WHOI-90-52

"Strategic Allnces" as an approach to R&D by Electronic Intrument Companies
Background
Malte von Matthiessen
YSI, Inc.
YSI has established a series of strategic goals and objectives for itself.
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Strategic Allance
to become a leader in the field of sensor measurement technology, espeially in
the areas of temperature, biosensor, dissolved oxygen and conductivity
measurement.
to compete in the global marketplace by entering markets outside the United
States, including Europe and the Pacific Rim, makng the world our marketplace.
to consult financial business, that is, to generate internal capita nees using the
world economy.
to dedicate ourselves to the concept 'strtegic alliance' within our business
philosophy.
By the term 'strategic alliance,' I'm referrng to the classica Greek use of the world 'strategy' -
- a general leading an ary. In other words, employing a milta science or ar to the overal
planning of large scale operations to achieve the stated objective.
An alliance ca be thought of as a pact, or confederation among nations cooperating for a
common cause. There are milta alliances, such as the Nort Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO), ecnomic alliances like the Europe Ecnomic Community (EEC), tehnological
alliances, and aliances between government and industr, such as Japan's national trade
organizations. We've sen the emergence of business alliances and, of course, there are aliances
in our personal lives, such as marages.
What do global and strategic alliances have to do with electronic instrment companies? Markets
are becoming increasingly global in their orientation. The United States is competing in a global
ecnomy and wil continue to do so for the foreseble future. That all adds up to increase
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