In a rapidly changing business world, companies often find that their technology, influence or products and services are not keeping up with their competition. Both mergers and joint ventures allow enterprises to acquire new or expanded capabilities. This normally happens as an economy recovers from recession. Another active merger and joint venture period occurs when a floundering economy forces companies to cut back operations or risk going out of business. In this case, strong companies merge with weaker ones to acquire capabilities, or two equal companies enter a joint venture to combine their capabilities and survive a bad economy.