Management science.

Alliance portfolios, or a firm collection of simultaneous alliances, have become
common phenomena particularly in technology industries. These portfolios have been
found to have a significant impact on firms’ financial performance. At the same time,
there is little consensus regarding the direction of this effect. Findings have shown
positive, negative, curvilinear, and non-significant relationships. In this dissertation, I
employed an organizational learning perspective to investigate the effect of alliance
portfolio size on firm financial performance. Using a sample of 343 firm-year
observations in the U.S. software industry, I explored portfolio- and firm-level
characteristics as moderators of this relationship. Findings provide evidence for a
curvilinear, inverted U-shaped relationship between portfolio size and firm performance
that is moderated by the timing of the alliances within the portfolio and by the firms’ Top
Management Team (TMT) turnover.

The purpose of this research is to better understand how marketers and consumers
solve problems. This research first reviews the problem-solving literature, discusses
several areas of confusion related to problem-solving, and offers solutions. After
resolving the confusion, this research then develops a theoretical model of problemsolving.
Four hypotheses are derived from the model, and then empirically tested.
The model states that the distinct cognitive domain of problem-solving begins
with problem recognition. Given a problem, associative memory and associative
activation provide a solution (H #1). This solution is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
If satisfactory, the individual engages in the satisficing process and accepts the solution
(H#2). If unsatisfactory, the individual engages in the decision-making process and
searches for information related to an alternative solution (H #3). Thus, the difference between satisficing and decision-making is the search for information (H #4). Problemsolving
ends when an intended solution is chosen.
A pretest and two studies are conducted to test the four hypotheses. The Pretest
demonstrated situations that elicited problem recognition. Study 1 tested hypothesis #1
and found that at least 75 percent of the time associative memory and associative
activation provided a solution. Study 2 tested hypotheses #2, #3, and #4. Hypotheses #2
and #3 were tested using a two-way ANOVA, Chi-Square, and Point Biserial Correlation
and hypothesis #4 was tested using an independent sample t-test and Point Biserial
Correlation. Results of all empirical tests confirm each of the hypotheses, which in turn
support the theoretical model.