Coopetition: Stepping in and out of contextual spaces

Abstract

Research interest in coopetition has gained currency in the recent literature where achieving balance between competition and cooperation is key. In this paper we explore how the concept of coopetition can be developed to explain the evolving movement of entrepreneurial accessing and re-positioning in business networks. We introduce the term contextual spaces, a ‘potential interaction space’ within a network horizon where external opportunities and resources may reside. Adopting a process ontology we seek to understand how entrepreneurs' step ‘in’ an ‘out’ of relationships within contextual spaces. We ground our exploration in a case study of craft beer entrepreneurs in Ireland and Denmark and develop a framework to further understand entrepreneurs' collaborative interactions from stepping into, within, and out of relationships within contextual spaces to develop and chase new and evolving opportunities over time. Implications for theory and practice are presented in addition to avenues for future research.