Cooperative Teamwork Research Articles

Ranking Features on Psychological Dynamics of Cooperative Team Work through Bayesian Networks

The aim of this study is to rank some features that characterize the psychological dynamics of cooperative team work in order to determine priorities for interventions and formation: leading positive feedback, cooperative manager and collaborative manager features. From a dataset of 20 cooperative sport teams (403 soccer players), the characteristics of the prototypical sports teams are studied using an average Bayesian network (BN) and two special types of BNs, the Bayesian classifiers: naive Bayes (NB) and tree augmented naive Bayes (TAN). BNs are selected as they are able to produce probability estimates rather than predictions. BN results show that the antecessors (the “top” features ranked) are the team members’ expectations and their attraction to the social aspects of the task. The main node is formed by the cooperative behaviors, the consequences ranked at the BN bottom (ratified by the TAN trees and the instantiations made), the roles assigned to the members and their survival inside the same team. These results should help managers to determine contents and priorities when they have to face team-building actions.

The Cooperation of Heterogeneous Mobile Robots in Manufacturing Environments using a Robotic Middleware Platform

The study of cooperation in heterogeneous robot teams has evolved due to the engineering and economic benefits attribute as well as the existence of diversities in homogeneous robot teams. The challenge of cooperation in these systems is a result of the task taxonomies and fundamental abilities of each robot in the team; there is therefore a need for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that processes these heterogeneities to facilitate robot cooperation. The research in this paper focuses on the cooperative teamwork behavior among heterogeneous mobile robots via the use of a robotic middleware platform. The contribution of this research is seen in the application of cooperative robotics in manufacturing processes where bottlenecks are relieved, resulting in the improvement of production efficiencies.

English

University professors’ task is to support the students in acquisition of large amounts of knowledge and understanding of complicated connections, processes, insights to analogies, cause and effect relations. To achieve this in the most efficient way, such tools and methods are needed that ease the processing of the knowledge. Information technology students in our university are involved into industry utilized projects, so they have the potential to develop the competences that are needed for cooperative teamwork such as problem-solving skills, communication and presentation readiness. The purpose of our work is to demonstrate in a case study, how can those competencies be developed and what impact do them for the further work while teachers and students are working together. We will introduce those steps that are needed to complete a project with the help of actively participating students and we highlight those checkpoints where the competencies can be developed giving a methodology to the way it has been solved.

‘The good earth and the still waters’: new deal rhetoric in FDR’s political speeches and M-G-M’s captains courageous

This article seeks to demonstrate the underlying ideological similarities between President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Depression-era political rhetoric and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Captains Courageous (1937), an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s 1897 novel of the same title. Rather than claim a simple causal relationship between FDR’s oratorical calls for socio-economic reform and M-G-M’s cinematic tale of cooperative teamwork in the face of adversity, the authors make the more modest assertion that the president’s mid-1930s discourse is echoed in, and mediated by, director Victor Fleming’s contemporaneous production. The film, which on the surface displays the hallmarks of a conservative cultural production, actually functions as a pro-collectivist, pro-New Deal message about the perils of dishonest, unbridled competition. In addition, Captains Courageous is suffused with audiovisual signifiers that are unexpectedly in tune with the sound design and mise-en-scene of ‘social realist’ films of the period. In making their case, the authors not only provide a reading of Captains Courageous that goes against conventional wisdom, but also pose a critical intervention in the traditional historiography of Depression-era film production, which has often neglected to account for this and other (admittedly anomalous) instances of pro-Roosevelt sentiments issuing forth from a studio that famously supported the Republican Party.

Improving Productivity of Hospitality Establishments through Human Relations Skills

This study examines the effect of Human Relations Skills on the productivity of hospitality establishments some hotels in South-Eastern States of Nigeria. The study has six independent variables namely: communication skills, cooperation team work, employee social awareness skills, democratic leadership skills and employee participation skills as the human relations skills and the dependent variable is profitability. The study has six specific objectives and was guided by six research questions and six hypotheses. In carrying out this study, a sample size of 286 was used. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages and frequency distribution tables. The stated hypotheses were tested using Ordinal Logit Regression. The study showed that employee social awareness skills in hospitality establishment significantly affect the profitability of the organizations. The study also showed that cooperative team work, participation in decision making and democratic leadership style affect the profitability of the establishment but not significantly as observed. It was therefore, recommended that every hospitality establishment should train their employees on: proper communication skills, social awareness skills and should have good policy on conflict management skill. Cooperative team work skills, participation in decision making and democratic leadership style should be re-visited and improved upon so that the positive effect will be significantly felt.

