The Competitive Strategies Focused on Cooperation of Firms – the Clusterization Processes in Czech Republic

Abstract

Purpose: This paper deals with current state of scientific knowledge of competitive strategies dilemma. It respects the position that companies have two options of competing. They can rather choose the direct battle with their competitors or decide for a cooperation using the strategic alliances to gain the competitive advantage. As examined form of strategic alliance the author made a choice of the problem of clusters in Czech Republic conditions. Scientific aim: The main scientific aim is to present the results of current state of clusters in Czech Republic and to determine if the clusterization is recognized as competitive strategy of Czech firms. Methodology/methods: The pripary and secondary research was applied. Concerning the secondary research the well-known competitive strategies and its authors is described. Further the clusters from environement, politics and incetives point of view was examined too. Regarding the primary research the method used was the direct interviewing of cluster managers and also key finding has been found in questionnaires filled during the project Clusters Cord, CNCB and C Plus. These projects are maping the clusters acitivities and its main adedd value and best pracitces above the clusters in Central and Eastern European clusters. Findings: The mutual relation between the competitive strategies and real example of automotive praxis bring the key findings – which are proven by reality, that in nowadays business environment is the coopetition (which means cooperation and competition in the same time) the right way of competitiveness. The areas of competitive cluster advantages which are seemed by Czech companies were identified. Conclusions: The realized research indicated thet the clusterization as the way of competitive strategy is developing and its existence is meaningful. Czech companies (operating in small Czech market) need to connect mutually to have a chance to penetrate foreign markets. Clusters bring the choice of connecting small to be big.