Strategic alliances in the dairy industry
European dairy firms face intensified competition and continuously new challenges raised by a more dynamic business environment. Many important market players affect the dairy business environment; retailers are subject to structural changes as they are internationalizing and consolidating, food...
| Autor principal: | |
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| Formato: | Otro |
| Lenguaje: | sueco Inglés |
| Publicado: |
2005
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/10958/ |
| _version_ | 1855571782507954176 |
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| author | Hedberg, Sofia |
| author_browse | Hedberg, Sofia |
| author_facet | Hedberg, Sofia |
| author_sort | Hedberg, Sofia |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | European dairy firms face intensified competition and continuously new challenges raised by
a more dynamic business environment. Many important market players affect the dairy
business environment; retailers are subject to structural changes as they are internationalizing
and consolidating, food service is a fast growing sector, consumer demand is shifting and
changes in the agricultural policy will influence future strategies. To be able to handle all
business environmental issues simultaneously firms can benefit from co-operating with
others. The top 15 dairies in Europe have initiated more than 200 strategic alliances over the
last four years. In this thesis six types of strategic alliances are accounted for; mergers,
acquisitions, joint ventures, shares, licensing agreements and general/unspecified co-operating
agreements. These types differ in terms of financial and resource integration.
The aim of this study is to assess possible choices of alliance formation in the European dairy
industry with special reference to Arla Foods and a few of its main competitors. Firms embark
into alliances with the aim of supplementing each other's set of resources. To examine these
firms' possibilities in the strategic alliance activities the resource-based theory is applied. Arla
Foods, Friesland Coberco, Campina (cooperatives) and Danone (IOF), are subject to this
study. The three cooperatives have internal disparities when it comes to organizational and
financial structure, and apparently, this has implications for their respective choices of
strategic alliances.
Motives, strategic fit and resources held by firms are important variables when examining the
phenomenon of strategic alliances, and differences can be distinguished between firms
regarding these factors. Different motives evoke strategic alliances, like international
expansion, further penetration on markets where the firms are already present and to
strengthen product portfolios. Different motives advocate different types of alliances, so
depending on a firm's strategy different types of alliances are more or less appropriate. Other
reasons why a firm chooses a certain type of alliance is its ability to take risks and its ability
to raise necessary financial means. Strategic fit between two allying firms are of substantial
importance if the level of resource or financial integration is high as in the cases of mergers
and acquisitions. What kind of resources a firm holds is elementary in these matters.
Attractive resources send signals to potential partners. Looking at the resources contributed in
different alliances formed by the firms in this study it is obvious that financial resources are
the far most important.
Arla Foods has taken a leading role in the strategic alliance activities in the dairy industry,
forming many alliances utilizing the whole range of alliance types. Arla Foods diverge from
Friesland Coberco and Campina to the extent that it has no allocated capital (owned
individually by the members). Friesland Coberco and Campina both have cooperative forms
that allow them to raise financial means either from members, in Campina's case, or from
external investors, in Friesland Coberco's case, which makes them able to form alliances that
require substantial financial means. Arla Foods has primarily formed joint ventures,
capitalizing on its competence and market position, while Friesland Coberco and Campina
have made several acquisitions, using their financial facilities. So, the organizational mode
matters when it comes to strategic alliance activities conducted by dairy cooperatives. |
| format | Otro |
| id | RepoSLU10958 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Swedish Inglés |
| publishDate | 2005 |
| publishDateSort | 2005 |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU109582017-09-19T11:39:32Z https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/10958/ Strategic alliances in the dairy industry Hedberg, Sofia Cooperatives Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences (until 2013) European dairy firms face intensified competition and continuously new challenges raised by a more dynamic business environment. Many important market players affect the dairy business environment; retailers are subject to structural changes as they are internationalizing and consolidating, food service is a fast growing sector, consumer demand is shifting and changes in the agricultural policy will influence future strategies. To be able to handle all business environmental issues simultaneously firms can benefit from co-operating with others. The top 15 dairies in Europe have initiated more than 200 strategic alliances over the last four years. In this thesis six types of strategic alliances are accounted for; mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, shares, licensing agreements and general/unspecified co-operating agreements. These types differ in terms of financial and resource integration. The aim of this study is to assess possible choices of alliance formation in the European dairy industry with special reference to Arla Foods and a few of its main competitors. Firms embark into alliances with the aim of supplementing each other's set of resources. To examine these firms' possibilities in the strategic alliance activities the resource-based theory is applied. Arla Foods, Friesland Coberco, Campina (cooperatives) and Danone (IOF), are subject to this study. The three cooperatives have internal disparities when it comes to organizational and financial structure, and apparently, this has implications for their respective choices of strategic alliances. Motives, strategic fit and resources held by firms are important variables when examining