COMPETITIVE DECISION MAKING IN DECLINING INDUSTRIES

This paper expands the theory of competitive decision making in declining industries. Kelley and Thibaut's theory of interdependence is used to analyze and explain the use of competitive and cooperative strategies among competitors. The analysis suggests that although the use of competitive strategies is more likely, cooperative strategies should produce higher performance. Several barriers to, and facilitators of, the use of cooperative strategies in declining industries are identified, and their prescriptive implications are discussed.