Four Climates of Competition

In the previous three chapters, different contexts of competition in the industries of this study were determined, based on structural characteristics in terms of symmetry between actors, and on behavioural characteristics in terms of activity in competitive play. This chapter will discuss the climates of competition that develop under different structural and behavioural conditions. Four separate climates of competition can be distinguished. Beginning with a discussion of the concept climate of competition, the chapter continues with a presentation of the four climates, which are the climates of revolutionary, evolutionary, co-existing, and rivalling competition. The dimensions used to describe these four climates are then introduced, to be followed by a description of the distinctive characteristics of each climate.