The complexity of co-opetitive networks

Jean Sébastien Lacam, David Salvetat () and Jean-Sébastien Lacam ()
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Jean Sébastien Lacam: ESSCA Research Lab - ESSCA - ESSCA – École supérieure des sciences commerciales d'Angers = ESSCA Business School
David Salvetat: ESSCA Research Lab - ESSCA - ESSCA – École supérieure des sciences commerciales d'Angers = ESSCA Business School

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Abstract: Purpose-Many firms engage in co-opetitive projects during which they have simultaneously competitive and collaborative relationships with many rivals in a complex network. A co-opetitive network offers them access to a large volume of resources and knowledge, for example, to support new markets and/or territories. So, does the network grow with the scope of the co-opetition project? The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach-An empirical study of 106 French boating intermediate-sized enterprises (ETIs) and small and medium enterprises provides a descriptive and explanatory analysis of co-opetitive networks. Findings-The results support this definition of a complex co-opetitive network only when the objectives of a firm are part of the geographical expansion of its activities. In contrast, these relations remain simple (dyadic) when a firm favours a strategy of diversifying its activities while maintaining its unique local geographical market. Research limitations/implications-First, the work is based on a quantitative methodology, so is static. It would be interesting to analyze the process of the building of co-opetitive relationships and opportunism between rival firms, for example, through a qualitative study. Second, this work focusses on boating companies in France. It may be appropriate to consider the sanctions placed on the opportunism of foreign firms in co-opetition. Third, future work could increase understanding, not only of the nature of reprisals inflicted on individualistic co-opetitors, but also on the structure, objectives and results of these reprisals. Originality/value-The study deepens our knowledge of the definition, composition and determinants of co-opetitive networks.

Keywords: Network; Complex relationship; Dyadic relationship; Multi-market co-opetition; Multi-point co-opetition Paper type Research paper (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017-02-03
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02083201v1
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Published in Business Process Management Journal, 2017, 23 (1), pp.176-195. ⟨10.1108/BPMJ-12-2015-0187⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02083201

DOI: 10.1108/BPMJ-12-2015-0187

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