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Competitive Familiarity: Learning to Coordinate by Competing

Author

Listed:
  • Kenny Ching

    (WPI School of Business, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605)

  • Enrico Forti

    (O’Malley School of Business, Manhattan College, Riverdale, New York 10471; UCL School of Management, University College London, London E14 5AA, United Kingdom)

  • Evan Rawley

    (UConn School of Business, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269)

Abstract

This paper develops and tests a theory of organizational learning, proposing that prior competitive interaction improves coordination among teammates. We test the theory using millions of experiments in the formation of eSports teams. The results show that exogenously assigned teams of former competitors are highly effective—The marginal returns to prior competitive interaction are even larger than the returns to prior collaborative interaction. The evidence suggests that teammates learn to coordinate by competing, a finding with implications for organizational design and the management of human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Kenny Ching & Enrico Forti & Evan Rawley, 2024. "Competitive Familiarity: Learning to Coordinate by Competing," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(4), pages 1409-1426, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:35:y:2024:i:4:p:1409-1426
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2022.17068
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