The facets, antecedents and consequences of coopetition: An entrepreneurial marketing perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the facets, antecedents and consequences of coopetition using three dimensions of entrepreneurial marketing theory and insights from the resource-based view of the firm. Coopetition is the interplay between competition and cooperation in which companies seek to collaborate with their rivals with the aim of enhancing performance (e.g., sales) compared to if they operated independently. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports on 38 interviews across 25 firms competing in the New Zealand wine industry. Triangulation procedures was via primary and secondary methods. The data were analysed through a series of techniques to produce credible findings. Findings – Coopetition is comprised of resource and capability-sharing activities. These activities are driven by an industry-wide cooperative mind-set; also, firms having access to competitors’ resources and capabilities. Coopetition was found to increase performance in ways that would not be possible if firms did not collaborate with their rivals. Originality/value – Previous studies have focused on the facets and consequences of coopetition rather than its antecedents. Whilst exploration of these facets was undertaken in this study to reinforce prior research, this paper also investigates the antecedents of coopetition underpinned by resource-based theory to contribute to the entrepreneurial marketing literature. Further, the paper uncovered that coopetition activities drive different organisational performance outcomes, depending on firms’ size and managers’ objectives.