협업성 강화를 위한 증강현실 기반의 협업적 교육 시스템

본 논문에서는 증강현실 기반의 협업적 교육 시스템을 설계하고 구현한다. 기존의 증강현실 교육 시스템이 협업성보다는 시스템과 학습자 간의 상호성만을 고려하였기 때문에 학습자들 간의 협력을 지원하고 장려하는 교육 시스템에 대한 효과적인 접근이 이루어지지 않았다. 협업적 교육은 학습자들이 해답을 찾기 위해 비판적인 사고와 협동의 작업을 통해 공동의 목적을 달성하는 교육 방식으로 학습자 간의 긍정적인 상호의존성, 적극적인 상호작용, 개인 및 그룹의 책임감, 팀워크 발달 등이 필요하다. 협업적 교육이 효과적으로 이루어지기 위해서는 교수자와 시스템의 역할이 중요하다. 교수자는 학습활동 초기에 프로젝트를 정의하고, 학습자 그룹을 형성하며, 그룹의 프로젝트에 대한 활동 평가 기준을 제공하여야 한다. 시스템은 상호작용 측면을 지원하고, 학습 활동을 촉진시켜야 한다. 또한 교수자는 학습자들의 상호작용 활동을 관리하고 평가할 수 있는 시스템을 제공하여야 한다. 본 논문은 이와 같이 협업적 교육 시스템에 대한 고려가 적용된 증강 현실 기반의 협업적 교육 시스템을 제안하고 구현한다. This paper aims to design and implement a collaborative learning system based on the augmented reality. The existing augment reality-based learning systems have just focused on interactivity between a system and learners without consideration of cooperability, thereby leading to an ineffective approach to encouraging an learning system to be more supportive and conducive of and to cooperation among learners. The collaborative learning system is a learning method, with which learners achieve a common objective through critical thinking and cooperative teamwork so as to seek solutions to such fulfillment. This requires positive interdependence, proactive interactions, a sense of responsibility shared by individuals as well as the group, and development of teamwork among learners. Educators and systems assume a critical role in helping the collaborative education be effective. An educator is responsible for defining a project at the outset of learning activities, organizing groups for learners, and providing evaluation criteria applied to a group's project activities. Meanwhile, a system shall support interactions to take place while facilitating learning activities. Furthermore, an educator shall provide a system for managing and evaluating activities involving interactions among learners. This paper suggests and embodies a collaborative learning system based on the augmented reality with consideration of the aforementioned collaborative education.

Promoting Social Skills through Outdoor Education and Assessing Its’ Effects

Outdoor education is a holistic form of education which aids in overall wellbeing of adolescence, including academic, physical, emotional, social and psychology well being. The aim of this study was to see whether outdoor education promotes social skills and assess its effects on participants. Research sample comprised of 671 adolescence attending a five-day residential outdoor education program. Kolb’s Cycle of Learning through Experience is used as the theoretical framework while the research framework is adapted from Carver’s Outdoor Education Framework. Social skills measured are cooperative teamwork, leadership ability, and ability to cope with changes. Descriptive and inferential statistics used were t-test, Cohen’s D, multiple analysis of variance, and post hoc test. The result showed that the outdoor programme had a significant influence for all the constructs involved in this study. Cohen’s D showed that the treatment contributes greatly to leadership ability (60%), and ability to cope with changes (61%). Wilks’ Lambda in multiple analysis of variance showed that the outdoor education module contributes significantly high F=30.78, p<0.05; ?²= 0.57 to changes in social skills. Analysis of variance showed that there is a retention period whereby the changes in social skills examined remain in the participants for a certain period of time. This retention of changes in social skills is significant for all factors studied which are cooperative teamwork, leadership ability, and ability to cope with changes.

