Michael Cunningham believes online alliances are one of the most effective tools for developing the power and leverage needed to prosper in today's business world. An avid practitioner of such arrangements in his own Harvard Computing Group consulting firm, Cunningham presents a strong argument for these affiliations, along with a comprehensive guide to their creation in Partners.com. "Today, it is no longer possible for firms to do it all alone," he writes. "Whether it is hardware for a computer system, a hosting service to provide e-commerce capabilities, or a distribution partner that will sell and service products, partners are essential." Showing precisely why these associations are particularly potent in areas like sales, finance, and distribution, Cunningham details the steps involved in their formation and implementation, beginning with the partnership he considers most essential: the one that must be forged between organizations and their employees before any of these others can even hope to succeed. Drawing upon winning coalitions created by B2B and B2C endeavors such as eBay, GoFish.com and Convistint, Cunningham then delves into everything from the technology involved to the contracts required. The result is a thorough examination aimed at those serious about finding innovative ways to improve their operations. --Howard RothmanPartnerships are the lifeblood of e-commerce. Innovative alliances such as private exchanges, self-service partnerships, syndicated e-commerce, affiliate programs, and e-learning forums are today's new competitive advantage. In Partners.com, Michael Cunningham shows businesses how to forge leading-edge Internet partnerships fast--with competitors, customers, suppliers, distributors, employees, and other businesses--and foster an environment that will allow them to flourish. From Amazon's consumer affiliate program to General Motors' state-of-the-art business-to-business mega-hub, COVISINT, Cunningham demonstrates how relationships that would have taken years to develop prior to the Internet are now taking days and hours. As businesses focus on finding profitable strategies, partnerships will not be just one option, they will be the new weapons for succeeding in e-commerce.