“Partnering” — besides being a mandatory buzzword — is a curious term. Nowadays, instead of taking over a company, we partner with them. We don’t sell anything anymore; we partner. And now, rather than outsourcing, we create strategic partnerships. While the goal of an amicable and mutually rewarding relation- ship is admirable, what each party truly expects from the other in an outsourcing arrangement formed under a “partnering vision” is quite different. In this Executive Update, we’ll examine two case studies where assumptions of a partnership and a lack of investment proved damaging.