Cooperative Ventures Research Articles

The Ethics of Cooperation in Business

As cooperative ventures and strategic alliances have increased in numbers, there is need for an analysis which does not proceed from presumption that singular-person action is the only form of action. When doing things with others, certain wrongs become possible that solo activity does not recognize. Moreover, such an alternative might help identify explanations and ways firms might better manage cooperative ventures. Philosophers in the field of business ethics can contribute to this discussion by bringing insight to a concept that is now at the focus of the business and academic community. This paper aims to clarify the concept of cooperation and more specifically the notions of cooperative action. At least some obligations seem to arise out of the very fact that we are in some activity together. The questions posed in connection with it are such as, “What exactly do we mean by cooperation? What are the key characteristics of cooperation? Is it possible to delineate a generic typology of various kinds of cooperation?” Initially the paper fleshes out the formal features of the concept. Next, the paper considers the types of cooperation likely to exist in the business world, offering four schemes of cooperation that progress from the more limited to the more advanced forms of cooperation. Consequently, it discusses the idea of cooperation in business from an ethical perspective.

When cooperation begets cooperation: the role of key individuals in galvanizing support.

Life abounds with examples of conspecifics actively cooperating to a common end, despite conflicts of interest being expected concerning how much each individual should contribute. Mathematical models typically find that such conflict can be resolved by partial-response strategies, leading investors to contribute relatively equitably. Using a case study approach, we show that such model expectations can be contradicted in at least four disparate contexts: (i) bi-parental care; (ii) cooperative breeding; (iii) cooperative hunting; and (iv) human cooperation. We highlight that: (a) marked variation in contributions is commonplace; and (b) individuals can often respond positively rather than negatively to the contributions of others. Existing models have surprisingly limited power in explaining these phenomena. Here, we propose that, although among-individual variation in cooperative contributions will be influenced by differential costs and benefits, there is likely to be a strong genetic or epigenetic component. We then suggest that selection can maintain high investors (key individuals) when their contributions promote support by increasing the benefits and/or reducing the costs for others. Our intentions are to raise awareness in—and provide testable hypotheses of—two of the most poorly understood, yet integral, questions regarding cooperative ventures: why do individuals vary in their contributions and when does cooperation beget cooperation?

Trust me: the keys to success in cooperative collections ventures

Purpose – Cooperation among research libraries is a venerable pursuit with a long history. The purpose of this paper is to examine three collaborative tools and programs ranging from the late 1970s to the present to identify the promise of each as well as the challenges, the factors that both facilitate and interfere with true cooperation, highlighting the lessons learned. Design/methodology/approach – The author analyzes the development and functions of the Conspectus of the Research Libraries Group, the Global Resources Program of the Association of Research Libraries, and the Triangle Research Libraries Network in the state of North Carolina, USA. Findings – While the goals of collaborative collections initiatives are laudable, it is often difficult to accomplish true, balanced, and lasting cooperation that results in both expanded access and financial reallocation. Originality/value – The study is a first-hand, inside look at the methods and mechanisms of cooperative collection development that offers suggestions for future partnerships on either a small or a large scale.

Recovering the History of African American Cooperative Economics

Jessica Gordon Nembhard has drilled deep into the recesses of the African American sociohistorical experience and unearthed the history of African American “cooperative economic thought and practice.” In doing so, she has expanded three fields of study: African American business or economic history, the history of African American social movements, and the history of cooperative economic ventures in the United States. Collective Courage, however, is more than a recovery project, though given the scarcity of detailed studies on the subject that in itself would be noteworthy. In addition to excavating and bringing together myriad fragments of the history of African American economic cooperation scattered across two centuries, Gordon Nembhard provides an outstanding example of interdisciplinary scholarship erected on a solid analytical foundation of mixed methods, written from an African American scholar-activist perspective. In this vein, Gordon Nembhard refers to her study as an attempt to construct “a theory and practice of economic development within a broad tradition of populism and economic justice” (19). In doing so, she offers a fascinating story about a suppressed element of the African American struggle, but one which comports with the broad outlines of the African American sociohistorical experience—a story of racial oppression and repression and of African Americans’ resistance through study, service, and struggle. Renowned scholars of black business enterprises, Juliet E. K. Walker and Robert E. Weems, have noted the neglect, underrepresentation, and bias against this aspect of African American community development. Yet, curiously, the school of pro-capitalist entrepreneurship has replicated a similar bias in their

