The Role of Strategic Alliances on the Competitiveness of Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited

Abstract

As companies face pressure from increased competition, growing product complexity and shortening product life cycles, many are finding they need to change the way they develop new technologies, products and services. They find that they can no longer afford to rely solely on their own R&D and need to acquire ideas from others and this lead to trend whereby firms are moving away closed to a more open model of cooperation through alliances. The research sought to establish the role of strategic alliances as a source of competitiveness to Barclays bank of the Kenya. In attempting to get the objective, a case study research design was adopted whereby six respondents were interviewed and gave information that helped in arriving at the research objective and conclusion. The research findings were that strategic alliances can be used as a tool which enables firms to overcome threats from their competitors while gaining additional benefits. The competitiveness of the firms resulting from the alliance will is generated through the synergistic effects of the collaboration, a wider customer base, spreading of risk and employment of better technology which consequently reduction in the operational cost.