Strategic alliances

One of the fastest growing trends for business today is the increasing number of strategic
alliances. According to Booz-Allen & Hamilton, strategic alliances are sweeping through
nearly every industry and are becoming an essential driver of superior growth. Alliances
range in scope from an informal business relationship based on a simple contract to a
joint venture agreement in which for legal and tax purposes either a corporation or
partnership is set up to manage the alliance.

For small businesses, strategic alliances are a way to work together with others towards a
common goal while not losing their individuality. Alliances are a way of reaping the
rewards of team effort - and the gains from forming strategic alliances appear to be
substantial. Companies participating in alliances report that at much as 18 percent of their
revenues comes from their alliances.

But it isn't just profit that is motivating this increase in alliances. Other factors include an
increasing intensity of competition, a growing need to operate on a global scale, a fast
changing marketplace, and industry convergence in many markets (for example, in the
financial services industry, banks, investment firms, and insurance companies are
overlapping more and more in the products they supply). Especially in a time when
growing international marketing is becoming the norm, these partnerships can leverage
your growth through alliances with international partners. Rather than take on the risk
and expense that international expansion can demand, one can enter international markets
by finding an appropriate alliance with a business operating in the marketplace you desire
to enter.

A strategic alliance is essentially a partnership in which you combine efforts in projects

ranging from getting a better price for supplies by buying in bulk together to building a
product together with each of you providing part of its production. The goal of alliances
is to minimize risk while maximizing your leverage and profit. Alliances are often
confused with mergers, acquisitions, and outsourcing. While there are similarities in the
circumstances in which a business might consider one these solutions, they are far from
the same. Mergers and acquisitions are permanent, structural changes in how the
company exists. Outsourcing is simply a way of purchasing a functional service for the
company.

An alliance is simply a business-to-business collaboration. Another term that is

frequently used in conjunction with alliances is establishing a business network.
Alliances are formed for joint marketing, joint sales or distribution, joint production,
design collaboration, technology licensing, and research and development. Relationships
can be vertical between a vendor and a customer, horizontal between vendors, local, or
global. Alliances often are established formally in a joint venture or partnership.

Businesses use strategic alliances to:

achieve advantages of scale, scope and speed
increase market penetration
Enhance competitiveness in domestic and/or global markets
Enhance product development
Develop new business opportunities through new products and services
Expand market development
Increase exports
Diversify
Create new businesses
Reduce costs.

Strategic alliances are becoming a more and more common tool for expanding the reach
of your company without committing yourself to expensive internal expansions beyond
your core business.

Strategic Alliances

Unisys teams up with other industry leaders to capitalize on each other’s strengths and
develop the most reliable and secure solutions available. Our alliances allow us to
innovate, develop new technologies, and offer clients cutting-edge products and services.

Our work with leading consulting, technology, and software companies allows us to
address pressing needs in Financial Services, Public Sector, Communications,
Transportation, and Commercial markets. These relationships help us create offerings
that ensure our clients achieve exceptional performance, control costs, gain a competitive
advantage, and effectively manage risk. To learn more about our alliances, visit the links
below.

Unisys and Cisco Since 1993, Unisys has been

collaborating with Cisco, the worldwide leader in Internet networking and the first
company to use the Internet to sell products
Unisys and Dell
For over a decade Unisys has had a relationship with Dell. As a Global Dell Services
Provider, Unisys provides everything from next-day service for desktop systems to high-
end support solutions for complex enterprise environments. We use our proven tools and
repeatable methodologies to maintain a global service delivery network that can handle
our customers’ most exacting standards.

Unisys and EMC

Unisys is a worldwide leader in storage services, and we have a long and strong
relationship with EMC, as well as many customers worldwide. Together we deliver the
services and technology customers need to implement successful information lifecycle
management strategies in a cost-effective way.

Unisys and IBM

Unisys and IBM established a relationship in 2005. We partner with the IBM Software
Group, the IBM Systems and Technology Group, and the IBM Lab Services organization
to provide our clients solutions that create middle–line operational efficiencies, reduce
risk, and achieve maximum return on IT investments. Unisys uses IBM technologies to
develop products and services in vertical markets.

Unisys and Intel®

For more than 30 years, Unisys and Intel® have worked together to provide clients with
enterprise–ready solutions that meet or exceed industry standards. These solutions strive
to solve large, complex IT challenges, while offering our customers excellent price,
superior performance, and investment protection. Unisys utilizes Intel architecture in
Unisys server platforms.

Learn more >>

Unisys and Microsoft®

Unisys and Microsoft® deliver secure, scalable solutions that harness the power of
people and technology to ensure our customers can realize the value of enterprise
visibility. We help our customers achieve total alignment of their business strategy,
process, applications, and infrastructure and understand the technology influences and
interactions that affect their businesses.

Unisys and NEC

In February 2006, Unisys signed a global alliance agreement with NEC. This alliance
enables us to collaborate in technology research, development, manufacturing, and
solutions delivery. Together NEC and Unisys offer innovation at less cost through a
common server platform, shared software development, support services, and solution
integration.

Unisys and Oracle

For more than 20 years Unisys has collaborated with Oracle. Embracing the technology
that originated from Siebel, PeopleSoft, BEA, Hyperion, and other members of the
Oracle family, we deliver superior client value by combining the Unisys service and
technology portfolio with Oracle’s leading enterprise software solutions.
 Unisys and SAP
Since 1997, Unisys has been collaborating with SAP, a provider of collaborative business
solutions for industries in every major market. Combining our decades of experience, we
provide clients with reduced risk for their most challenging business requirements,
including end-to-end process integration, capacity planning, and the reliability and
performance needed to support enterprise solutions.