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Whether learning becomes self-sustaining- that is, whether the firm eventually
becomes able, without further inputs from its partner, to improve its skills at the
same rate as its partner-will depend on the depth of learning that has taken place,
whether the firm possesses the scale and volume to allow, in future amortization of
the investment needed to break free of dependence on the partner, and whether the
firm possesses the disciplines of continuous improvement. (Hamel, 1991, p 87)
The purpose of this research is to investigate the determinants of inter-partner
learning: intent, transparency, and receptivity. As these determinants increase, so too does
the level of learning between alliance partners (Johnson & Ravipreet, 2003). The concepts
of intent, transparency and receptivity will be individually discussed in the following
sections.
2.7.1 Intent
Intent represents an organisation’s “initial propensity to view collaboration as an
opportunity to learn” (Hamel, 1991, p. 90). For example, a sports team going into a game
with the intent to win has a higher probability of winning the game than a team that does
not. Thus it is the same with learning.
A number of researchers have affirmed intent as an important dynamic of learning
in alliances (Kale et al., 2000; Khanna et al., 1998; Palakshappa & Gordon, 2007; Tsang,
2002; Tsang & Kwan, 1999). This includes a New Zealand study of alliances (Palakshappa
& Gordon, 2007) that identified the reasons why organisations failed to understand the
learning-related benefits from their involvement in a collaborative relationship.
Palakshappa and Gordon (2007) found that New Zealand firms with little or no intent to
learn from their partners were less likely to report that they had learnt anything from the
alliance relationship. The authors placed great prominence on this finding by concluding
that “intent takes precedence over Hamel’s other determinants of learning” (Palakshappa &
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