Cognitive origins of coopetitive tensions and individual coping strategies at middle managerial levels are addressed.

Balancing change and continuity in practice, middle managers direct coopetitive strategy development.

Sensemaking and sensegiving across actor levels are strategic micro-level processes underlying coopetitive dynamics.

Iterative cycles of cognition, action, and outcomes determine how a coopetitive network picture is shared between actors.

Talk in various forms is decisive for making sense of an emerging coopetitive network.