Alliance Management
Cooperating Competitors
Some technologies can only be marketed successfully when competitors cooperate to make their products compatible. We create industry alliances that develop standardized interfaces between products and manage these organizations as a neutral facilitator.
Governance models
The cooperating companies need rules for making decisions and for funding the cooperation. These governance rules can take the form of a joint development agreement or be written in the bylaws of a dedicated legal entity. Treffers Alliance Management will facilitate the multi-party negotiations about the governance model and the goals of a the new alliance.
The choice of governance model will influence how quickly results are delivered, but also how eager the participants will contribute resources, ideas, and people. Alliances that are controlled by a small group of business partners can make decisions quickly but companies outside that inner circle will have little interest to invest.
Meeting facilitators
When a large number of companies needs to cooperate as equal partners, it will help when meetings are chaired by a neutral facilitator. The participants in these meetings represent their company and usually have equal voting rights in meetings. That makes these meetings unlike normal business meetings. In business meetings ii is usually clear who is in charge and who will decide the outcome.
A good facilitator gives all participants the opportunity to contribute but prevents endless debate. It is an essential skill to know when the group is ready to make an informed decision.
Certification programs
Many industry alliances use a trademarked logo as indicator that products are compliant with the technical specification. These alliances need a trademark license program linked with technical certification of product compliance. Treffers Alliances Management will develop the license and certification program, and manage the operations.
Publications on Meeting Management
Guide for voting in meetings of industry groups
Guidelines for voting. How to make the most common voting procedures work, taking the unique requirements of industry alliances and consortiums into account. Simple yes/no voting, Voting on a series of options. Quorum, Confidentiality, and Tools.
Robert’s Rules of Order
Robert’s Rules of Order are brilliant. Robert’s Rules of Order are also problematic. The unusual terminology and complexity make it unsuitable for international groups.
Guide to chairing an Industry Alliance Meeting
Meetings of industry alliances are about getting decisions made. It is the responsibility of the chair to organize the decision-making process. The chair is a facilitator, not the decision-maker.
Organizing Successful Meetings
A multi-day meeting of an international group needs meeting rooms, web meeting facilities, audio conferencing facilities, catering, and nearby hotels and restaurants.
Audio Conferencing Equipment
I prefer to bring audio conferencing equipment with me when I organize a meeting. This post covers the requirements for audio conferencing and how to meet the requirements with the Yamaha YVC-1000.
The Psychology of Meeting Rooms
The layout of a meeting room determines how participants interact and how they understand the role of the person chairing the meeting.
Publications on Standards Battle
Managing Competition Between Standards
Two interface standards will compete for adoption when they target the same application and are mutually exclusive (cannot be combined in a single product). Managing competing standards in separate organizations makes it easier to let the market decide the winner.
Proprietary or open standard? A case study
It was November 2011 and my goal for the meeting was to try avoid a battle between standards for wireless charging of mobile phones. This is the story about the standards battle between the Wireless Power Consortium and Powermat.
Network effect: difficult market introduction
Products with a strong network effect are notoriously difficult to introduce. Adoption is slow compared with other products. For such products, a successful market introduction often requires cooperation between companies.
Publications on Governance
Comparing the bylaws of standards organizations
Comparison of the rules that govern 12 standards organizations: 3GPP, Bluetooth SIG, ETSI, FIDO Alliance, GSMA, HDMI Forum, IEC, IETF, MIPI, USB IF, Wi-Fi Alliance, and Zhaga.
How to justify participation in standards development
Participating in standards development is expensive. The justification depends on the company’s products. Is that product a consumer product, or a component, or a technology license? The benefits and costs are different. Justification is particularly difficult for startups.
How to develop an industry standard
Products with standard interfaces are easier to sell, easier to design, and cheaper to manufacture. What are your options when you have decided that a new standard interface is needed to make your product successful?
Choosing name and logo for a group of cooperating companies
Each new industry standards group will need a name, a logo, and a website. What are good names and logos? How to find them, design them?