Title: Collective entrepreneurship and collective strategies: the case of tourism in France

Authors: Katherine Gundolf, Annabelle Jaouen, Stephanie Loup

Addresses: GSCM – Montpellier Business School, 2300 avenue des moulins, 34185 Montpellier Cedex 4, France. ' GSCM – Montpellier Business School, 2300 avenue des moulins, 34185 Montpellier Cedex 4, France. ' Toulouse III University, 129A, avenue de Rangueil, BP 67701, 31077 Toulouse Cedex 4, France

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore the emergence and management of collective strategies between SMEs in the French tourism sector. The authors study how collective entrepreneurship appears in a territory, and how the implemented collective strategies evolve through time. This research is based on four cases studies. This research shows that these clusters can emerge according to two processes: collective entrepreneurship or institutional incitation, each one implying different coordination patterns. Moreover, it appears that these two management modes vary over time. So, three potential configurations may emerge: |stagnation|, |institutionalization|, or |dis-institutionalisation|.

Keywords: SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; collective entrepreneurship; collective strategies; clusters; coordination; French tourism; France; coordination.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2009.021629

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2009 Vol.3 No.1, pp.4 - 21

Published online: 30 Nov 2008 *

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