Analysing the formal and informal documentary film distribution markets in Colombia

Despite the global economic downturn, world feature film production increased by 27.8% between 2005 and 2009. EU production levels also continued to grow. At least 370 feature documentaries were produced in 2011. However, in the formal film distribution market documentaries drag a historic grievance about their theatrical distribution. A clear example of this are the 80 documentaries in competition at the Film Festival Documenta Madrid in 2010, of which only two or three had a theatrical release. This situation is particularly acute in some developing countries in Latin America, such as Colombia; where there is a catalogue, with a list of at least 3000 Colombian documentaries, mostly unseen, which were produced in the last 50 years. In fact, only one documentary film had a theatrical release there, in 2011. This situation informs a large debate in Colombia since the informal film distribution market, San Andresito, is thriving by providing an effective way of reaching the population, while the traditional legal structures lag behind. This article is concerned with a new alternative distribution proposal that allows the Colombian documentary film to meet its primary objective: reaching its audiences. Most data and examples given are related to fiction feature films, since the success of its distribution on DVD in the informal market in Colombia not only shows a wider distribution problem within which documentary is one part, but also becomes a good example to explore how this market may also work to distribute documentaries in the future. Moreover, the cooperation model and teamwork between Ecuadorian film authorities and the Ecuadorian Association of Traders and Distributors of Audio-visual Products and Related are key to exploring the alternatives of constructing a sustainable model in which both the formal and the informal film distribution networks could coexist to benefit the access of the Colombian audiences to documentary films.

Lessons from Thai International Medical Tourism: Its Market Analysis, Barriers and Solutions

AbstractSince the Thai government established a 5-year medical tourism promotion plan in 2004, Thailand has become a global leading country as a international medical tourism hub. Thus, this study attempted to assess Thailand’s medical tourism market, which is the largest in the world in terms of the number of foreign medical tourists and revenues. Strengths include strong government support, effective marketing policies, and high quality hospitals and infrastructure. Opportunities are globally increasing senior population, quick medical treatments, and development of digital technologies. However, weaknesses are found as having not cooperative teamwork between public and private medical sectors, language barrier, distrust on medical facilities or services, no regular quality assessment program for hospitals, and existence of only a few internationally well-known Thai hospitals. Thailand is also committed to threats such as uncontrollable global factors, intense competition in an Asian medical tourism mar...

Developing Cooperative Teams to Support Individual Performance and Well-Being in a Call Center in China

The theory of cooperation and competition, though developed in the West, may be useful to develop and analyze productive teamwork in China. Three hundred and sixty-eight employees from a call center participated in a cooperative teamwork 1-day workshop followed by daily practice. Results support the hypothesis that cooperative teams strengthen relationships, reduce turnover, and improve productivity of individual team members. During the 2-month period, team members increased the number of phones answered by nearly 40%, reduced customer complaints by over 55%, and lowered the turnover by over 20%, while the control call centers had either minor increases or decreases in these measures. These results support that the theory of cooperation and competition can guide the development of effective teams in China and that cooperative teams can improve the performance of individual employees.

Reflective practice in surgery clinic teaching: a application study

Objective To study the application effects of reflective practice in surgery clinic teaching.Methods 96 surgery exercitation nurses were randomly divided into two groups,study group ( n =48 ) and control group (n =48).The study group was taught with reflective practice,while the control group was given conventional teaching method. The teaching effects of both groups were evaluated comprehensively with a questionnaire and department rotation examination.Results Communication and expression ability,humanistic care towards operated patients,surgical cooperation ability,teamwork ability,and self-culture ability in the study group were significantly more excellent than those in the control group (x2 =15.10,17.14,8.49,19.10,6.98;P ＜0.01 ),the total score of the study group was (92.3 ±4.2),(79.5 ±3.8)for the control group,and there was significant difference between both groups ( t =15.65,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Reflective practice could promote the effects of surgery clinic teaching,develop and improve students' humanistic accomplishments and critical thinking ability. Key words: Nursing; Operating room; Reflective practice; Clinic teaching

The concept of collaborative health

Based on empirical research about teamwork in human service organizations in Sweden, the concept of collaborative health (CH) encapsulates the physical, psychological and social health resources the individual uses in teamwork; resources which at the same time are influenced by the teamwork. My argument built on empirical research leading up to identifying and defining the core concept in this article, is that teamwork affects team members' health and this in turn affects the teamwork and its outcome. In this paper collaborative health is viewed from a social constructionism perspective and discussed in relation to earlier concepts developed in social psychology and working life research, including psychosocial stress and burnout. The paper also introduces the concept of functional synergy, which in this context is defined as the simultaneous presence of sharp goal-orientation and synergy in teamwork. The need for a holistic team theory is emphasized as a tool in research on teamwork. Such a theory relies on identifying sound and illuminating constituent concepts. I suggest that collaborative health could be a useful concept for better understanding the complex collaborative and co-operative teamwork of human service organizations of today.