The morality of economic behaviour

One approach to moral economy wishes to show that it is rational to be moral. As rational morality has received little attention from economics, as opposed to political philosophy, this article examines it in an economics framework. Rational morality refers primarily to individual behaviour so that one may also speak of it as moral microeconomics. When a group of agents are disposed to constrain their maximisation, that behaviour may be considered rational. However, this relies on ‘moralised’ assumptions about individual behaviour. Constrained maximisation may also rely on repeated interactions within social structures that then transmit information thus serving as enforcement mechanisms. In this way agents obtain knowledge of others’ past behaviour and choose their interlocutors accordingly. Thus, it pays to behave morally as it will attract similarly disposed agents to participate in cooperative ventures for mutual advantage. An analysis of rational morality on the individual level demonstrates how this moral microeconomy affects social structures, society as a whole, and economic institutions and the moral macroeconomy.

Dual attribution in the context of military operations

This article considers the state of the doctrine on dual attribution in military operations. The rapidly expanding jurisprudence on cooperative military ventures has yet to coalesce around a single normative framework. The role of the ario and ars in that realm has been decidedly mixed, perhaps predictably given the inconsistency between the two codes. The most hopeful developments have come in the Netherlands, with the elaboration of a bifocal, preventive interpretation of Article 7 of the ario. However, whether that framework will resonate elsewhere is uncertain. Thus far, the concept of dual attribution itself has played an odd role. It has been affirmed repeatedly in theory, but the primary value of its theoretical possibility has been in empowering courts to hear cases they might otherwise have avoided, while failing actually to attribute conduct to two or more entities.

A shared view of the integrated urban water management practices in Malaysia

Urban water management remains a complex interplay between climate change, population growth, water scarcity, and the living environment. This agenda has called for an integrated, coordinated, ecologically-oriented, and participatory approach to the reliable protection of water resources. Malaysia, endowed with its rich natural resources and diversity recognizes the need to adopt a sound developmental framework to transform the country's water management landscape to a high quality and excellent level. In parallel with this development, both government and non-governmental organizations continue to advocate national efforts to address environmental research for incorporating the sustainability of environmental literacy and conservation of ecosystems. The plan espouses the establishment of urban water recycling, bio-retention systems, and constructed wetlands to buffer the impacts of water pollution, and preserve ecosystems for the neighboring communities. The impetus is accompanied by the integration of water quality monitoring systems, and boosted by the implementation of expert analysis. The present work attempts to address the dynamic pressure, key challenges, and benefits of urban water management practices in Malaysia. The sustainable concepts of waterfronts, constructed wetlands, and implementation of water monitoring analysis are elucidated. In addition, the research breakthroughs, major obstacles, and co-operative ventures for the promotion of urban water management are outlined.

Theology after Dialogue: Christian–Muslim Engagement Today and Tomorrow

The phenomenon of Christian–Muslim dialogue has had a very chequered history. At varying times, three broad modes of engagement can be said to have operated: antipathy, affinity and inquiry, and these three modes can be found still in today's world. In some places, hostility and antipathy abound. In others, voices and actions express cordial friendship, détente and affinity. In this latter climate, the prospect of engagement in mutual inquiry and cooperative ventures is not only theoretically possible, but actively pursued, and in the first decade of the twenty-first century, a number of notable initiatives in the arena of mutual inquiry have taken place. This article addresses aspects of the context and development of Christian–Muslim dialogue as a modern phenomenon, and then turns to a review of three twenty-first century developments – the Building Bridges seminar series; the Stuttgart-based Christian–Muslim Theological Forum and the “Common Word” letter. It also reflects on the models and theology of dialogue, including not only theology for dialogue, but also theology in and – importantly – after dialogue.