the phenomenon of strategic alliances, and differences can be distinguished between firms regarding these factors. Different motives evoke strategic alliances, like international expansion, further penetration on markets where the firms are already present and to strengthen product portfolios. Different motives advocate different types of alliances, so depending on a firm's strategy different types of alliances are more or less appropriate. Other reasons why a firm chooses a certain type of alliance is its ability to take risks and its ability to raise necessary financial means. Strategic fit between two allying firms are of substantial importance if the level of resource or financial integration is high as in the cases of mergers and acquisitions. What kind of resources a firm holds is elementary in these matters. Attractive resources send signals to potential partners. Looking at the resources contributed in different alliances formed by the firms in this study it is obvious that financial resources are the far most important. Arla Foods has taken a leading role in the strategic alliance activities in the dairy industry, forming many alliances utilizing the whole range of alliance types. Arla Foods diverge from Friesland Coberco and Campina to the extent that it has no allocated capital (owned individually by the members). Friesland Coberco and Campina both have cooperative forms that allow them to raise financial means either from members, in Campina's case, or from external investors, in Friesland Coberco's case, which makes them able to form alliances that require substantial financial means. Arla Foods has primarily formed joint ventures, capitalizing on its competence and market position, while Friesland Coberco and Campina have made several acquisitions, using their financial facilities. So, the organizational mode matters when it comes to strategic alliance activities conducted by dairy cooperatives. Konkurrensen på den europeiska mejerimarknaden hårdnar, och företagen måste vara flexibla för att klara sig under de allt mer dynamiska förhållanden. Många viktiga marknadsaktörer påverkar mejeriföretagen; dagligvaruhandeln koncentreras och internationaliseras mer och mer, storkökssektorn växer snabbt och får en allt större roll, konsumentbeteendet ändras och framtida revideringar av jordbrukspolitiken kommer att få stora konsekvenser för mejeriernas strategier. För att hantera dessa förändringar och samtidigt behålla sina konkurrensfördelar kan företagen samarbeta med andra. De senaste fyra åren har de 15 största mejeriföretagen i Europa ingått mer än 200 strategiska allianser. I denna uppsats behandlas sex typer av allianser, nämligen sammanslagningar, uppköp, joint ventures, delägande, licensavtal och generella, ospecificerade samarbeten. Skillnader mellan dessa kan till stor del förklaras av olika grader av finansiell och resursmässig integrering. Syftet med uppsatsen är att utröna vilka möjligheter som finns till alliansbildningar bland europeiska mejeriföretag, med fokus på Arla Foods och några av dess huvudkonkurrenter. Företag bildar allianser för att komplettera varandras resurser. För att undersöka företagens möjligheter till allianser används den s k resursbaserade teorin. Arla Foods, Friesland Coberco, Campina (alla tre bondekooperativa) och Danone (börsnoterat aktiebolag), är föremål för denna stud ie. De tre kooperativen skiljer sig åt både organisatoriskt och finansiellt, och detta har uppenbarligen betydelse för deras respektive val av allianser. Motiv, strategisk kompatibilitet och resurser i respektive företag är tre viktiga variabler, när man undersöker strategiska allianser. Företagen skiljer sig åt rörande dessa variabler. Olika typer av motiv kan föranleda allianser, såsom strävan efter internationell expansion, ökad marknadsandel på befintliga marknader och en starkare produktportfölj. Motivet har betydelse för vilken typ av allians som bör väljas, vilket leder till att företagens strategier påverkar deras val av allianstyp. Andra faktorer som påverkar valet ar företagets benägenhet att ta risker och och dess förmåga att skaffa finansiella medel. Strategisk överensstämmelse mellan parterna i en allians är av stor betydelse om graden av integration är hög, exempelvis vid uppköp och sammanslagningar. Vilken typ av resurser som företagen har är av väsentlig vikt. Attraktiva resurser attraherar potentiella partners. Det är tydligt att nyckelresursen i de allianser, som ingåtts av företagen i denna studie, är finansiella medel. Arla Foods har en ledande roll bland mejeriföretagen när det gäller strategiska allianser. Företaget har initierat flest allianser och har allianser av alla typer. Det skiljer sig från de övriga två kooperativen i denna uppsats genom att det inte har något individuellt kapital. Friesland Coberco och Campina har kooperativa former, som gör det möjligt för dem att skaffa kapital antingen från medlemmarna (Campina) eller från externa investerare (Friesland Coberco), vilket möjliggör allianser som kräver stora ekonomiska insatser. Arla Foods har huvudsakligen allierat sig genom joint ventures, varvid det utnyttjar sina kompetens er och sin starka marknadsposition. Friesland Cobercos och Campinas allianser domineras av uppköp. Med andra ord har mejeriföretagens organisationssätt betydelse för deras strategiska allianser. 2005-02-03 Other NonPeerReviewed application/pdf sv https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/10958/1/hedberg_s_170919.pdf Hedberg, Sofia, 2004. Strategic alliances in the dairy industry : with special reference to Arla Foods. UNSPECIFIED, Uppsala. Uppsala: (NL, NJ) > Dept. of Economics <https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/view/divisions/OID-510.html> urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-s-6995 eng |
| spellingShingle | Cooperatives Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences (until 2013) Hedberg, Sofia Strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| title | Strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| title_full | Strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| title_fullStr | Strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| title_short | Strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| title_sort | strategic alliances in the dairy industry |
| topic | Cooperatives Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences (until 2013) |
| url | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/10958/ https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/10958/ |