What is partnership identification research?
Partnership identification entails the detection and evaluation of potential strategic alliances to foster market presence, innovation and growth opportunities, enhancing organisational capabilities and competitive advantage. Partnership identification research involves:
- Market research and analysis: Conducting research to identify potential partners aligned with organisational goals and market dynamics.
- Partner evaluation: Assessing potential partners’ capabilities, reputation and compatibility to ensure strategic fit and mitigate risks.
- Strategic alignment and compatibility assessment: Evaluating the alignment of potential partners’ goals, values and business strategies to ensure synergy and mutual benefit.
- Negotiation and partnership structuring: Facilitating negotiations and structuring partnership agreements to define roles, responsibilities and mutual expectations.
Some of the main benefits of partnership identification research are:
Gain insights into risks and optimised investment opportunities
Identify innovation and competitiveness potential of synergistic partnerships
Inform connection to complementary resources, expertise and capabilities
Enhance market presence and reach through strategic collaborations
Optimise growth and scalability through aligned strategic alliances
Key questions that are answered by partnership identification research
Partnership identification research endeavours to answer several key questions to inform decision making:
- Which potential partners align strategically with our organisation’s goals and objectives?
- What are the capabilities and reputation of potential partners?
- How compatible are potential partners’ values, cultures and business strategies?
- What risks and opportunities are associated with potential partnerships?
- How can partnership agreements be structured to ensure mutual benefit and success?
In On Africa’s partnership identification research services
Finding the right partners to work with is never an easy task. It not only entails finding companies/individuals that meet a wide range of partnership criteria but also vetting credentials, obtaining client references and doing background checks to ensure optimum suitability. In On Africa (IOA) has a wealth of experience when it comes to identifying suitable partners to work with in Africa.
Our experience in Africa and its many markets stretches from Cape Town to Cairo, Mombasa to Dakar and everything in between. We have helped identify and facilitate partnerships with stakeholders in transportation and logistics, technology and software, upstream (oil and gas) and downstream (lubricants) energy, healthcare and social development and retail, among others.
In all instances, we leverage our mixed methodology approach through our team of in-house analysts, as well as our broad network of consultants and partners on the ground across the continent. Together, all facets and tools at our disposal ensure that stakeholders we work with are guided in the best feasible way when considering doing business in Africa.
Our partnership identification offerings are commonly also implemented as part of our ongoing business development and strategic support services, whereby we work closely with clients to help them grow on the continent through ongoing identification of (and strategy around) potential clients, partners and related opportunities. We often also work with clients who require expert due diligence investigations before finalising partnership discussions. Whatever our clients need to maximise opportunities in Africa, our teams deliver.
Partnership identification project case study:
Identification of manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers for a multinational energy company
Client:
Japanese multinational energy company
Country:
Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Methodology:
Desktop research for partner identification coupled with in-depth interviews to assess partner viability and potential
IOA was contracted by one of Japan’s largest energy companies to support their market research and partnership identification efforts across multiple African markets.
Throughout this extensive project, IOA successfully identified over 880 entities that aligned with our client’s partnership criteria. Our comprehensive research spanned various sectors and involved a detailed analysis of each entity’s market presence, reputation, capabilities and product offerings.
To gain deeper insights into each market’s potential for partnership, IOA conducted in-depth interviews across high-potential markets. These interviews encompassed a diverse group of stakeholders along the value chain, including manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and specialised entities like motor and water vehicle dealerships.
Key project outcome:
IOA delivered detailed analytical reports that synthesised the findings from these markets. These reports were instrumental in shaping our client’s strategic planning for partnership and distribution, enhancing their approach to establishing robust business relationships in their target markets.
Find out more about how IOA can help you identify great strategic partners.
Read more about IOA’s various service offerings and examples of our past work.
Related services offered by IOA:
Business Development & Strategic Support | B2B Research | Competitor Intelligence | Due Diligence Investigations | Geopolitical Research | Industry, Sector & Market Intelligence | Market Assessments | Opportunity Assessments | Risk Assessments