The 17 PROPAT Characteristics
- A willingness to change and take risks
- Acceptance of interdependence
- Trust
- Seeking absolute not relative advantage
- Long-term Commitment
- Capacity to learn
- Communication
- Coordination
- Flexibility
- Objective self assessment
- Active membership in social networks
- Awareness about alliances
- Ability to resolve conflict
- Patience
- People before structure
- Loyalty to existing members
- Thrift
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Self-criticism
Self-criticism and objective assessment of one's own contributions
A balanced and harmonious alliance usually involves complementary equals, where both partners are capable of contributing equal but complementary strengths to the alliance e.g. Bleeke and Ernst (1991), Kanter (1994), Ahuja (2000).
Partners, however, may have different and biased perceptions of the relative validity and extent of these strengths and may exaggerate their own contribution in terms of their partner’s.
When this happens they may view themselves as enjoying greater power in the relationship and make demands which will be viewed by the other side as being unreasonable and unjustified (Cook and Emerson, 1978).
This is a situation which may inhibit the formation of the alliance altogether or lead to conflict at some later stage in the alliance.
The formation of a successful alliance therefore requires partners to have a realistic and objective perception of their own contributions to the partnerships and their resultant bargaining position.