MOTIVATING STRATEGIC ALLIANCES FOR COMPOSITE INFORMATION SYSTEMS: The Case of A Maior Regional Hospital

This paper explores the nature of strategic goals underlying composite information systems (CIS) and ways to increase the likelihood of success. It studies a major regional hospital and its relationships with its physicians a s part of an actual case study for providing physicians and staff convenient interface to disparate hospital departments. This situation is a particularly appropriate CIS example since the relationship is clearly loosely-coupled and inter-dependent (i.e., the physicians can affiliate with any hospital they want). Thfee approaches to motivate strategic alliances are identified: bi-directional benefits, co-operative payoffs, and asymmetrical control. Furthermore, examples are given on how these approaches were used in conjunction with the hospital's CIS.