Research on coopetition – the simultaneous occurrence of competition and cooperation among firms – is usually limited to the realm of large firms. While some research has examined the motives and outcomes of coopetition among small- and medium-sized business, little is known about how coopetition is managed among micro-firms. The French wine sector is dominated by micro-firms, among which coopetition is common. Focusing on the Pic Saint Loup area in south-eastern France, this article analyses how micro-firms manage coopetition. While we observe similarities in coopetition with respect to large firms, a distinct micro-firm coopetition mode is identified: (a) contrary to expectations, the management of coopetition is highly formalised in micro-firms; (b) as with large firms, the management of micro-firm coopetition requires a separation between competition and cooperation, but such separation occurs outside the firm – in the form of a collective structure; and (c) in contrast to large firms, small firms exhibit an increase in individual-level dimensions of coopetition with decreasing firm size. We conclude that policy should encourage coopetition among micro-firms provided that it is tailored to micro-firm specificities.

This article explores the extent to which the views of micro-firm owner-managers regarding growth and lifestyle issues affect their entrepreneurial behaviour. Semi-directed interviews were conducted with 79 owner-managers to inform a typology that consists of four owner-manager views associated with success, subsistence, hedonism and paternalism. This study investigates the differences in the behaviours associated with these four profiles. The representatives of only two types (success and paternalism) ‘want’ to grow; conversely, owner-managers of the other two types (hedonism and subsistence) do not. The findings show that micro-firm owner-managers are driven by varied and sometimes profoundly divergent views which will have substantial effects on a firm’s strategies and development.

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With this article, as introduction to a special issue on entrepreneurship research in Europe, we hope to initiate a discussion about the importance of grounding entrepreneurship research in its national context. Different European researchers, all knowledgeable about the entrepreneurship research scene in their respective country, present the state of the research field for France, Germany, the United Kingdom (Blackburn & Smallbone, 2008); and Scandinavia. Two articles from U.S. authors complement this issue, reviewing differences in how entrepreneurship scholars measure the phenomenon and assessing the European approach(es). This special issue sets out to demonstrate the value of variety in the field—variety that very much depends on the different national, methodological, and thematic contexts entrepreneurship research takes place in.

PurposeThe present study in this paper seeks to deal with the crucial topic of growth determinants for ICT start‐ups. In this emerging industry high firm birth rates go hand in hand with a great risk of failure and only one firm out of three survives the first three years.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyzes 220 start‐ups of the ICT service sector and verifies the influence of individual and organisational factors on growth.FindingsThe paper finds that human capital and working experience have no significant impact on the success of young ICT firms.Originality/valueThe paper shows that critical growth factors are mostly financing and customer related variables (firm size and capital at start‐up, customer structure, regional market orientation, etc.).