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Interpersonal Relationships

The document discusses different types of inter-firm relationships including strategic alliances, joint ventures, and partnerships. It also covers different design team structures such as functional, cross-functional, matrix, project-based, and hierarchical. Key considerations for designing an effective team structure are also presented.

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John Dimalanta
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9 views

Interpersonal Relationships

The document discusses different types of inter-firm relationships including strategic alliances, joint ventures, and partnerships. It also covers different design team structures such as functional, cross-functional, matrix, project-based, and hierarchical. Key considerations for designing an effective team structure are also presented.

Uploaded by

John Dimalanta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Interpersonal relationships

Humans are naturally social, and our connections with others are crucial for our
well-being. Maintaining interpersonal relationships helps build a support system,
aiding in facing life's challenges. Interpersonal relationships are social bonds
between people, including partners, family, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues.

Inter-firm alliances

Inter-firm alliances are collaborations between organizations aiming to gather


diverse knowledge and capabilities to innovate and develop complex technologies.
Examples include strategic alliances, joint ventures, and close supplier-producer
relationships. These alliances involve separate firms with limited control, requiring
joint decision-making to manage unforeseen contingencies. They blend features of
firms and markets, where partners act in their own interests but coordinate actions.
Alliances vary in operational relationships, whether vertical (between suppliers and
buyers) or horizontal (between companies selling similar products), and can
combine technological and marketing capabilities from different firms. Such
alliances are seen as effective for acquiring complementary assets and achieving
synergies in technology development.

Strategic Alliances fall under the well-known strategic pattern: Build–Buy–Partner.


As a reminder:

Strategic Alliances are categorized within the renowned strategic framework known
as Build–Buy–Partner, which comprises three main approaches:

Build: This involves executing your growth strategy by initiating new projects
internally, investing your own resources and expertise to develop them.
Buy: Mergers & Acquisitions represent the swiftest method to expand your business
by acquiring the targeted company outright.

Partner: This entails forming collaborations with other companies that can assist in
achieving your objectives. A notable example is Microsoft, which, as a startup,
partnered with computer giant IBM to distribute the MS-DOS operating system on
its PCs.

While extensively discussed in literature, each scenario within the Build-Buy-


Partner framework comes with its own set of advantages and drawbacks, which
won’t be elaborated on here. Focusing on Strategic Alliances or Partnering, it is a
strategic choice that encompasses at least four primary dimensions: Cost, Trust,
Control, and Risk (CTCR). In forthcoming articles, we will delve into explaining
these dimensions in greater detail. However, let’s begin by examining the
fundamental taxonomy of inter-firm collaborations.

Partnership strategies encompass a broad spectrum, ranging from simple vendor


relationships to complex equity-based Strategic Alliances, Joint Ventures (JVs), and
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), with the latter representing the pinnacle of control
and risk. Between these two extremes lies a multitude of partnership forms, shaped
by various factors such as the alliance's purpose, anticipated benefits, and targeted
growth objectives (e.g., enhancing brand recognition, generating incremental
revenue, improving margins, accessing new markets, or co-developing solutions).

For instance, a basic form of partnership involves "Reselling" a product with


minimal added value, requiring limited Cost, Trust, Control, and Risk (CTCR)
considerations. However, it still necessitates inter-firm collaboration, monitoring,
and partner management. As partnerships progress along the spectrum, additional
value is infused into the relationship, leading to deeper, longer-term engagements
that expose parties to higher levels of CTCR dynamics. While this increases risk, it
also broadens expectations and potential outcomes.

DESIGN TEAM STRUCTURE


Creating a clear and effective design team structure is a multifaceted endeavor that
demands thorough planning and a systematic approach. Initially, it's essential to
investigate optimal methods for organizing a design team to leverage the strengths of
individual members and enhance collective performance.
Understand the composition of your design team
A design team comprises diverse professionals with different skills, from graphic
and UX/UI designers to illustrators and researchers. Each member brings unique
expertise and perspective to the design process.
Define roles and responsibilities within the team
Establishing distinct roles and responsibilities is essential for an effective design
team. This could involve assigning a team lead to coordinate, make decisions, and
steer the team towards project goals. Additionally, a project manager may handle
planning, scheduling, and budgeting, while designers focus on creating visual assets,
wireframes, and prototypes.

