Coopetition Strategy and Entrepreneurial Opportunities: Advantages from Multilevel Analyses

Abstract

The study aims to provide a set of insights concerning the benefits associated with applying a multilevel perspective to the investigation of the link between coopetition strategies and entrepreneurial opportunities. We emphasize that a firm capability to recognize, form, and exploit business opportunities is strictly connected to its coopetitive strategy. In order to fully understand the potential of coopetitive strategies, the focus has to be not just on the examination of the single coopetitive relationship, but also on the micro-foundations underlying such strategies: i.e. the role covered by entrepreneurs’ or CEOs’ personal traits, heuristics, and previous experiences. We also suggest the need to extend the scope of coopetition strategy beyond the dyadic level. We should take into account the coopetitive alliance portfolio level and the business ecosystem level.