Transformations  in
Business & Economics

THE DYNAMICS OF INTER-FIRM RELATIONSHIPS ALONG THE INDUSTRY LIFE CYCLE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Ewa Stanczyk-Hugiet, Janusz M. Licharski, Katarzyna Piorkowska

ABSTRACT. The aim of the paper is to consider a different perspective of explaining and understanding the character (types) and intensity of orientation towards cooperation, competition, and coopetition amongst entities operating in selected sectors (especially high velocity ones) with the level of sectors" maturity taken into account as well as of explaining the mechanisms creating relationships to be examined. Interestingly, the following initial propositions between inter-firm relationships and industry lifecycle might be envisaged: (1) The intensity of cooperation orientation dynamically increases at the stage of sector"s growing as well as its increase might be observed at the decline stage; (2) The intensity of competition orientation increases at the stage of maturing and decreases at the stage of sector decline/renewal; (3) Coopetition orientation develops at the confluence of maturity and decline/regeneration stages. At the stages of industry maturity and decline (or renewal), coopetition relationships are significantly important.

KEYWORDS:  inter-organizational relationships, industry life cycle, high velocity sectors, Poland, quantitative and qualitative studies.

JEL classification:  L14, L22, M10.