Coopetition in a regulated market : A study of motivational factors and risks in coopetition

Abstract: Coopetition, the activity of competing firms cooperating, comes with both benefits and risks for the parties involved. The approach to studying coopetition differ among scholars, however the phenomenon continues to be relevant in the area of research with several articles published in recent years. While coopetition has gained momentum in research, what drives coopetition is still argued to be an area that needs further development. Research on coopetition in regulated environments, is especially called for. Therefore, this study has the purpose to explore what motivational factors and risks in coopetition may apply to a regulated market. A case study was conducted by looking into two ongoing coopetition relationships in the Swedish eHealth market. The findings show that there are previously identified motivational factors and risks that are relevant in the context of a technological and regulated market. The study contributes with two propositions that suggest that customer demand and occasional low competitiveness are motivational factors for coopetition in a regulated market. Additionally, the findings resulted in two propositions that enclose financial risks and cultural differences as risks.