Recent EJV Turmoil Stems From Pressure To Perform From Primary-Dealer Owners

The recent upheaval within the EJV Partners L.P. stemmed from moves by disgruntled primary dealer partners to squeeze the struggling joint venture, sources close to the vendor say. The resultant turmoil has ranged from senior-staff departures to double-digit layoffs to the emergence of a would-be seventh partner--and to reversals in product development and marketing strategies.

Sources close to the EJV say that the most drastic measure taken so far was the refusal of partner First Boston Corp. to