Modeling voice and exit strategies within industrial network relationships

The quality of the relationship between collaborating companies is becoming fundamental to mutual growth and success. The aim of the research detailed in this paper is to examine and model the relationships between partnering companies and in particular the quality of these relationships. The research has shown that a variety of different types of relationships can result. Some are positive to the partnering companies but others have a distinct "I -win: you-lose" feel about them. The actual variety of these relationships has been modeled using Transactional Analysis (TA) game theory developed by Eric Berne. At the present time the transaction model is being tested in a number of industrial settings to see if games actually exist, to see if they conform to the established library of TA games and to investigate methods of mitigating the effect of some of the more negative form of games.