Examining the effects of a coopetitive mindset on SME performance : The moderating role of growth

Abstract

The connection between coopetition and performance is increasingly attracting attention. Existing research focus on firm-level, whereas there is a call for research on individual aspects of coopetition, such as a coopetitive mindset. To narrow that research gap, we investigate the moderating role of growth aspirations on the relationship between a coopetitive mindset and SME performance. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 273 SMEs. The results of our empirical study demonstrate that the relationship between a coopetitive mindset and SME performance is not direct but is instead moderated by growth aspirations. The results demonstrate that in the presence of high growth aspirations, a coopetitive mindset reduces performance in SMEs, while if growth aspirations are low, a coopetitive mindset improves performance. The results of the study contribute to coopetition literature by focusing on the individual level and by demonstrating that the effect of a coopetitive mindset on SME performance differs based on the relevant growth aspirations.