Opposites attract: How incumbents learn and unlearn in coopetitive relationships with start-ups

Abstract

Incumbents increasingly turn to start-ups to benefit from their entrepreneurial spirit and thinking. Incumbents collaborating with start-ups from the same industry can create a relationship that entails both cooperative and competitive elements. While previous research primarily focuses on how both sides learn and gain knowledge, we investigate, from the perspective of incumbents, how the interplay of both learning and unlearning mechanisms unfolds when engaging in coopetitive projects with start-ups. Following a qualitative research approach, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with incumbents from different industries. The results of our thematic analysis show that incumbents dynamically use learning and unlearning mechanisms to develop a coopetition mindset and overcome asymmetrical tensions with start-ups. Furthermore, we find that incumbents revert to previous cognitive and behavioral patterns after the coopetitive project with start-ups has ended. We contribute to a better understanding of incumbent-start-up dynamics and highlight the importance of organizational unlearning in coopetitive settings.