The changing landscape of policing: the Metro-LEC approach

Profound changes are being made in the way police organize and collaborate. Many of these changes are due to economic times, as well as changes that occurred after September 11th. Small- and medium-size agencies are finding new and innovative ways to mobilize for critical events and large-scale operations. The mechanisms for collaboration vary and few studies have examined the effectiveness of these different types of interagency cooperative ventures. The Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council is a non-profit organization and pools resources from 43 law enforcement agencies. This study found the approach to be successful in accomplishing its primary mission of providing needed services to the member agencies. Lastly, this type of collaborative approach is changing the landscape of policing through the use of multijurisdictional special operational units available to respond to a host of situations from public and private requests.

Social development benefits of hydroelectricity CDM projects in Brazil

In recent years, the concept of sustainable development (SD) has become increasingly recognized and important. Within organizations, SD is often portrayed as a balancing act and requires a combination of three elements to be considered: economy, environment, and society. Traditionally, organizational management research has been focused on economical and environmental fronts. However, social aspects are also important for organizations, especially those in emerging and developing countries. The goal of this article is to investigate the potential of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects to deliver social benefits in Brazil’s hydroelectricity sector. The investigation involved the assessment of 46 registered hydro CDM projects under the Kyoto Protocol in terms of their potential impact on the envisaged social development goals. Two case studies were also examined. Results indicate that organizations managing hydroelectric initiatives in Brazil can provide the pathway toward achieving a number of important social benefits. Successful projects were found to have good community involvement and were managed by both cooperative ventures and money-making corporations. The research also identified several challenges that are hindering hydro CDM projects from delivering more social benefits and enabled a number of recommendations to be extracted for the organizations facing these challenges.

Health Services Management Education On-Site At A Military Medical Center

A cooperative educational program with the U.S. military is described to illustrate a unique opportunity that confronted a graduate healthcare management program. The resulting degree program supported the military’s operational medical mission but also presented interesting and unexpected challenges resulting from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pressure to provide costeffective services has been mounting for many years. Civilian and military cooperative ventures can be highly successful. The program addressed the need for enhanced managerial skills. Program content focused on traditional business and healthcare content with applications tailored to military settings. While instruction was provided primarily by civilian faculty, active duty military instructors were also incorporated into specific course content areas. Program pricing and marketing were critical to success. Technical course delivery issues raised additional challenges due to work obligations and deployments. Academic institutions need to assist military commands in achieving their training objectives and can benefit from the experience. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.

Strategy for International Cooperation in Planning the Chinese Space Station

After ten years of planning and pre-development, the Chinese government approved the space station project on September 25, 2010. In October 2010, the People's Republic of China (PRC) officially announced its independent space station construction project planned for successful completion by 2022 with an operation life of approximately ten years. The Chinese Space Station (CSS) is of particular interest to those who research the country's patterns of behavior in cooperative ventures. The future space station is being advertised as an international collaborative project on an unprecedented scale for China. However, inviting international partners in the process of constructing and operating a space station presents an expansively demanding policy problem. China must determine if there are tangible benefits associated with different scales and scopes of space station cooperation. The key policy issue is finding a model that is effective for fair and rational cooperation based on mutual benefit, transparency, reciprocity, and cost sharing, while striking a balance with partners over ownership, intellectual property, and utilization rights. Through first hand professional and cultural experience in China and translations of various Chinese academic journals, I construct an analytical assessment of PRC space activities and expect CSS to take the form of a regionally focused space station leaving China with ultimate authority over day-to-day operations. Given its past behavior, China will likely control the majority share, establish a chain of command, and be in a position of power rather than establishing a system of equal share. Furthermore, China should extend offers for collaboration to strategic partners in the immediate Asia-Pacific region and beyond while continuing to include the United Nations. I argue that if CSS can be effectively managed as a platform for international cooperation and global leadership, then it can achieve subsidiary benefits for the Chinese government in domestic and foreign policy.

