Creating Profit Through Alliances - business models for collaboration E-book | Page 97
However, this turned out to be a complex operation
with relatively large salary increases. It was agreed
that over time the percentage of St. Jacob workers
will decrease. The division of shares in JacobSchoon
will remain unchanged, on account of the fact that St.
Jacob wants to retain control.
So far, the results of the alliance are good. There is
hardly any issue between the employees about the
difference in salary between Hago and St. Jacob
cleaners, the sickness absenteeism rate is falling, and
everyone concerned is satisfied.
The challenge for Carola Put – de Vreugd is to
optimise the financial results of the alliance: Hago
was already used to charging all the costs it incurs,
Termination of the alliance
and now St. Jacob is getting used to this process as
well. At some locations the cleaners help with the
care process while the nurses share in some cleaning
activities. This needs to be worked out better.
Activities that were not considered during the
negotiations, such as floor maintenance, are
opportunities for extra work.
Carola explains: “There was already a strong measure
of trust between St. Jacob and Hago. That made it
possible to forge the alliance in a short time. No
other parties were considered, except for another
division of Vebego that could perform some extra
care tasks, but this did not suit the philosophy of St.
Jacob. The mutual trust provided a perfect start for
the joint venture JacobSchoon.”
In some cases a collaboration will end upon the
completion of a project. Apart from possible shared
guarantee obligations, the bond between the
partners is dissolved. In most cases, however, it
cannot be envisioned clearly beforehand when a
collaboration will cease to exist.
This means that two matters have to be arranged:
It needs to be clear who can end the
partnership: each partner individually, or only by
all partners jointly? If no arrangements have
been made, then generally the latter case
applies.
If the alliance is terminated, it needs to be clear
what happens with the possible reserves, debts,
patents, rights and obligations. It could be that
one of the partners wishes to continue the
activities and wants to buy out the other.
Various regulations exist to facilitate this
process.
95