1. Alliances:
A Case Study
SSP Panel 4C
June 3, 2005
Audrey D. Melkin
Atypon Systems, Inc.
AnthroSource: the project
The partners –
q American Anthropological Association
§ 11,000 member organization with 36 divisions
§ With initial funding from the Mellon
Foundation
q University of California Press
q Atypon Systems, Inc.
AnthroSource: the Vision
q to become the indispensable research
and educational resource for
anthropologists;
q the primary professional venue for
building global communities based on
anthropological knowledge;
q the authoritative source for a public
understanding of anthropology
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2. Background:
q American Anthropological Association
distributes an RFP to find a university
press to publish its journals and to create
AnthroSource
q University of California Press wins the bid
with Atypon as their technology partner
q AS Steering Committee with librarians,
academics, AAA divisions, members is
formed
Each partner brings needed strengths:
q Atypon: superior technology for building
a portal including PDFplus technology
q University of California Press: top-tier
university press experienced in working
with societies and online journals
q AAA: the society at the center of
anthropology research, education, and
dissemination
Questions for a successful alliance:
q What are the expectations of each
partner?
q What are the timetables & deliverables?
q How do three partners (actually five!)
work together successfully?
q How will problems be resolved?
q How is accountability measured?
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3. Often alliances choose us .…
q Business requirements dictate the choice
of partners before asking :
“Is this a good match”?
q But you need to institute smart alliance
principles after you get going, if not
before
q Fundamental to this task is:
§ Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
An alliance is like a relationship:
q The courtship or idealization phase
Selling each other
q The discovery or marriage phase
Working together
q The reality phase or
“Making it work – warts & all”
Inevitably problems arise…
q Legacy content can’t be destroyed and
new digitization vendors must be found
q GUI and design discussions are complex
over what’s included in the agreement
and what isn’t
q Timetables shift as work becomes more
involved & complexities emerge
q Product launch plans disrupted when the
AAA Annual Conference is derailed by a
strike
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4. How to repair a frayed alliance (1)
Identify the root problems:
q Lack of communication
q Hidden assumptions and agendas
q Technical misunderstandings
q Unanticipated occurrences
How to repair a frayed alliance? – (2)
Focus on communication and:
q Set up a face to face meeting
q Review perceptions as well as reality
q Ask: What went well? What didn’t and
give frank assessments of roles &
performance to date
q Ask: how can the future build on past
successes and avoid past failures?
Moving forward
q Celebrate the successes of the project
q Work together closely on the vision for
the future
q No assumptions!
q Keep communicating!
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