Competitive Intelligence and Co-Opetitive Influence Networks: The Case of High-Technology European SMEs

The influence of the manipulative actions of actors and contexts in order to remove a favorable situation is increasing in firms, regardless of size, sector, etc. This is seen as a tool to better compete with rivals. Actions of influence performed by a Competitive Intelligence (CI) process are also designed to handle the actions, intentions and decisions of customers and suppliers for cooperation. While co-opetitive relationships (simultaneously competitive and cooperative behaviours between rivals) are becoming more numerous, influence is a tool for promoting vertical cooperation and exacerbating competition. CI plays a role in coordinator and facilitator networks through the tool of influence. Could this influence also be intended to manipulate actions and contexts in order to drive rivals to the adoption of co-opetitive behavior?