Résumé
This work aims to understand asymmetric strategic alliances instability. It is based on an empirical study of 226 strategic alliances established between multinational firms and local agri-food enterprises in the Mediterranean, between 1986 and 2006. The research found three main results. First, asymmetric relationships are specific by their instability forms and exit motivations rather than the instability rate itself. Secondly, instability is stronger for North-Northern relationships than for North-Eastern and North-Southern ones. Finally, multinational strategies explain largely the instability of asymmetric strategic alliances.