Phylogeography unplugged: comparative surveys in the genomic era

In March 2012, the authors met at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) in Durham, North Carolina, USA, to discuss approaches and cooperative ventures in Indo-Pacific phylogeography. The group emerged with a series of findings: (1) Marine population structure is complex, but single locus mtDNA studies continue to provide powerful first assessment of phylogeographic patterns. (2) These patterns gain greater significance/power when resolved in a diversity of taxa. New analytical tools are emerging to address these analyses with multi-taxon approaches. (3) Genome-wide analyses are warranted if selection is indicated by surveys of standard markers. Such indicators can include discordance between genetic loci, or between genetic loci and morphology. Phylogeographic information provides a valuable context for studies of selection and adaptation. (4) Phylogeographic inferences are greatly enhanced by an understanding of the biology and ecology of study organisms. (5) Thorough, range-wide sampling of taxa is the foundation for robust phylogeographic inference. (6) Congruent geographic and taxonomic sampling by the Indo-Pacific community of scientists would facilitate better comparative analyses. The group concluded that at this stage of technology and software development, judicious rather than wholesale application of genomics appears to be the most robust course for marine phylogeographic studies. Therefore, our group intends to affirm the value of traditional (''unplugged'') approaches, such as those based on mtDNA sequencing and microsatellites, along with essential field studies, in an era with increasing emphasis on genomic approaches.

Importance of Clinical Trials and International Cooperation

As physicians, we are fundamentally biologists with the objective of utilizing this knowledge to limit disease burden. As medical practitioners and investigators, we strive to meaningfully contribute to this growing body of knowledge to improve the understanding of physiology and pathophysiology in an attempt to develop better therapeutic approaches for patients. Preliminary data from multiple sources are used to develop mechanistic constructs which can be focused into a testable hypothesis. In clinical investigation, the randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) has emerged as the most definitive method of determining whether or not a novel therapy alters the clinical course of a cohort of patients with a defined disease. Although the skillful practice of medicine remains an art of using, at best incomplete data, the RCT provides the most quantitative assessments of both the benefits as well as the risks of a therapeutic strategy. However, RCTs that can provide such data are massive undertakings that require long-term dedication from large numbers of patients, investigators, and staff. As such, these large international cooperative ventures demand huge financial and personal commitments. As a consequence, smaller studies with more intermediate so-called surrogate outcomes are often conducted providing less definitive data that can only be extrapolated to presumed clinical outcomes. This presentation will highlight the advances and challenges of designing and conducting international clinical outcome trials with examples from cardiovascular medicine looking backwards as well as forward.

Library consortia in India with special reference to UGC-Infonet digital library consortium

Including scholarly contents has given right to the publishers of peer-reviewed journals to keep higher subscription rates. It always affects library budget to a great extent. Since long libraries have been experimenting different ways of library cooperation so that maximum benefit, especially economic benefit, could be extracted from their joint cooperation ventures. The term ‘consortia’ has been considered an advanced stage of library cooperation. Advent of electronic journals has given rise to homogonous libraries and national governments to cope with scarcity of funds and unavailability of internationally produced scholarly literature by means of establishing library consortia. Various library consortia have been mushroomed all across the world and India has also not been spared from it. University Grants Commission (UGC) observed the dire state of Indian university libraries and found that only few were subscribing to some International peer-reviewed journals and many were not even subscribing to any international journal. The UGC opted electronic journals as medium and initiated a national consortium for strengthening library collection by providing thousands of international peer-reviewed journals over Internet free of cost. The consortium is known as UGC-Infonet Digital Library consortium. In this paper an effort is being made to discuss the various concepts of library consortia in India briefly and UGC-Infonet Digital Library consortium in detail.

