Your Coworkers Can Be Collaborators and Competitors

Knowledge at Wharton

  • Sep 2, 2026
  • 0:53
  • Short

Are your coworkers teammates, competitors, or both?

Henning Piezunka, Wharton Associate Professor of Management, explains why collaboration and competition often coexist at work, especially when promotions, bonuses, and scarce opportunities are on the line.

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Brief Summary

Competition and collaboration often occur simultaneously in work and school settings.

Key points

  • The Dual Nature of Competition. People often think they must choose between competing and collaborating, but they do both simultaneously.

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