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Technical and political barriers to international collaboration are coming down, and it's often the best way to get new product and process solutions designed and delivered cost-effectively and quickly.
Today's global economy means businesses, more often than not, will find themselves working over geographical boundaries with colleagues, partners, suppliers or customers. Globalisation is far from a new phenomenon, but it's only now that companies are truly getting to grips with how to best exploit these long-distance relationships and deliver the best possible return.
The most successful collaborative business relationships are based on a strong foundation, with each company involved working to a well-defined role, playing to its particular strengths and sharing its knowledge with all others in the partnership. Achieving this can give a valuable source of competitive advantage, maximise the productivity of everyone involved in the partnership and reduce costs. Learning to work effectively from afar can also take steps to cut down business travel and therefore lower carbon footprints and the environmental impact of business. But successful collaboration isn't an easy task. Technology can now provide the means for remote parties to work together like never before, but there are many barriers to consider and overcome if a relationship is to succeed.
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