false estimations when selecting an alliance partner.