Consider the key factors that will affect your design team structure

Project complexity
Project complexity shapes the design team's structure. Complex projects with
diverse requirements benefit from specialized teams. Assigning members with
specific skills ensures efficient handling and optimal outcomes.
Team size

Team size influences structure. Small teams excel with flexible, collaborative setups,
encouraging open communication and shared responsibilities. Larger teams may
need defined roles and hierarchies for efficient coordination and workflow.
Organizational goals
The design team structure must align with organizational goals. It should support
overall strategies and contribute to the organization's success. For instance, to
become an industry leader, the design team can develop a cohesive brand identity
that reflects the company's values and appeals to the target audience.
Desired outcomes
Your team's structure should be tailored to optimize its capacity to efficiently and
effectively attain your desired objectives. For instance, if fostering innovation is a
key aim, a structure that encourages cross-functional collaboration and the exchange
of ideas would be preferable. Such a setup cultivates a creative and forward-thinking
atmosphere, thereby nurturing innovation within the team.
Skill sets and expertise
Before finalizing a particular team structure, it's crucial to evaluate the necessary
skill sets and expertise for the project or tasks in question. By doing so, you ensure
that your team possesses the appropriate combination of skills to fulfill project
requirements effectively, facilitating smooth execution and the delivery of high-
quality results.

Common design team structures


Design teams come in all shapes and sizes, but there are a few common structures
that are used by companies and teams worldwide.

In a functional design team structure, members are grouped based on their areas of
expertise or functions, such as user research, visual design, or interaction design.
Each functional group operates independently, focusing on its specific domain.

Cross-functional structure

A cross-functional design team structure brings together individuals from different


disciplines and skill sets into a single team, promoting collaboration and a holistic
approach to problem-solving.
Matrix structure
The matrix design team structure combines elements of functional and cross-
functional structures, providing both specialized expertise within functional areas
and collaboration across projects. For example, a visual designer may be
a part of the visual design team but also work closely with a project team on specific
projects.

Project-based structure

In a project-based design team structure, teams are formed specifically for each
project or initiative. In other words, a team is assembled with members who have the
necessary skills and expertise for the particular project. When the project is
completed, the team disbands, and the members may join other project teams.

Hierarchical structure

A hierarchical design team structure follows a traditional organizational hierarchy


with clear levels of authority and reporting lines. It may include design managers,
team leads, and individual designers, for example. The hierarchical structure is often
effective for large design teams, where clear lines of communication and
management are crucial.

Assessing and improving your design team structure

The following are some top ways to assess and improve your team structure:
 Evaluate the current structure: Before making any changes, you must
assess the strengths and weaknesses of the existing design team structure.
This can be done through feedback surveys, team meetings, or individual
discussions.
 Determine improvement areas: Based on the evaluation, you can then
identify improvement areas. Common areas include communication gaps,
decision-making processes, and collaboration issues. By pinpointing these
areas, you can develop targeted strategies for improvement.
 Implement changes: Implementing changes to the design team structure
requires careful planning and communication. Develop a transition plan that
outlines the steps, timelines, and responsibilities involved. Communicate the
changes transparently to the team, addressing any concerns or questions. You
will also need to regularly monitor the new structure and make adjustments
as needed.
Ultimately, your design team structure must promote effective communication and
collaboration, build a positive team culture, and encourage professional
growth among team members.

REFERENCES
https://www.playbook.com/blog/design-team-structure/#:~:text=The%20hierarchical
%20structure%20is%20often,communication%20and%20management%20are
%20crucial.&text=A%20clear%20chain%20of%20command,to%20a%20higher
%2Dlevel%20manager.

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/mergers-
acqisitions/us-strategic-alliance.pdf

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/1-intra-firm-collaborations-back-roots-
fundamentals-monchauzou-
https://9781da.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/BGC-AllianceDef-
Encyc02.pdf

https://alliancestrategy.com/alliance-definition/#:~:text=An%20inter%2Dfirm
%20alliance%20is,each%20firm%20has%20limited%20control.

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-maintain-interpersonal-relationships-
5204856

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