Discussion and Conclusion

Abstract

With this dissertation, we focused on interfirm rivalry within the competitive dynamics branch of strategic management research. The scope of our research was set by the desire to mitigate two general issues of competitive dynamics research and its sub-fields (Ketchen et al., 2004). These issues being first, a prevailing paucity of dynamic theories and longitudinal analyses (Daems & Thomas, 1994; Miller & Chen, 1994), and second, narrow theoretical roots (Smith et al., 2001b). With this overall intention in mind, we reviewed extant literature on competition and rivalry and derived a research agenda that advances recent developments within competitive dynamics research (chapter 2).