Title: Organisational innovation and coopetition between SMEs: a tertius strategies approach

Authors: Julien Granata; Mickaël Géraudel; Katherine Gundolf; Johanna Gast; Pierre Marquès

Addresses: Montpellier Business School – MRM, 2300, Avenue des Moulins, 34185 Montpellier, 0033 4 6710 2598, France ' University of Luxembourg – CREA, Campus Limpertsberg, 162a, Avenue de la Faïencerie, L-1511, 00352 46 66 44 6780, Luxembourg ' Montpellier Business School – MRM, 2300, Avenue des Moulins, 34185 Montpellier, 0033 4 6710 2504, France ' Montpellier Business School – MRM, 2300, Avenue des Moulins, 34185 Montpellier, 0033 4 6710 2714, France; School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' French West Indies University, IUT de Saint-Claude, 1 Rue des officiers, 97120 Saint-Claude, 00590 600 31 4302, France

Abstract: Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly vulnerable to environmental forces and may therefore seek to supplement their insufficient resources and reduce uncertainty by adopting coopetition strategies. This longitudinal study of a wine producers union in Pic Saint-Loup is based on 45 interviews conducted during multiple data collection moments and shows how competing SMEs were able to develop cooperative strategies. We describe the three phases in the development of SME coopetition, as well as the role of stakeholders. We then present the tertius strategies that the SME managers chose to implement.

Keywords: coopetition strategies; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; longitudinal study; stakeholders; tertius iungens; tertius gaudens; wine industry; organisational innovation; wine producers union; France; cooperative strategies; SME coopetition; case study.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2016.077975

International Journal of Technology Management, 2016 Vol.71 No.1/2, pp.81 - 99

Received: 22 Nov 2014
Accepted: 25 Oct 2015
Published online: 30 Jul 2016 *

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