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Inter-organizational knowledge management in a coopetitive context in the aeronautic and space industry

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Knowledge Management Research & Practice

Abstract

Coopetition analyses the simultaneity of competitive and cooperative behaviours between rival firms. Scholars have focused their attention on strategic alliances, but specific coopetition issues are seldom addressed through in-depth studies. On the basis of inter-organizational relationships, coopetition provides partners with a competitive advantage by enhancing their knowledge creation and transfer, but exposes firms to the risk that rivals may capture their own knowledge. In this, it becomes necessary for firms to mix knowledge creation and transfer strategies with knowledge protection practices. This paper reports on a qualitative study of 37 firms and sheds light on the specific knowledge development process for the partners engaged in coopetition.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. La Rochelle Business School – CEREGE, France

    David Salvetat

  2. Groupe Sup de Co Montpellier Business School – Montpellier Recherche Management, France

    Mickaël Géraudel

  3. Université de Toulouse, Toulouse Business School, France

    Sophie d'Armagnac

Authors
  1. David Salvetat
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  2. Mickaël Géraudel
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  3. Sophie d'Armagnac
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Salvetat.

Appendices

Appendix A

Sample

  1. 1)

    Customers: CNES (French National Space Research Centre), DGA (Ministry of Defence), DGAC (public agency for civil aviation) and ESA (European Spatial Agency).

  2. 2)

    Public administration: The Toulouse Chamber of Commerce, and the Conseil Général Haute Garonne (public agency).

  3. 3)

    Primes: Airbus, Astrium, Dassault Aviation, EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) and TAS (Thalès Alenia Space).

  4. 4)

    Research centres: CEA (French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission), CNRS Toulouse (National Center for Scientific Research), MEDES (cooperative public laboratory on space research), ONERA (French Aerospace Lab) and TESA (cooperative public laboratory on space research).

  5. 5)

    First-tier suppliers: (Aircelle, Labinal, Liebherr Aerospace, Sogerma, and Thalès Avionics).

  6. 6)

    Second-tier suppliers: (Altran, Desirade, Integral Systems, Isocel, Mercator Ocean, Spot Image, Steria, Telespazio, and Toptech).

  7. 7)

    Third-tier suppliers: Aerofonctions SAS, EMAC (firm of customized rubber compounds), Siemens Vdo, and Sierbla.

  8. 8)

    Professional associations: BNAE (Aero Space and Defence Standardization), Cofrend and Mecanic Vallée).

Appendix B

Figure B1

Figure B1
figure 1

Structure of data.

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Salvetat, D., Géraudel, M. & d'Armagnac, S. Inter-organizational knowledge management in a coopetitive context in the aeronautic and space industry. Knowl Manage Res Pract 11, 265–277 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1057/kmrp.2012.6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/kmrp.2012.6

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