A partnering approach to extending the business base through cooperation with competitors (coopetition) - is it an option for SMEs?

摘要

Partnering both opens up and blurs the boundaries between organizations, and even expands them. Firms ought to shape their cooperation with other entities in accordance with their changing needs. A particular group of such entities is competitors. The question therefore arises whether partnering in relations with competitors (coopetition) is suitable for all organization? This paper attempts to show what is involved in the adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of a partnering approach to extending their business base through coopetition, how much it is needed, and how far it is possible in practice. Analysis of data from the literature is supplemented with the results of studies among SMEs taking such an approach. Results of studies conducted on a group of 251 Polish SMEs indicate that partnering approach to the process of extending the business base through cooperation with competitors is appropriate for small organizations. SMEs cope reasonably, and their effectiveness in such activity is systematically increasing. SMEs are "maturing" to open up to their environment and be increasingly active and enterprising in extending their potential. This provides them with opportunities to increase their innovativeness, flexibility and competitiveness.