Organisational innovation and coopetition between SMEs: a tertius strategies approach

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly vulnerable to environmental forces and may therefore seek to supplement their insufficient resources and reduce uncertainty by adopting coopetition strategies. This longitudinal study of a wine producers union in Pic Saint-Loup is based on 45 interviews conducted during multiple data collection moments and shows how competing SMEs were able to develop cooperative strategies. We describe the three phases in the development of SME coopetition, as well as the role of stakeholders. We then present the tertius strategies that the SME managers chose to implement.