FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW WITH SENIOR MANAGER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT

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FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW WITH SENIOR

MANAGER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT

BENELUX

INTERVIEWEE: Senior Manager Business Development (cluster Heat & Wholesale)

DATE: October 8, 2010

Goal of this face-to-face interview

A clear understanding of how the informant perceives success in the field of strategic alliances. There will be focused on a particular alliance between E.ON Benelux and Gemeente Rotterdam, namely ‘Het Warmtebedrijf’. And a clear understanding of the opinion of the informant about the preliminary conclusions and recommendations of this research.

This interview has been divided into two parts:

1. questions concerning how the informant perceives success in the field of strategic alliances. 2. specific questions concerning an alliance between E.ON Benelux and Gemeente Rotterdam,

namely ‘Het Warmtebedrijf’.

3. questions concerning the opinion of the informant about the preliminary conclusions and recommendations of this research.

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

PART I

QUESTIONS CONCERNING HOW THE INFORMANT

PERCEIVES SUCCESS IN THE FIELD OF STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

Prior empirical studies have shown that a structured approach to strategic alliances leads to better results and thus to higher success rates. A structured approach includes first determining a level of ambition in strategic alliances, second building/developing a capability to partner, and third following a process-based approach to individual alliances (strategic alliance process). As part of the strategic alliance process, evaluation (based on performance metrics) is of great importance.

The research at E.ON Benelux has revealed that E.ON Benelux made little use of evaluation (based on performance metrics) so far. It also appears that almost all alliances at E.ON Benelux are considered as successful.

The prior questionnaire of this research, in which you were involved, only paid little attention to alliance success. Based on the situation outlined above, it is valuable for this research to get a deeper understanding of alliance success at E.ON Benelux.

The following questions are formulated:

Question 1:

It is interesting to know why E.ON Benelux is successful with their alliances despite the fact that they hardly follow a structured approach to strategic alliances and make little use of evaluation (based on performance metrics).

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Question 2:

Which metrics are currently used by E.ON Benelux to measure success of their alliances (current situation)? Check the appropriate box(es)

Which metrics should be used in the future by E.ON Benelux to measure success of their alliances (desired situation)? Check the appropriate box(es)

Please motivate your answer.

Current situation Desired situation Realized financial goals

Realized non-financial (relational) goals

Realized common goals

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Question 3:

I would like to know if the alliances of E.ON Benelux mentioned in this question are successful or unsuccessful (concerning the still existing alliances, success implies ‘are they on track’)

Please motivate your answer (based on the currently used performance metrics mentioned in question 2).

E.ON Benelux & PDM (process improvement)

Successful Unsuccessful Unknown

E.ON Benelux & Rendac (biomass)

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E.ON Benelux & Gate Terminal (heat)

E.ON Benelux & Happy Shrimp Farm (residual heat)

E.ON Benelux & Lloyd’s Register Nederland (power plant inspection)

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E.ON Benelux & Gemeente Rotterdam (residual heat)

E.ON Benelux & NUON/Eneco (heat)

E.ON Benelux & Aardwarmte Den Haag (geothermal heat)

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E.ON Benelux & Synpact (brand introduction and lead-realization)

E.ON Benelux & Referro (brand introduction and lead-realization)

E.ON Benelux & Lyondell (Combined Heat and Power plant)

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E.ON Benelux & Electrabel (Carbon Capture and Storage)

E.ON Benelux & Rotterdam Climate Initiative (Carbon Capture and Storage)

E.ON Benelux & Unicorn Power B.V. (renovation of facilities)

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E.ON Benelux & HSF B.V. (engineering and logistics)

E.ON Benelux’ sponsorship alliances with, for example, PSV, KNZB and NZA.

E.ON Benelux’ social responsibility alliances with, for example, ‘Stichting Face’, ‘Stichting Nationale Boomfeestdag’ and ‘Cultuurwijzer’.

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 PART II

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS CONCERNING A PARTICULAR

ALLIANCE BETWEEN E.ON BENELUX AND GEMEENTE

ROTTERDAM (‘HET WARMTBEDRIJF’)

Characteristics of the alliance

Question 4:

Which form of alliance is ‘Het Warmtebedrijf ‘?

Question 5:

In which way does this alliance (PPP= Public Private Partnership) differ with other alliances of E.ON Benelux?

Question 6:

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Question 7:

Who took the initiative to establish the alliance?

Question 8:

What is the duration of the alliance?

Question 9:

How complex is the alliance?

Question 10:

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Question 11:

How large are these investments?

Question 12:

What are the risks of the alliance for E.ON Benelux?

Question 13:

Which goals should be realized with the alliance?

Question 14:

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Approach of the alliance

Question 15:

Does E.ON Benelux follow a process-based approach to the alliance?

Question 16:

Why does the alliance fit within the corporate strategy of E.ON Benelux?

Question 17:

How is top management involved within the alliance?

Question 18:

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Question 19:

What is the added value of E.ON Benelux within the alliance?

Question 20:

What is the added value for E.ON Benelux of the alliance?

Question 21:

Is E.ON Benelux a preferred partner, or did the ‘Gemeente Rotterdam’ have other partner opportunities?

Question 22:

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Question 23:

Has an agreement on alliance governance (based on control and/or trust), performance standards and qualitative/quantitative metrics been made?

Question 24:

Have alliance managers and staff been nominated?

Question 25:

Has an implementation plan with specific action plans (including the launch strategy) and the resources assigned to the alliance been formulated?

Question 26:

Has a conflict resolution strategy been set to deal with potential problems within the alliance and between the partners?

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Question 27:

Has an exit strategy been set to indicate when the alliance should be closed?

Question 28:

Are project and change management techniques used?

Question 29:

Are the results periodically measured and monitored with the partner?

Question 30:

Are strategy sessions with the partner organized concerning strategy gaps and/or new opportunities, which can lead to repositioning or premature closing of the alliance?

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Question 31:

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

PART III

QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE OPINION OF THE

INFORMANT ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS RESEARCH

I would like to ask you to read the appendix ‘Conclusions and Recommendations’, and subsequently answer the questions. In this way, I can check the outcomes of this research. The preliminary conclusions and recommendations are based on my practice research at E.ON Benelux.

Question 32:

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Question 33:

Do you think that the recommendations are useful for E.ON Benelux? Please motivate your answer for each of the recommendations.

Recommendation 1:

Top management of E.ON Benelux should develop a clear vision about the desired level of ambition in strategic alliances.

Recommendation 2:

E.ON Benelux should pay special attention to the selection of future alliance partners in line with their desired long-term key policy. This could result in a better alignment between the selection of new partners and the corporate strategy.

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Recommendation 3:

The management of clusters/departments should stimulate a more proactive approach to strategic alliances. This could result in a higher awareness and commitment of employees. Stimulation in entrepreneurial behavior of employees could result in more benefits from alliance initiatives.

Recommendation 4:

E.ON Benelux could increase the benefits of their alliance activities with better communication, coordination and sharing of information.

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Recommendation 5:

E.ON Benelux should create a community of alliance practitioners within the company, who can share and create the best practices in the field of strategic alliances (competence center).

Recommendation 6:

E.ON Benelux should pay more attention to all the phases of the alliance life cycle namely alliance strategy, partner selection, alliance design, alliance management and especially alliance evaluation.

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Question 34:

What is your top three of recommendations which first should be implemented?

Question 35:

Do you have any additional comments, which may be of interest for this research? Please motivate your answer.