Coopetition strategies and innovation performance: Intervention of the use of social media

Purpose: The coopetition strategy, derived from the simultaneous use of competitive and cooperative strategies, presents persistent complexities in combining these two distinct interaction logics and similar interests. This study examines the influence of coopetition strategies on innovation performance, mediated by the use of social media, in incubated companies. Originality/value: The study adds to the management literature by highlighting the role of social media in promoting innovation. At the same time, it can support managers in selecting strategies to boost innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach: Data obtained in a survey with 95 mana-gers of Brazilian incubated companies are analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The results demonstrate the direct influence of coopetition strategies on the use of social media and the use of social media on innovation performance. Although no direct impact of competition strategies on innovation performance was found, an indirect relationship was confirmed through the mediation of social media use. These findings indicate that coopetition strategies are indirectly relevant to incubated companies’ innovation performance, only when social media is implemented to capture information, communicate, and interact with different stakeholders.