Co-opetition: the organisation of the future

This article predicts that strategic planners in organisations of the future need to consider the potential benefits of collaborating, co-operating and co-ordinating with others serving the same markets, rather than pursuing conventional "competition". The author defines this new mindset as "co-opetition". It has been observed that the competitive psychology represents oneself as being better than others, and stresses the winning of more resources at their expense. The antithesis is active co-operation, wherein one embraces competitors in partnership to the benefit of all. It is argued that the new business environment demands new kinds of business relationships, and that "co-opetitive" partnerships have emerged as a more effective response to changed environmental threats and opportunities. Co-opetition can deliver synergy if carefully planned, managed and controlled, and preconditions for achieving this outcome are examined. Equally, weak management of a relationship can produce the opposite effect, so preconditions for survival are also discussed. The conclusion is that, on balance, co-opetition deserves marketing planners' close attention.