La gestion inter-organisationnelle des connaissances dans un contexte coopétitif : le cas des industries aéronautiques et spatiales

Often assimilated to strategic alliances, coopetition analyzes the simultaneity of competitive and cooperative behaviors between rival firms. Coopetition is based on intra and inter organizational relationships in which rivals cooperate to achieve a common advantage. It becomes necessary to find a balance between individual and mutual benefits. Coopetition provides partners with a competitive advantage by supporting an efficient mode of knowledge management: specific capabilities to create, transfer, use and protect knowledge. Being mixed up with strategic alliance, coopetition issues are seldom addressed through in depth-studies. When it is analyzed in a coopetition context, the way to manage knowledge proves to be ambiguous. The cooperation exposes rival firms to the risks of knowledge capturing, but involves great advantages. A qualitative study was undertaken on 37 firms. Results show that managing knowledge concerns three main issues : a legal management of knowledge, thanks to many clauses, a risk management of knowledge, by protecting information and technologies, and a learning management, before, during and after the relationship.