Abstract

A strategic alliance is a collaborative approach among firms formulated and implemented to collectively meet shared objectives through the sharing of knowledge and resources. It provides the means of attaining and developing new markets and technology as well as acquiring new means of distribution. Sustainability, in economic, societal and environmental terms is about sound stewardship that provides for the present while meeting the challenges that bring about a more stable and orchestrated future for firms and citizens. There is immense interest globally from policymakers, industry leaders, consumers, and the public in general in the management of strategic alliances for meeting sustainability challenges. Successful strategies and practices for the development of sustainable strategic alliances depend on many factors. Arguably, most important is the development of trust and cooperation among people through effective communication. A resourceful way to achieve this, and more, is through online social networking. Online social networking has become a well researched and widely deployed communications mechanism. It is now an oft-used method of connecting people distributed across time and space. Online social networks allow users to realize the collective intelligence in a community. This research explores the possibility of online social networking as a panacea for solving some of the problems and issues associated with sustainable strategic alliances. Our research suggests that the synergies garnered through strategic alliances sharing sustainable principles, practices and ultimately culture through online social networks are immense. We posit that more research is needed into the concepts, models, frameworks, processes, and technologies that would underpin such sustainable strategic alliances for today’s rapidly changing, highly connected, global business environment. Therefore, this research will endeavor to propose concepts, models, and technologies to assist in the practice of meeting the aforementioned sustainability challenges.