What Makes a Successful EFL Teacher in China? A Case Study of an English Language Teacher at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine

This paper investigates the traits of a successful EFL teacher at a Chinese University by collecting qualitative data, including surveys with questionnaires and interviews, from Miss H and a group of her students and her colleagues. The purpose is to detect what special qualities she has and what other roles she undertakes in her teaching position. The data indicate that to fulfil her role as both a teacher and a “tour guide”, Miss H has the qualities of being knowledgeable, responsible, enthusiastic, patient and kind. She also has a strong ability to utilise her teaching methods in accordance with what her students need and to train them to learn in a communicative and independent way. She serves as both a friend to her students, giving them support and helping them with learning, and as a coordinator among her colleagues, encouraging professional development and cooperative teamwork.

Primary, definitive treatment of the nasoethmoidorbital-midface-frontobasal injuries in the maxillofacial practice

Nasoethmoid-orbital (NEO) fractures are typically resulted by a drastic, forceful blow to the central aspect of the head and nose, associated injuries to adjacent structures occur and involve the midface, anterior cranial fossa and the eye. Dislocated bony parts of the nose may be impacted into the intraorbital region and lead to severe complications: cerebrospinal fluid leak, optic nerve lesion, anosmy, telecanthus and diplopy. In the complex management of the craniofacial lesions, a cooperative team-work of maxillofacial surgeon, neurosurgeon, otolaryngologist and ophthalmologist is required. The key of the surgery treatment is the actual status of the NEO structure. Stabilized nasoethmoidal fragments, midface and the watertight dura closure or plasty are basically important conditions for the ceasing of nasal liquorrhoea. Repositioning of fractured fragments, stabilization with titanium miniplates and reconstruction of bony defect using autologous bone are commonly used techniques at our practice. Between years 1995-2000, altogether 50 cases of injuries due to NEO fracture have been treated at our department of maxillofacial surgery. We report the possible combinations of traumatism, our operative methods, our supply tactics and experiences. Multiple and defect fractures of the craniofacial bones may cause irreversible deformities, chewing and nutritional disturbances. We preferred the early, primary, definitive supply, with the respect of aesthetic viewpoints with the application of streamlined operative methods like bone fixation and bone replacement. Our fundamental aim is the reduction of the patients' operative load, their nursing time and the enhancement of our operative results.

Estimates of Global Research Productivity in Gynecologic Oncology

Societies worldwide invest considerably in research on oncological diseases of women. However, current literature lacks estimating this research production. We therefore evaluated quality and quantity of publications in gynecologic oncology. Revisit of 6119 peer-reviewed articles published in Gynecologic Oncology and the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer from January 1996 to December 2006. Descriptive data on disease origin, main topic, and country of origin were collected and analyzed separately. Research productivity was adjusted to the national population and nominal gross domestic product per capita. Research production and international cooperative teamwork in the 2 main journals of gynecologic oncology increased within the 10 last years; 65.3% of all published articles dealt either with epithelial ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, or endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer had the worst ratio number of publications to estimated national incidence (United States, 2007). The United States (41.15%) and Europe (29.72%) make up a striking 70.87% of the world's research production in the field of gynecologic oncology. However, the highest rate of increase shows in Turkey (22.5), the People's Republic of China (6.87), and South Korea (5.83). Adjusted to the national GDP per capita and population for the year 2006, research productivity seems best in Israel, Austria, and Turkey. Quantitatively, most publications come from the presumed countries. Within the limits of the methodology used in this study, adjustment to population and GDP per capita provides information on research output. The scientific output on endometrial cancer is comparably low.

