Cooperation and coordination are integral components to the success of an interorganizational collaboration and strategic alliance. However, we have limited knowledge on the underlying mechanism of the interplay between cooperation and coordination particularly in a limited time span. In this study we conduct a case study of a large-scale scientific collaboration and reveal how cooperation and coordination is achieved using a practice lens. Our analysis shows how cooperation and coordination is achieved through practices of competition or contestation, opportunity seeking, and intervention. We contribute to explaining how cooperation and coordination can be attained in a limited time span while explicating the practice lens of cooperation and coordination. Additionally, we also contribute to the literature on scientific collaboration in describing how interests and actions are aligned in the particular context.
