What factors influence coopetitive relationships within an inter-organisational network?

Faloye, Olukemi (2013) What factors influence coopetitive relationships within an inter-organisational network? Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Coopetition is a concept that describes the simultaneous cooperation and competition between organisations. The purpose of this research is to examine how certain factors that are perceived to be significant influence coopetitive relationships between 19 competing arts organisations and asks how much of an effect these factors have on those relationships. This research uses a thematic network as the framework for understanding and analysing multiple dyadic relationships and as such, employs the use of qualitative data collection methods: including semi-structured interviews and observational data to investigate the relationships between competing non-profit arts-based organisations in an inter-organisational network.
The research findings demonstrate that the factors identified within this research can pose both challenges and successes to the coopetitive relationships found within the network. Four factors in particular (i.e. proximity, building relationships, expectations and management) have been found to influence coopetitive relationships. Although these factors are found to be crucial for the success of the coopetitive network, these factors also create tensions between member organisations.
Specifically, this study makes two key contributions to coopetition literature. First, it extends our understanding of coopetitive relationships through a conceptualisation of coopetition using empirical data. It builds on previous work by Bengtsson and Kock (2000) who conceptualise coopetition as being one of three parts: cooperation between partners; competition between partners and the interaction between cooperation and competition. By conceptualising coopetition, this study discusses whether the factors for coopetition between single dyads can also apply in the context of a network of multiple dyads, and to what extent organisations can benefit or face challenges in coopetition. The aim is to enable a deeper understanding of coopetition and will also show how coopetitive networks operate.
Secondly, the role of tension in coopetitive relationships is explored. Traditionally in literature, tensions in inter-organisational relations have been linked to paradoxical influences such as value creation versus value appropriation. As it will be discussed in later chapters, coopetition itself is considered paradoxical and unpredictable suggesting that managing it can be quite challenging; particularly if organisations aim to balance the mutual benefits afforded through cooperation with separate strategic goals from being competitors. Thus, the role tension plays in inter-organisation relationships is critical for understanding the relationship between cooperation and competition; which remains to date relatively under-researched in coopetition literature (Chen, 2008; Das and Teng, 2000; Luo, 2007). Through the case study and the qualitative study, this thesis demonstrates that an organisation's ability to manage its coopetitive ties is linked to how the concept of coopetition is viewed.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Norwich Business School
Depositing User:	Jackie Webb
Date Deposited:	29 Jun 2015 12:11
Last Modified:	29 Jun 2015 12:11
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/53411
DOI:

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