Building Communications Capacity through Strategic Alliances

Background: Private industry has a vested interest in maintaining a healthy workforce and consumer population.  In addition, the increasingly competitive marketplace and technology-facilitated bombardment of media messages require business to strategically invest in developing and building brand awareness and loyalty.  Health communicators and non-profit administrators are in key positions to leverage their public health knowledge and networks to form strategic alliances with for-profit entities to build their individual and organizational capacity. A review of the literature reveals both nonprofit and for-profit organizations are entering into strategic alliances to develop competitive advantages in marketing, quality, innovation, and cost. Strategic alliance activities between Allsup and the National Family Caregivers Association will be examined and used to illustrate key concepts.

Program background:  Allsup initiated its strategic alliance program in 2009. Key concepts will be illustrated by the strategic alliance activities undertaken thus far and the alliance between  Allsup and the National Family Caregivers Association will be examined in-depth.

Evaluation Methods and Results: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation measures will be discussed.

Conclusions: Developing and institutionalizing mutually beneficial relationships---strategic alliances---leverage resources, build individual and organizational capacity (including communications capacity), enhance operations and service delivery and build and promote brand/issue awareness.

Implications for research and/or practice: Non-profit and for-profit organizations may benefit from seeking out and developing strategic alliances.  Development of an organization's strategic alliance inventory (value it brings) and criteria (benefits it seeks) for partners is a promising first step toward building organizational capacity.