Coopetitive Dynamics in Distribution Channel Relationships: An Analysis of the Italian Context in the Twentieth Century

Through the analysis of the evolutionof channel relationships in Italyduring the twentieth century, thispaper illustrates retrospectively themain factors and determinantsunderlying the emergence of coopetitiverelationships in vertical distributioninteractions and, furthermore, allowsto identify different forms ofcoopetitive relationships in distributionchannels. This empirical setting alsoallows to shed light on the way powerinstances are connected to theemergence of distinct types of interfirmrelationships. Finally, it clarifiesthat in order to define a relationshipas coopetitive, it is not sufficient forfirms to collaborate for the creation ofvalue and compete for theappropriation of value, rather firmsmust be engaged in multiple levelrelationships in which they bothcollaborate and compete for thecreation of value.