Abstract
Coopetitive tension arises from the interplay between competition and cooperation behaviors, a common paradox in inter-organizational relationships. Thus, coopetitive tension is a behavioral tension with multiple elements, such as knowledge tension (the tension between knowledge sharing and protection) and value tension (the tension between creation and appropriation). Although many studies have explored the relationship between coopetitive tension and collaborative performance, theoretical arguments and empirical findings remain incongruent. To address the research gaps, this study proposes a moderated mediating model to explain how the interaction among the elements of coopetitive tension affects collaborative performance. An empirical survey was conducted among listed and OTC firms in Taiwan, yielding 209 valid responses. Empirical evidence shows that knowledge sharing has a positive impact on collaboration performance and value co-creation satisfaction, partially mediating this relationship. The knowledge protection and value appropriation asymmetry will negatively moderate the effect of knowledge sharing on collaboration performance through value co-creation. The framework of this research may clarify the paths and situations in which coopetitive tension affects collaboration, which may contribute to the existing co-opetition and paradoxical tension in interorganizational relationship literature.