Exploring the Knowledge Network of Strategic Alliance Research: A Co-citation Analysis

This study is to describe the knowledge network of strategic alliance studies embedded in the leading articles and to explore the key research themes in this field between 1999 and 2008. A total of 521 articles with 21,493 cited references were extracted from the Social Science Citation Index and the Science Citation Index. By using bibliometric methods, the citation and co-citation counts obtained were analyzed and then mapped with multivariate analysis and social network analysis techniques. Three main research themes of the strategic alliance field between the period 1999 and 2008 were discovered. They are strategic alliance formation; learning and absorptive capability; and the relationship and characteristics of partnership success. In addition, the knowledge network of strategic alliance studies is graphically mapped in a two-dimensional space to visualize spatial distances between intellectual themes. The results can help researchers to gain a better understanding of the major themes, concepts, and relationships related to strategic alliance research. This study provides a useful channel to access the publications in this field and to identify the research direction of strategic alliance studies.