Unconditional Gift Research Articles

The Free-Riding Issue in Contemporary Organizations: Lessons from the Common Good Perspective

Free riding involves benefiting from common resources or services while avoiding contributing to their production and maintenance. Few studies have adequately investigated the propensity to overestimate the prevalence of free riding. This is a significant omission, as exaggeration of the phenomenon is often used to justify control and coercion systems. To address this gap, we investigate how the common good approach may mitigate the flaws of a system excessively focused on free-riding risk. In this conceptual paper featuring illustrative vignettes, we argue that the common good perspective is realistic and effective in preventing this excessive attention by promoting trust as an unconditional gift and a response to vulnerability. We discuss the common good perspective’s originality over the dominant approaches and propose a set of ethical and managerial recommendations that may be the best protection against this excessive focus and maybe even against free riding itself.

Gifts of Control: Pseudo-Feminism in The Da Vinci Code

Since its publication in 2003, The Da Vinci Code written by Dan Brown came as a big hit to the world and has been listed atop the bestseller list by New York Times for about two years. The novel recounts a story of Sophie and Langdon questing the Holy Grail and then discovering an ancient secret behind it, namely, the marriage and an descendant of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. Most criticisms are concerned with historical and religious meanings, contributing to the public outcry for “radical feminist” of the novel in potentially threatening Christianity. However, it should be noted that the so-called great cause of unveiling Mary Magdalene, the silenced goddess, victimizes the modern female, Sophie. Despite the proliferation of current studies, there seems to be an oversight with regard to “cryptex” which is mentioned about sixty-nine times in the novel. Nevertheless, readers are easily entrapped by this negligence into men’s phony concern for women, in particular their masked manipulation of Sophie. From this vantage point, the present article, drawing on gift theories, aims to reveal the pseudo-feminism in the novel. It is argued that Sauniere’s cryptexes, presented as unconditional gifts for Sophie, are actually complicit with patriarchal ideology and finally force her to sacrifice self-identity for reciprocation. In the end, the paper pinpoints the practical implications of the novel for women in the contemporary world to remain vigilant and rational towards faux-feminism.

WAHBAH AZ-ZUHAILI AND MUHAMMAD SYAHRUR'S METHODS OF THINKING ABOUT MARRIAGE

By the development of the times, of course the law will also experience various developments, as well as marriage law in Islam which follows the times according to human needs. The development of marriage law in Islam cannot be separated from the existence of Muslim scholars. Among these Muslim scholars are Wahbah az-Zuhaili and Muhammad Syahrur. Az-Zuhaili uses the Usul fiqh method in interpreting the laws regarding marriage, while Syahrur uses the hermeneutic method in interpreting the laws regarding marriage. The two of them certainly have different opinions, because the way of thinking and the method of interpretation used are different. Therefore, through this study, the two thoughts of these figures will be examined. The results showed that the two figures viewed marriage as a very solid contract. The difference of opinion between the two lies in the discussion of the dowry, where according to az-Zuhaili that the dowry is a gift from the husband to the wife, and the wife has the right to get it because of the contract or actual intercourse, while Syahrur said the dowry is an unconditional gift given by the husband to his wife. Likewise, there are differences of opinion in the provision of a living and in terms of divorce and polygamy.

Paul’s Three Paths To Salvation

Paul’s Three Paths To Salvation

Faith in/as the Unconditional: Kant, Husserl, and Derrida on Practical Reason

This article tracks Derrida's readings of Kant and Husserl as they explore the relation between, on the one hand, faith and knowledge, and on the other, theory and practice (theoretical and practical reason). Kant had to limit the scope of theoretical knowledge in order to make room for a practical faith in the rational ideas of the unconditioned (God, freedom, and immortality), generated through the unconditionality of the moral law. Husserl deployed the figure of ‘the Idea in the Kantian sense’ at those crucial moments in the exposition of his transcendental phenomenology where the unconditioned comes into play, a problematic strategy that Derrida judges to have revealed the limits of the phenomenological project. While Husserl's call for an unconditional theoretical and practical renewal of faith in reason appears to offer him an out, Husserlian faith is ultimately dependent on an untenable circularity, to which the Kantian variety also succumbs. Only Derrida's unconditional gift of faith can save the honour of reason from its mortal crisis, but in a manner that is itself not wholly a matter of reason.

