Co-opetition in the Automotive Industry

Under what circumstances will cooperation emerge, in a world of self-interested individuals and without central authority? This question has intrigued people for generations, with regards to aspects such as politics, military and business. In this book, the author Andreas Blum investigates the dynamic interplay between cooperation and competition, called co-opetition, with a focus on the automotive industry. At present, there is an ever increasing number of car manufacturers which collaborate in areas such as R&D and manufacturing, despite being fierce rivals in their end markets. The relevance of this phenomenon was drastically increased due to the current economic crisis. The book begins with an analysis of co-opetition from the perspectives of game theory, strategic management, economics and organisational learning. It then investigates the underlying causes, potential gains and losses of co-opetition in the automotive industry, using numerous examples, and finally develops some concrete guidelines to succeed with a co-opetition strategy. The book aims at executives in the automotive industry, as well as academics and students interested in co-opetition and business strategy.