Competition in Knowledge Ecosystems: A Theory Elaboration Approach Using a Case Study

Jeandri Robertson

doi:10.3390/su12187372

Abstract

This paper explores how competition works in knowledge ecosystems, using a theory elaboration approach. With little research conducted in this area to date, three strategic streams of thought—resource-advantage theory, dynamic capabilities framework, and adaptive marketing capabilities perspective—are compared as a departing point and a frame of reference regarding the dynamics of competition. The streams of strategic thought all converge around the notion that organizations must constantly renew themselves to adapt and align to a fast-changing marketplace. The characteristics of knowledge ecosystems are conceptualized, whereafter an in-depth case study is presented to empirically assess competition in knowledge ecosystems, focusing on the perspective of a keystone actor. At the ecosystem-level, knowledge ecosystems primarily expose and explore knowledge, indicating that they mostly operate in a pre-competitive state. The time needed and the limited control inherent to knowledge exploration translate into the keystone actor focusing on transient rather than sustainable competitive advantage. Knowledge ecosystems further prove to be central in the coevolution and the growth of other ecosystems through connecting and sharing of the explored knowledge base with other ecosystem actors who, in turn, exploit this knowledge common for commercial purposes and innovation.

Highlights

The industrial marketing discipline has seen a renewed interest in the prominence of strategic thought in recent years [1,2,3,4,5]
By using a single case study focused on the keystone actor within a knowledge ecosystem, this paper employed a theory elaboration approach to explore the dynamics of competition within knowledge ecosystems
Based on key streams of strategic thought, the findings indicate that knowledge ecosystems mainly operate in a pre-competitive state, and that knowledge exploration entails a time-consuming process that leads the keystone actor to focus on transient rather than sustainable competitive advantage

Summary

Introduction

The industrial marketing discipline has seen a renewed interest in the prominence of strategic thought in recent years [1,2,3,4,5]. A dynamic and hypercompetitive global economy, technological advances, unpredictable customers and competitors, and blurring industry boundaries [2,6] have compelled scholars and practitioners to take stock and reevaluate strategic imperatives. This strategic reassessment coincides with a changing perspective on the dynamics of competition. A firm’s ability to understand, anticipate, and adapt is key to its sustainable success [7] As it becomes increasingly difficult for individual firms to identify and respond to external competitive challenges and changes independently [6], new organizational perspectives have been proposed to thrive in the presence of these forces [7]. “Ecosystems”, as a metaphor to describe the organization of interdependent actors (e.g., customers, suppliers, competitors) that collectively create value and seize growth and innovation opportunities, have increasingly received attention in industrial marketing literature [3,8,9,10,11,12]

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