Cooperation and Competition in the Context of Organic and Mechanic Worldviews – A Theoretical and Case based Discussion

In this study we argue that there is an interconnection between; the mechanistic worldview and competition, and the organic worldview and cooperation. To illustrate our main thesis we introduce two cases; first, Max Havelaar, a paradigmatic case of how business might function in an economy based upo...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ims, Knut J. (Author) ; Jakobsen, Ove D. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer 2006
In: Journal of business ethics
Year: 2006, Volume: 66, Issue: 1, Pages: 19-32
Further subjects:B Competition
B Collusion
B ORGANIC WORLDVIEW
B mechanistic worldview
B Sustainability
B Cooperation
B Fair Trade
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Summary:In this study we argue that there is an interconnection between; the mechanistic worldview and competition, and the organic worldview and cooperation. To illustrate our main thesis we introduce two cases; first, Max Havelaar, a paradigmatic case of how business might function in an economy based upon solidarity and sustainability. Second, TINE, a Norwegian grocery corporation engaged in collusion in order to force a small competitor out of the market. On the one hand, in order to encourage market behaviour that integrates economic, societal and environmental values we find that transparent cooperation within a context of an organic worldview takes care of important intrinsic as well as instrumental values. On the other hand, we find evidence for asserting that cooperation based upon a mechanistic worldview, typically leads to group egotistical consequences undermining the long term common good.
ISSN:1573-0697
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of business ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s10551-006-9055-z