La coopétition : une strategie transitoire ?

Firms engage massively in complex relationships of simultaneous cooperation and competition, defined as coopetition relationships. Previous research has sought to understand the determinants and antecedents of these relationships, the implementation of the strategic process or the implication of these strategies on the performance of firms. However, the majority of previous research does not address coopetition from a dynamic point of view. However, it seems interesting to understand which strategy precedes the coopetition and which strategy is adopted after a coopetition strategy. This research aims to fill this gap. In particular, it raises the question of the status of a strategy of coopetition, between sustainable strategy and transitional strategy. To illuminate this dynamic strategic process, theoretical reasoning is proposed from the Bengtsson and Kock (2000) model and from the theory of resources. To illustrate this analytical framework, an in-depth case study is carried out of the strategic dynamics between two SMEs. Several phases are identified : a competition phase, a coopetition phase and a coexistence phase. We detail these different phases and explain this evolution. The results show that coopetition allowed initial competitors to access key skills and resources. These transferred resources and skills have been combined by each partner to create a unique offering and a distinctive competitive advantage. Through coopetition, the partners were able to avoid direct competition by positioning themselves in distinct market segments while increasing the size of the initial market.