Vendor or Partner?

From: Outsourcing Venture
By: Ben Gomes-Casseres

"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none," was President Thomas Jefferson's goal in his first inaugural address in 1801. This seems to be the ideal for many companies today that outsource their operations, manufacturing, or services to third parties. But can they avoid entangling alliances? Should they?

Vendor or Partner?