Library consortia in India with special reference to UGC-Infonet digital library consortium

Including scholarly contents has given right to the publishers of peer-reviewed journals to keep higher subscription rates. It always affects library budget to a great extent. Since long libraries have been experimenting different ways of library cooperation so that maximum benefit, especially economic benefit, could be extracted from their joint cooperation ventures. The term ‘consortia’ has been considered an advanced stage of library cooperation. Advent of electronic journals has given rise to homogonous libraries and national governments to cope with scarcity of funds and unavailability of internationally produced scholarly literature by means of establishing library consortia. Various library consortia have been mushroomed all across the world and India has also not been spared from it. University Grants Commission (UGC) observed the dire state of Indian university libraries and found that only few were subscribing to some International peer-reviewed journals and many were not even subscribing to any international journal. The UGC opted electronic journals as medium and initiated a national consortium for strengthening library collection by providing thousands of international peer-reviewed journals over Internet free of cost. The consortium is known as UGC-Infonet Digital Library consortium. In this paper an effort is being made to discuss the various concepts of library consortia in India briefly and UGC-Infonet Digital Library consortium in detail.

Government-business alliances in state capitalist economies: evidence from low-income markets in China

Based on three in-depth case studies, the study analyzes how and why Chinese enterprises partner with governments in cooperative ventures which aim to simultaneously achieve poverty alleviation objectives and establish profitable business ventures in rural areas. The analysis draws out specific characteristics of three government-business partnerships in China, which vary in terms of governance structure, resource complementarity and incentives. The findings show that in this state capitalist system, outcomes of government-business partnerships depend on firms having unique resources and capabilities that serve particular policy objectives of the government. By the same token, in order to make partnerships attractive to firms, national and local governments must hold the keys to unique resources needed by enterprises looking to do business in low-income markets. The cases further illustrate that, in order to build and maintain successful government-business partnerships over time, the alignment of incentives plays an important role. In sum, complementary resources and well-aligned interests between firms and governments help to explain why some government-enterprise partnerships are more successful than others.

Joint-use libraries & Cooperative efforts of libraries.

You are light years ahead of us - so an American academic is quoted in the introduction to these books, when confronted with his university library's cooperative ventures. The refrain librarians are good at cooperating runs through these two separates, special monographs published simultaneously as the journal Resource Sharing & Information Networks, Volume IS, Number I, 200 I and Volume 16, Numbers I and 2, 2002, respectively. Surely the comment can be applied to South Africa - where our libraries' consortia might well show the way in the current higher education mergers and where our public library systems rely on cooperation between provincial and local governments (however uncertain that particular partnering might be at the moment). However, a closer look at the casestudies inside these two books reveals how limited our vision has been. Despite all the calls for transformed library structures in the early I990s, we still have separate library sectors - public, academic, school, special - , with little cooperation among them beyond interlibrary lending.

Rebuilding Communities After Natural Disasters: The 2009 Bushfires in Southeastern Australia

ABSTRACT Through nonrandom purposive sampling, this article examines the ways three Catholic agencies offered bushfire recovery assistance after the 2009 bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria. Participants from Catholic welfare agencies (29), local and state government (8), international recovery agencies (2), and others such as clergy, church, and medical (6) were selected, and senior managers, middle managers, and workers on the ground were interviewed up to 3 times during a 3-year period. The forty-five people were interviewed a total of 74 times. Study results illustrate the importance of adaptability, flexibility, and preplanning as the core of recovery assistance. Linking with local and state government disaster management plans and developing mechanisms to inform other groups as to the services that new agencies could provide were essential for filling gaps in services and establishing cooperative ventures. Recommendations are provided but more research is needed on how other agencies can benefit from the knowledge gained in this study.

France and Germany nuclear energy policies revisited: A veblenian appraisal

Nuclear energy policy should have been a major area of cooperation for France and Germany, playing a lead role in the energy policy of the EU. Yet they have retained different options, especially regarding nuclear energy while the EU energy policy remained very indicative. These two ?coordinated economies? should have been able to cooperate more closely on this issue. While the reasons for this difference in behavior have much to do with the specificities of the nuclear energy, they are more precisely related to the continuously rising level of security requirements, a learning process in which the magnitude of risks and time lengths appeared, even before Fukushima, to go beyond rational boundaries on which cooperation (as well as market) ventures could be based. This raises the issue in the present state of the technologies of the possibility of an international governance of this nuclear industry.