Enabling knowledge integration in coopetitive R&D projects — The management of conflicting logics

Abstract This paper addresses the issue of how knowledge integration can be managed in coopetitive R&D projects. The findings from this study imply that knowledge integration in a coopetitive R&D project is not built on shared knowledge or a shared understanding of the content of project work but that knowledge integration is enabled by a shared understanding of the process of project work. Such understanding can be established by the use of mechanisms such as planning and process specification and presentation genres. These mechanisms support the process of knowledge integration while simultaneously putting constraints on what knowledge is exchanged and they can structure discussions when face-to-face communication takes place. The findings further suggest that, to avoid unintended knowledge leakages, individual and collective settings of project work should be clearly separated such that problem solving stays an individual activity while decision making still rests with the project team as a collective activity.

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