Use Of Social Mechanisms Research Articles

Conceptual foundations of combating crime against the environment in Ukraine

Within the scope of the scientific article, by means of documentary sources, the main conceptual directions of the fight against environmental crime in Ukraine are highlighted. Special emphasis is placed on the use of social mechanisms to ensure legality in the investigated area; adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On ecological culture of the population"; careful planning of the processes of development and implementation of organizational, legal and other measures aimed at preventing crimes against the environment. It is proposed to increase funding of control and supervisory bodies for the detection and prevention of criminal offenses, other state structures for the protection of nature; development of a unified state policy in the field of combating organized environmental crime, all this, on the basis of a criminological examination of legislation. In the conclusions it is proposed to unify the efforts of law enforcement agencies of various states to stop anti-environmental criminal behavior, neutralize all stages of the implementation of a criminal offense: planning, illegal extraction of resources, transportation, sale and laundering of proceeds obtained through crime against nature.

From Peer Production to Productization: A Study of Socially Enabled Business Exchanges in Open Source Service Networks

Peer production phenomena such as open source software (OSS) have been posited as a viable alternative to traditional production models. However, community-based development often falls short of creating software “products” in the sense that consumers understand. Our research identifies an emerging business network archetype in the OSS sector, the open source service network (OSSN), which seeks to address the “productization” challenge. To do so, OSSNs must overcome the problems associated with exchanging resources between firms. We demonstrate that OSSNs overcome exchange problems by primarily relying on social, rather than legal, mechanisms; similar to the OSS communities from which they emerged. This is made possible because OSSNs use IT infrastructures that provide high visibility for primary value-creating activities. The research utilizes a multimethod theory-building approach, deriving a model from extant research, refining the model through qualitative case study analysis, and further refining the model through quantitative analysis of survey data. The paper reveals the manifestation of social mechanisms in OSSNs and how these are used for coordinating and safeguarding exchanges between firms. Specifically, we illustrate the primary importance of a shared macroculture (goals and norms) and collective sanctions for punishing firms who violate these goals/norms. Furthermore, our research highlights the interplay between digital and social networks within OSSNs, demonstrating that the use of social mechanisms is inherently dependent upon the underlying IT infrastructure.

Mechanisms and the Theory of Organizations

The theory in organization theory has become increasingly hard to find in recent empirical research as most current researchers identify their work in terms of the phenomena they study rather than the theoretical tradition in which they operate. This theory drought arguably flows from the limitations that 1970s-era organizational paradigms face in explaining contemporary organizations. This article argues that the greatest strength of organization theory as a field is not particular theoretical paradigms but rather the field’s non-obvious mechanisms of aggregation that generate order, in firms and elsewhere. The thoughtful use of social mechanisms, in service of problem-driven research, can provide a unifying device for the field of organization studies.

The control of intra-channel opportunism through the use of inter-channel communication

Within channels of distribution, there has been some degree of cooperation among channel members. In many cases, channel members actively cooperate with one another in competition against other channels. However, competing channels of distribution also have common interests, including controlling intra-channel opportunism. This research focuses on the use of social mechanisms for controlling intra-channel opportunism. This study investigates whether firms effectively employ inter-channel communication as a method of controlling opportunistic behavior. Under a social control mechanism, firms would pass along information concerning their channel member's reputation. Comparing two different types of firms within a single industry allows for the examination of how firm properties dictate the use of social control mechanisms.