Collaborative Sounding Rocket launch in Alaska and Development of Hybrid Rockets

Tokai University student rocket project (TSRP) was established in 1995 for a purpose of the space science and engineering hands-on education, consisting of two space programs; the one is sounding rocket experiment collaboration with University of Alaska Fairbanks and the other is development and launch of small hybrid rockets. In January of 2000 and March 2002, two collaborative sounding rockets were successfully launched at Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska. In 2001, the first Tokai hybrid rocket was successfully launched at Alaska. After that, 11 hybrid rockets were launched to the level of 180-1,000 m high at Hokkaido and Akita in Japan. Currently, Tokai students design and build all parts of the rockets. In addition, they are running the organization and development of the project under the tight budget control. This program has proven to be very effective in providing students with practical, real-engineering design experience and this program also allows students to participate in all phases of a sounding rocket mission. Also students learn scientific, engineering subjects, public affairs and system management through experiences of cooperative teamwork. In this report, we summarize the TSRP's hybrid rocket program and discuss the effectiveness of the program in terms of educational aspects.

Cooperative Goals in the Chinese Work Environment: A Hong Kong Case Study

This research seeks to develop an understanding of how cooperative teamwork among Chinese employees impacts upon the customer perception of service in the Hong Kong ship-repair industry. The research model was based on the ‘Theory of Cooperation and Competition’, a western-derived theory. The model used included the Chinese values of power distance, collectivism and conformity. The results suggested the need to explore alternative processes that Chinese people may engage in in managing their conflict. We question whether the ‘goals’ or ‘ends’ based approach to the operation of teams inherent in the Theory of Cooperation and Competition, is valid in the Chinese context where ‘process’ and ‘relationship’ are pivotal.

The relationship between quality improvement and firms' productivity in Malaysia

This study attempts to examine whether quality improvement aspects have influence over a firm's productivity performance within two different settings: semiconductor and medical equipment manufacturers firms in Penang, Malaysia. To achieve this aim, six identified quality-improvement-related variables – cooperation (teamwork), participation in decision-making, quality awareness, suggestions towards improvement, voluntary work and training – are examined to see whether they lead to the improvement of productivity. The study also investigates the moderating role of the level of automation between productivity and quality. Interestingly, the study found that while quality awareness, suggestions towards improvement, voluntary work and training influence productivity, the other two variables, i.e., cooperation and participation in decision making, were found to have no influence on productivity improvement for both semiconductor an medical equipment manufacturers firms.

A model for educational enrichment and employment recruitment for clinical laboratory science students.

An educational partnership was initiated between a pharmaceutical company and a university-based clinical laboratory science program to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. This external enrichment site provides a unique educational experience for the students that cannot be duplicated any where else in the community. The framework for the educational experience was established with a full day's schedule of visits and presentations guided by a list of twenty learning objectives. Clinical laboratory science students interact with laboratory professionals who are employed by the pharmaceutical company and assigned to a variety of traditional and non-traditional roles. During the visit, pharmaceutical company employees observe student interactions in small group settings and assess the learners' interest in the work environment and specimen testing process. Employee feedback may be applied to future employment decision making. This article describes how employer outreach goals and initiatives and educational enrichment objectives can be met through cooperative team work.

《補綴治療におけるオーラルデザイン‐技工サイドと臨床サイドのチームコミュニケーション‐》義歯治療に必要なチームコミュニケーション ２）歯科技工士の立場から

As for the team communication between clinical and technological sides in the denture treatment,a smooth cooperative teamwork must be established in its target treatment through individual adequate recognitions concerning the main points of sequential procedures from examination, diagnosis, therapeutic designing, impression taking and bite registration and then setting performed by a dentist on the clinical side as well as concerning the main points of technical procedures indirectly performed by a dental technician on the technological side in order to achieve the most improved preservation of remained tissues with an increased rate of functional restoration, being the final target of treatment. At present when an ultra-aged society is coming, the demand of denture treatment has been enhanced more and more. In response to the enhanced patient's demand, various modes of denture treatment have been introduced and the dental technology has advanced remarkably. In particular, a technical procedure by means of partial parallel milling representative of rigid support or of Konuskronen requires very complicated working processes. In addition, the elasticity is also required including such an occlusal construction as being harmonious with the jaw function or such tooth crown morphology as being prepared in consideration of periodontal tissues together with a lot of information from the clinical side required as well in the denture treatment. In this study, therefore, the dental technical procedures presently performed by referring to varied individual information are newly arranged and summarized so as that these complicated technical processes and working steps could be performed more easily and accurately.