Gifts and goals: Behavioral nudges to improve child food choice at school

The rising childhood obesity rate calls for interventions aimed at improving food choice. We conducted a field experiment with over 1,400 children to measure the impact of interventions based on two behavioral theories: reciprocity and theories of self-control. We found that unconditional gifts (triggering reciprocity) increased choice of the healthier milk by 15 percentage points. Giving the option to set a goal (an internal commitment device) increased choice of the healthier milk by 10 percentage points. Our results have implications for policy and practice, as low-cost school-based interventions may have an impact on what kids choose to eat and (by extension) on obesity.

Giving and promising gifts: Experimental evidence on reciprocity from the field

We test the value of unconditional non-monetary gifts as a way to improve health worker performance in a low income country health setting. We randomly assigned health workers to different gift treatments within a program that visited health workers, measured performance and encouraged them to provide high quality care for their patients. We show that unconditional non-monetary gifts improve performance by 20 percent over a six-week period, compared to the control group. We compare the impact of the unconditional gift to one in which a gift is offered conditional on meeting a performance target and show that only the unconditional gift results in a statistically significant improvement. This demonstrates that organizations can improve the performance of health workers in the medium term without using financial incentives.

Gifts and Goals: Behavioral Nudges to Improve Child Food Choice at School

The rising childhood obesity rate calls for interventions aimed at improving child food choice, and one recent innovation is the use of behavioral ‘nudges.’ We conducted a field experiment with over 1,400 children to measure the impact of interventions based on two behavioral theories: reciprocity and theories of self-control. The interventions were implemented in the classroom prior to observing choices between a healthy and less healthy milk choice in the cafeteria. We found that small, unconditional gifts (triggering reciprocity) increased the choice of the healthier milk by 15 percentage points relative to a control group. Giving the option to set a goal (an internal commitment device) was most effective for the younger children and increased the choice of the healthier milk by 10 percentage points. About two thirds of children made a goal to select the healthier milk, and almost 90 percent followed through with their goal. We also see an impact of health information delivered by teachers. Our results have implications for policy and practice, since low cost interventions implemented at school may have an impact on what kids choose to eat and in turn on obesity rates.

Effects of a gift certificate incentive and specialized delivery on prostate cancer survivors' response rate to a mailed survey: A randomized-controlled trial

Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer become long-term survivors, but are at risk for medical late-effects that can affect their long-term health. Mailed surveys are well suited to study late-effects in this population, but low response rates can compromise survey validity. This study investigated whether an unconditional $5.00 gift certificate incentive or Priority Mail delivery increased prostate cancer survivors' response to mailed surveys. 976 participants (mean age = 66.8 years), 2-8 years post-diagnosis, were randomized to one of four groups: Incentive; Priority Mail; Incentive & Priority Mail; or Control. After an introductory letter, initial study packets were mailed based on randomization; 46 days later, a second study packet was mailed to all non-responders by First-Class Mail. The first mailing yielded a significant variation in response rates across groups (χ(2) = 9.34; p = 0.025). Priority Mail (64.7%; p = 0.008) and Incentive & Priority Mail (63.6%; p = 0.016) groups had significantly higher response rates than Controls (52.9%). After the second mailing, the overall response rate increased significantly from 59.6% to 71.4% (p < 0.001); however, response rates no longer differed across groups (range, 69.3% [Incentive group] to 73.9% [Priority Mail group]). Long-term prostate cancer survivors' response rates to mailed surveys increased with the use of Priority Mail and a repeat survey mailing, but the unconditional gift certificate incentive was not supported in this population. By identifying and applying specialized survey methods, studies targeting survivors of prostate cancer and other geriatric cancers may improve response rates, thus limiting a source of potential bias.

