Theory and Practice, April 14, 2005: Partnering Pearls of Wisdom

This Manufacturing Insights update examines a very insightful feature article on small company/large company partnerships ("Little Fish, Big Pond" by Tracy Mayor), which appears in the April issue of Electronic Business. Outlined below are some important observations and lessons from the CEOs of small high-tech companies concerning what to expect and look for in successful partnering.

Having recently joined Manufacturing Insights from a large enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor, I have some firsthand experience in partnerships. It occurred to me that some of the partnering insights outlined in the Electronic Business article could also be applied to manufacturing and supply chain technology vendors that continue to face the realities of either competing or partnering with larger ERP vendors. So with some literary license, let me share some of my personal insights.