従来、ビジネス戦略は競争を前提として構築されてきた。
Previously, business strategies were built on the premise of competition.
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Companies have analyzed their competitors weaknesses and pursued their own success by using concepts such as market share, barriers to entry, and competitive advantage.
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Therefore, leaders tend to often view their environment as a battlefield.
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However, the situation has changed significantly in modern society.
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Nowadays, most organizations can no longer achieve results on their own; it has become essential for them to operate within an ecosystem that includes partners, suppliers, regulators, and even competitors.
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Behind this lie challenges that individual companies cannot solve alone, such as supply chain vulnerabilities, dependence on platforms, responding to climate change, and the rapid advancement of technology.
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Competitive thinking narrows one’s perspective, causing leaders to focus only on threats and making it easy to overlook new opportunities that arise from collaboration.
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Furthermore, an excessive tendency toward competition often causes unnecessary conflict.
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On the other hand, in recent years, cooperative activities such as sharing standards, integrating data, and building common infrastructure have produced results in many industries that far surpass the traditional notion of merely winning or losing.
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Many leaders still use competitive language because the teaching of strategy theory is still based on that framework, but in reality, the essence of strategy is changing.
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Todays strategy is no longer about defeating competitors, but about building a stronger network for all stakeholders.
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The reason why cooperation is superior to individual competition is obvious.
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By cooperating under a common goal, organizations can expand each sides capabilities, improve the speed of information flow, promote innovation, and also distribute risks.
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According to network theory, a single node has only limited influence, but when multiple nodes are connected based on trust and shared interests, they can achieve results that far exceed the power of individuals.
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Therefore, no matter how powerful a company may be, by operating within an ecosystem, it can achieve far greater results than by acting alone.
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These driving forces can be observed in many fields, such as technology, healthcare, logistics, and energy.
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Breakthroughs rarely come from individuals; they usually result from collaborative efforts, integrated resources, and long-term partnerships.
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When a problem becomes too complex to solve alone, it is necessary to build cooperative relationships, even with rival companies.
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Furthermore, cooperation also has the effect of enhancing the resilience of the entire system.
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Even if a malfunction occurs in part of the system, other parts can compensate to maintain the overall stability.
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On the other hand, while competition increases efficiency, it often decreases stability.
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Leaders who pursue only advantages and neglect building relationships face the risk of their strategies easily collapsing when the environment changes.
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The shift from competition to cooperation is not about denying adversarial relationships, but about redefining the framework of those relationships.
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Leaders need to ask themselves two questions: Where should we compete? and Where should we cooperate?
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These very questions form the foundation of modern strategic thinking.
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To put ecosystem thinking into practice, you first need to change your mindset.
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Instead of focusing on how to win, we need to pay attention to which game to play and who to involve in order to create value.
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Theoretically, according to interdependence theory in organizational psychology, relationships have a greater impact on outcomes than individual effort.
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Leaders who understand interdependence pay attention to motivational structures, trust, and cooperation, and view partnerships not just as an option but as a strategic asset.
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The practice of ecosystem thinking begins by clarifying the components of the system, identifying who influences the outcomes of the company, who depends on the company, and what common constraints exist.
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As a result, it becomes possible not only to manage conflicts of interest but also to develop strategies for reconciling those interests.
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At the same time, sharing information and aligning meanings among diverse groups become important, and strategies shift from fixed plans to collaborative improvisation.
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To lead a cooperative relationship, it is essential to design a structure that makes cooperation a daily habit.
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First, establish common metrics among all partners to ensure that everyone is pursuing the same outcomes and to maintain consistency in decision-making.
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Secondly, through regular reviews that go beyond organizational boundaries, conflicts can be detected early and the escalation of failures can be prevented.
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Thirdly, by providing value without seeking immediate gain, generosity is fostered, which in turn promotes the development of the ecosystem.
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It is also very important for each group to recognize when not to intervene and to create an environment where they can make the most of their strengths.
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It can be said that the forefront of modern strategy is no longer determined by product quality, ideas, or execution ability, but by the quality of the connections that have been built.
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Rather than abandoning competition, redefining it on a deeper level, connecting diverse groups, and taking on goals together that cannot be achieved alone—that is the quality required of leaders today.
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Now, strategy has moved beyond the framework of competition and become a practice of cooperation, and it is the organizations that understand this that become the driving force shaping the pace of the entire industry.
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