Title: Coopetition of small- and medium-sized family enterprises: insights from an IT business network

Authors: Johanna Gast; Andreas Kallmünzer; Sascha Kraus; Katherine Gundolf; Judith Arnold

Addresses: Montpellier Business School, 2300, Avenue des Moulins, FR-34185 Montpellier Cedex 4, France; Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' Department of Strategic Management, Marketing and Tourism, School of Management, University of Innsbruck, Karl-Rahner-Platz 3 AT-6020 Innsbruck, Austria ' University of Liechtenstein, Institute of Entrepreneurship, Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strass, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein, Europe ' Montpellier Business School, 2300, Avenue des Moulins, FR-34185 Montpellier Cedex 4, France ' University of Liechtenstein, Institute of Entrepreneurship. Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strasse 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein, Europe

Abstract: Coopetition drives prosperity and economic development. Surprisingly, despite its relevance and the presence of family dynamics which affect business behaviour, researchers have not yet explored coopetition in small- and medium-sized family enterprises. This study seeks to advance coopetition research by analysing its application by family SMEs coopeting in a German business network in the information technology sector. We explore the nature of coopetition among family SMEs, and focus on motivational drivers to coopete and the implications of coopetition. Based on the present qualitative case study on 11 coopeting family SMEs, we discovered that coopetition among family SMEs tends to be cooperation-dominated. Moreover, the decision for and implications of coopetition seem to facilitate the family SMEs' non-economic goal to safeguard their socio-emotional wealth. The creation of binding social ties and the fortification of the firm's long-term orientation in the form of family bonds renewal are important consequences of coopetition.

Keywords: coopetition; family firms; family SMEs; innovation; socio-emotional wealth; business network; IT sector; Germany.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2019.102493

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2019 Vol.38 No.1/2, pp.78 - 101

Received: 02 Feb 2017
Accepted: 12 Mar 2017
Published online: 30 Sep 2019 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article