The multidimensional effects of a small gift: Evidence from a natural field experiment

Using a large natural field experiment, we demonstrate that a small unconditional gift (pen) more than doubled both small (survey) and large (blood donation) responses. We find no evidence that the opportunity for a small response crowded out the larger response; asking participants to also complete a survey directionally increased donations.

“It was just an unconditional gift.” Self reflections of non‐directed living kidney donors

Non-directed living kidney donation is an important emerging type of donation, but there are concerns about ulterior motives and irrational decision-making. This study aimed to elicit the motivations and experiences of non-directed living kidney donors. Qualitative interviews were conducted with all 18 people who donated a kidney in the transplant unit of the South Island, New Zealand. Six major themes were identified: offering the chance of life (opportunity for normalcy in the recipient, good samaritanism), determination (resolute personal decision, rooted in stability, urgency, opportuneness), minimizing perceived risks (live with one kidney, trust in the medical system, physical and genetic resilience, taking chances, mental preparation, mild inconvenience), preserving anonymity (protecting donor anonymity, respecting recipient choice, receiving appreciation, knowing recipient outcomes, developing relationships), donor support (psychologic preparation, efficient coordination, reimbursement of expenses), and gaining benefits (improved fitness, empowerment and satisfaction, connectedness). Non-directed living kidney donors want to offer someone a chance of normal life; a decision driven by resoluteness and a sense of urgency. Kidney donation is perceived to offer improved fitness, and a sense of empowerment, satisfaction, and connectedness. Reluctance to consider non-directed donation programs solely on concerns of unrealistic or ill-motivations and potential feelings of donor regret appear unwarranted.

"German methods," "unconditional gifts," and the full-time system: The case study of the University of Toronto, 1919-23.

At the end of 1919, The University of Toronto got word that the Rockefeller Foundation was looking to give the university a gift of one million dollars (US) to "aid medical education.". This was in addition to a gift of $500,000 (Canadian) from merchant millionaires Sir John Craig and Lady Eaton. The implementation of the full-time system of clinical instruction made possible by these large gifts touched off a fiery debate among the medical profession and prompted a provincial government inquiry that would have thwarted long-awaited innovations in medical teaching and threatened the autonomy of the entire university. Much has been written about the full-time system of clinical medical education, most of it dealing with the United States. Some have documented cases where donor dollars were scorned in aiding the shift to full-time clinical teaching. Less well known is the tale of the University of Toronto. "The Provincial University" is an unique case study of a public university that tried to satisfy donor conditions even as it served its constituency- the people of Ontario. The challenge of implementing a new medical pedagogy between 1919 and 1923 was that Toronto lay at the centre of three poles: private versus public funding; "research" or laboratory medicine versus "experience" or "practical" medicine; and those who wanted to try the full-time system versus the established "old guard."

The Limits of the Literary

the inability to repay the unilateral gift). It also shed new light on grace, as an unconditional gift, with the risk of transforming beautiful generosity into indebtedness of the beneficiary. All of this led to a new reading of Weber's central thesis of The Protestant Ethic and to a new way of situating reciprocally the relations of gifts and the relations of money, which are not two opposing versions of a same level of exchange, but two profoundly different orders of social relations. The marketplace exchange is in response to the differentiation of labor, while the gift publicly attests to recognition between groups and individuals, and is the link that unites mankind. The question of ceremonial gift-giving was finally most especially about this link, this reciprocal recognition, this grace received from others or granted by the gods. And thereby we understand Socrates's insistence--the gifts he receives honor what the god, through him, has granted: that invaluable wisdom that no discipline can master. This is a brief account of my itinerary, the condensed narrative of its surprises and bifurcations, which gave me so many moments of joy, and, at the end of the journey, so many new questions, so many other unknown stars in the sky, so many archipelagos of knowledge still to explore...to renew that promise born of the journey itself: to discover that which I was not seeking. University of California, San Diego translated by Roxanne Lapidus