The document discusses various types of external growth strategies for businesses, including partnerships, strategic alliances, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, licensing, and franchising. It provides definitions and examples for each type of strategy. Partnerships and strategic alliances are described as leveraging the strengths of each partner to create value greater than the sum of the parts. Mergers and acquisitions are discussed as ways for companies to grow, though mergers often do not achieve expected cost savings. The advantages of external growth strategies include reducing competition and gaining access to new markets and expertise, while the disadvantages include potential incompatibility of cultures and loss of flexibility.
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