Abstract
A precursor to partnerships and alliances between a company and its stakeholders is a strong relationship between the would be partners. Establishing a productive relationship relies, in turn, on the two parties conducting an effective dialogue where they each understand the needs and perspectives of the other party and are satisfied with the process of communication (Black 2006). If either party walks away from discussions sufficiently unhappy with the other party's actions, the end result will be dissolution of discussions before the partnership has even formed.