Published Research on Cooperation Management
Dr. Kurr's academic work at the University of St. Gallen focused on collaboration management in the developing and manufacturing supplier industry. His doctoral thesis - 'Potentialorientiertes Kooperationsmanagement in der Zulieferindustrie' - and his co-authored book 'Kooperationsmanagement: Systematische Vorbereitung – Gezielter Auf- und Ausbau – Entscheidende Erfolgsfaktoren' provide a step-by-step methodology for systematic preparation, targeted development, and critical success factors of inter-company partnerships. His academic paper 'Success factors for collaboration management in manufacturing companies' (International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2006) further codifies these principles.
Strategic Partner Selection and Due Diligence
The most common partnership failure mode is poor partner selection. Dr. Kurr's framework begins with rigorous strategic partner assessment - evaluating strategic fit, capability complementarity, cultural alignment, and risk profiles before any engagement begins. At Boehringer Ingelheim, he built a strategic partnership with Indegene that transformed go-to-market operations across global markets. At THENA Capital, he evaluates potential portfolio companies through a partnership and collaboration lens, assessing not just the company's technology but its ability to build and maintain the partnerships required for commercial success.
Partnership Governance and Performance Management
A partnership without governance is just a contract. Dr. Kurr designs governance structures that create accountability, align incentives, and build escalation paths before problems arise. This includes joint steering committees, shared KPIs, regular business reviews, and clear decision rights. Performance management frameworks ensure that partnerships deliver the value they promised - and provide early warning signals when they don't. This approach transforms vendor relationships from transactional to strategic.
Vendor Consolidation and Ecosystem Design
Most large pharma organizations work with too many external partners - creating duplication, quality inconsistency, and spiraling costs. Dr. Kurr helps organizations rationalize their vendor ecosystem through deliberate consolidation and partnership tiering. The goal is not fewer vendors for the sake of fewer - it is a deliberately designed ecosystem where each partner has a clear role, clear expectations, and clear accountability. This approach typically reduces costs by 15-25% while improving quality and delivery speed.