Meaning of Cooperation

The holy grail of management is individual cooperation for the benefit of a larger shared or joint enterprise desired by the group.

Who owns «Cooperation»?

Cooperation tends to be a flag waved by community-centred people. However, the notion is far too general and fundamental in daily life to be owned by just one mentality.

It is another case of different views of what important words mean. All approaches to interacting-for-benefit call for cooperation, but each gives the notion of working together a rather different slant.

See different meanings ►

• In a market-centred view,
  cooperation = working together so each profits i.e. «being part of the action» is required to make money.
• In a power-centred view,
  cooperation = knowing «which side your bread is buttered on» or «accepting an offer you can't refuse».
• In a cause-centred view,
  cooperation = converting people or «being won over» so as to have commitment.
• In a community-centred view,
  cooperation = reciprocity and partnership i.e. «pulling your weight» so as to benefit everyone and maintain morale and cohesion.
• In a kinship-centred view,
  cooperation = solidarity or «making sacrifices» that put the shared endeavour or in-group first;
• In a perspective-centred view,
  cooperation = rejecting bias and «learning together» so the group can function superbly as a system in addressing the challenges.
• In a reality-centred view,
  cooperation = having a shared awareness of what is good and achievable, so as to have a unity of purpose.

The Ethical Dimension

It seems that two unavoidable doctrines are clashing:

• Every individual has an obligation and a responsibility to ensure their own security and interests. Without such a duty, society would collapse in passivity and dependency.
• Every individual has the obligation and responsibility to serve the needs and interests of groups and group endeavours within which they benefit. Without this duty to preserve a viable context, social life would be pitiful.

Because individuals are the members who constitute the group and drive any joint endeavours, the goal-based doctrine ofcommunalism must somehow complement the duty-based doctrine of individualism.

The framework to be described reveals:

• How these two approaches to making an ethical choice, interact.
• How group endeavours and social changes can be designed and evolved on a foundation of prospering via hard work

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Background Knowledge

• Familiarity with the mentalities (or approaches) that people use in their interactions.
• Familiarity with key principles for interacting effectively within the workplace and how a career develops.

Originally posted: July 2009