Coopetition and strategic networks in the fast-moving consumer-goods industry : category management as a strategic opportunity in crisis

Managers need to understand that networks should be an important part of their strategy and that cooperation and competition should be intertwined in the business context. The biggest opportunities in business don’t come from playing the game better than everyone else - they come from changing the fundamental nature of the game itself to your advantage. In a context of crisis, these aspects take an even bigger importance, since most of companies fail to grow or to present results. I introduce a tapered approach to the fast-moving consumer goods industry in order to relate these strategic networks with the coopetition theory. Taking the interviews made to the players hovering in this industry in addition to the existing body of knowledge of published articles and recent environmental dynamics into consideration, this paper will attempt to compare and contrast the category management approaches regarding coopetition and tactical networks’ practices, inserting this concept in a broader strategic view that encompass not only the marketing understanding, but also the strategy point of view, enclosing it as a strategic coopetitive tool and alternative to grow, especially important in crisis times. This thesis will be supported by one case study that intend to illustrate the evolution of the networking-level strategy and coopetition in the consumer-goods industry, mainly supported by the category trade management in a context of crisis