Goals behind the B2B engagements between startups and incumbents A qualitative study

Known to be the major source of employment in today’s economies, startups hold a determining position also as the technology progress motivators. All the tremendous figures of early startup failures aside, the survived ones on one hand play a major role in development of national innovation index and on the other hand not only compensate for the lost occupations caused by failed startups, but also ensue in considerable job creation figures in macro arena. The other prominent player of economy, incumbent firms despite being imparted of resources, capabilities and assets seemingly unreachable to startups, are found vulnerable to the dynamics of markets and economies. Whereas the distinguishing features of such adult companies such as structural complexity, focused decision making beside conservative approach towards markets dwindle their willingness to catch the opportunities and lessen their capability to join emerging trends of alterations. Hence maintaining engagements between startups and incumbents could be a bilateral noble solution. Thereby startups access to the complementary resources essential to enter the markets; and incumbents make benefit from startups’ agility and innovative capability besides diffusing entrepreneurial behavior among their staff. Having reviewed the recent literature in this regard, this research presents a framework of goals behind the engagements usually shaped between startups and incumbents; using meta-synthesis research method.

Keywords:

Startups , Incumbents , Exploration , Exploitation , Cooperation