Third-party logistics providers in construction projects – implications for coopetitive interaction in forced relationships

Purpose The purpose of this study is to gain deeper insight into the nature of forced coopetitive relationships by investigating the aspects favouring cooperative and competitive interactions in relationships between third-party logistics (TPL) providers of mandatory construction logistics setups (CLSs) and contractors. Design/methodology/approach The industrial network approach (INA) and the actors–resources–activities model is used in combination with the value net model and insights from the coopetition literature to analyse the coopetitive interactions between the TPL provider of a mandatory CLS and contractors in a case study, to highlight and problematise the value-creating role of TPL providers as complementors to contractors. Findings The study reveals the coopetitive nature of the interactions between TPL providers and contractors by detailing the activities and resources they engage in, and how they relate to one another both formally and informally. It provides a more detailed understanding of how and why tensions arise in forced relationships and of the differing as well as evolving value-creating role perceptions in coopetitive relationships. This underscores the importance of understanding coopetitive interactions and role ambiguity in managing tensions within mandatory CLSs and in forced coopetitive relationships as such. Originality/value By investigating the interactions through a coopetition lens, this study provides a new interpretation of the value-creating role of TPL providers as complementors to contractors and sheds new light on earlier research on CLS in logistics management. It also contributes to INA and the coopetition literature by examining interaction in forced coopetitive business relationships.