Pursuit of rigor in research: Illustration from coopetition literature

We propose that rigor consists of three key aspects: conceptual (the theoretical lens, constructs, and logic used to understand a phenomenon), methodological (how data are collected and analyzed to capture a phenomenon), and empirical (how findings are organized, distilled, and related to the theory). We discuss rigor in the context of coopetition research and explain how rigor could be enhanced in future research. For each aspect of rigor, we discuss what it means to conduct rigorous research, review the current state of coopetition research using a rigor lens, and systematically discuss ways of improving rigor in future research. We suggest that pursuit of research with greater level of rigor would help increase the impact of coopetition research and contribute to the creation of cumulative knowledge on the topic. •Rigor can be enhanced in three key aspects of research: conceptual, methodological, and empirical.•While progress has been made to enhance rigor in coopetition research, more efforts are needed.•Conceptual rigor could be improved by articulating the type of coopetition, specifying boundary conditions, and identifying relevant constructs.•Methodological rigor could be improved by discussing the methods used, demonstrating choices made are appropriate, and providing a replicable basis.•Empirical rigor could be improved by justifying analysis procedures, demonstrating results are credible, and relating findings to the theory.