SMEs, Co-opetition and Knowledge Transfer
Paul C. van Fenema1999
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Co-opetition, simultaneous co-operation and competition, is a recent phenomenon. Coopetition entails sharing knowledge that may be a key source of competitive advantage, but the knowledge gained by co-operation may also be used for competition. There is little investiga-
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Co-opetition and knowledge transfer
ACM Sigmis Database, 1999
Recent business trends have given rise to co-opetition: simultaneous co-operation and competition between firms. Co-opetition entails the sharing of knowledge which may be a key source of competitive advantage. Under co-opetition there is a paradox that the knowledge shared for cooperation may also be used for competition. While the existence of this problem is known, there is little investigation of how it may be modeled and, thus, managed. This paper begins by discussing the problem situation and its underlying theory. It then introduces a game-theoretic framework for analyzing interorganizational knowledge sharfng in the context of co-opetition. This allows the value of knowledge shared to be investigated and reveals that a crucial aspect will be the firm's ability to manage the process. Thus, based on the framework, the paper explores management guidefines predicated on co-ordination and control theory for the most challenging of four contingencies identified. The paper concludes with an agenda for future theoretical and empirical research. ACM Categories: H1.1, K6.0
The nature of SME co-operation and innovation: A multi-scalar and multi-dimensional analysis
Recent work on SMEs and networks has emphasised the importance of external co-operative ties in enhancing firms' innovative performance. These external ties provide resource constrained SMEs with access to a wider set of technological opportunities through information sharing and resource pooling. Previous studies of the SME innovation-cooperation relationship have used categorical measures to capture tie existence which, while providing some useful insights, largely fail to capture the strength of co-operative relationships and/or the variety of relational directions in which co-operation occurs. This study aims to address this measurement deficiency and explore the SME innovation-cooperation relationship by designing and utilising measures that capture both the multi-scalar (strength) and multi-dimensional (variety) nature of co-operation and innovation. We then apply these measures to a survey of UK manufacturing SMEs. Data is obtained for 371 SMEs, and we then assess the innovationco-operation relationship within a multivariate regression framework. We find that the strength of cooperative ties across a range of productive activities within the value chain are important facilitators for SME innovative capability; this is true for both product and process innovation. However, we find that SME co-operation with rivals (co-opetition) has no significant impact upon innovation. Our results have significant implications for both supply chain managers and policy-makers interested in enhancing innovation among SMEs. In particular, we argue that SME innovative activity benefits from good, close dyadic relations within the supply chain, while more generally policy should be geared towards nurturing and sustaining SME innovation networks.
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Proceedings of Third European …, 2002
This paper aims to develop a framework for SMEs to help them understand, and thus to improve, the process of knowledge exchange with their customers or suppliers. Through a review of the literature on knowledge transfer, organisational learning, social network theory and electronic networks, the key actors, key factors and their relationships in the process are identified. Finally, a framework containing all above points is proposed.
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Toward understanding inter-organizational knowledge transfer needs in SMEs: insight from a UK investigation
Journal of Knowledge Management, 2006
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Knowledge-transfer practices for SMEs: case studies in Finland and Thailand
International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 2008
The study focused on an issue of knowledge transfer across Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The overall goal was to identify current practices for knowledge transfer (i.e. both tacit and explicit) between two SMEs (as manufacturers/buyers and suppliers/providers. This study responded to the concern on outsourcing and supplier development for sustainable SMEs competitiveness. This study represented an initial phase of the research on the term external knowledge. This study involved ten SMEs considered to be of high performance. The results also incorporated the opinions of invited practitioners on the level of practicality of identified practices. There were many knowledge-transfer practices found to be useful for explicit knowledge such as formal meetings, site visits/audits and assignment of contact persons. For tacit knowledge, they included story telling, social interactions and employment of former staffs. The study's limitations were recognised. Finally, future studies were suggested.
Inter-organisational knowledge transfer strategies
Inter-organisational knowledge transfer is very important for SMEs. However, compared to knowledge transfer within an organisation, its 'boundary paradox' makes its process more complicated and difficult to understand. In order to solve the 'paradox', inter-organisational knowledge transfer strategies need to be developed for SMEs. Through a review of the literature on knowledge transfer, this paper proposes an inter-organisational knowledge transfer process model that contains four stages (initiation, selection, interaction and conversion). It classifies three situations in which an SME exchanges knowledge with a customer (whether a larger company or an SME). It then applies a coordinating mechanism to analyse knowledge transfer strategies for the SME when it is a knowledgegiving firm and knowledge-receiving firm respectively, in the different stages of each situation.
Modelling different types of multilateral co-operation between SMEs
Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 2003
This paper focuses on a theoretical modelling of multilateral SME co-operation. A major part of the previous research has been done on dyadic or bilateral relationships between two partners in a vertical chain although new co-operative ventures increasingly involve multiple partners. The objectives of the paper are to accomplish a conceptualization of different types of multilateral co-operation between SMEs as a synthesis of longitudinal empirical observations and selected theoretical discussions of inter-firm co-operation, to bring out possible advantages and prerequisites of successful co-operation of these types, and to show how co-operation can develop from one basic model to another. The main point in the modelling of SME co-operation is that those who plan, promote or build up co-operative arrangements must know right from the beginning what kind of co-operative model a group of firms will strive for, because the prerequisites of successful co-operation are emphasized differently in different types of co-operation. The empirical examples also suggest that co-operation leads to co-operation, i.e. when a company once joins a net, it is more probable that the company gets access to other nets as well. The basic challenge thus is to get the small or medium-sized company to enter its first co-operative arrangement.
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