<![CDATA[Purpose – This study investigates how employees’ understanding and acceptance of the coopetition paradox influence work motivation and job happiness. Employee coopetition refers to the simultaneous experience of cooperation and competition in workplace relationships, requiring employees to cognitively and psychologically manage competing demands. Design/methodology/approach – This study employs a quantitative research approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The proposed model examines the direct effects of understanding and acceptance of the coopetition paradox on work motivation and job happiness, as well as the mediating role of work motivation. The illustrative analysis was based on 300 hypothetical valid respondents and tested seven proposed hypotheses using bootstrapping procedures. Findings/Results – The illustrative results indicate that both understanding and acceptance of the coopetition paradox positively influence work motivation, with acceptance showing a stronger effect. Both variables also have positive direct effects on job happiness, while work motivation demonstrates the strongest direct effect on job happiness. Furthermore, work motivation mediates the relationships between understanding and acceptance of the coopetition paradox and job happiness, with a stronger mediation effect for acceptance. These findings are consistent with research emphasizing the importance of employee motivation and psychological factors in shaping job satisfaction and happiness. Originality/Value – This study contributes to the coopetition literature by shifting attention from organizational-level coopetition toward employees’ cognitive understanding and psychological acceptance of the coopetition paradox. It also highlights work motivation as an important mechanism linking coopetitive experiences to employee happiness. The numerical findings remain provisional and require validation using actual empirical survey data.]]>
