Findings from an action research study that sought to understand the partnership process from the perspectives of persons involved in a partnership project, the Cooperative Alliance for Gifted Education (CAGE), are presented in this paper. The CAGE project utilized three partners in Ohio--Kent State University, the Cleveland Public Schools, and International Business Machines (IBM)--to enhance educational programming for minority and/or educationally disadvantaged students in both regular and gifted education. Methodology involved interviews with 22 members of the Joint Partnership Advisory Council, who represented community and state agencies, businesses, schools, and universities. Participants shared a definition of partnerships as dynamic, evolving entities that feature collaboration among persons of equal status. Critical components are mutual understanding and respect for differences, communication, and utilization of human as well as financial resources within a decision-making framework. This research offers a beginning in the development of a sociocultural view of the partnership process. A figure depicting CAGE relationships is included. (15 references) (LMI)