Reasoning about collective goals

1997 ◽  
pp. 131-140
Author(s):  
Gabriel Sandu
Keyword(s):  
Collective Goals

The Evolutionary Psychology of Scientific Publishing: Cost-Benefit Optimization of Players in the Game

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milind Watve
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Current System ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Scientific Publishing ◽  
Collective Goal ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Collective Goals ◽  
Innate Tendency

Peer reviewed scientific publishing is critical for communicating important findings, interpretations and theories in any branch of science. While the value of peer review is rarely doubted, much concern is being raised about the possible biases in the process. I argue here that most of the biases originate in the evolved innate tendency of every player to optimize one’s own cost benefits. Different players in the scientific publishing game have different cost-benefit optima. There are multiple conflicts between individual optima and collective goals. An analysis of the cost-benefit optima of every player in the scientific publishing game shows how and why biases originate. In the current system of publishing, by optimization considerations, the probability of publishing a ‘bad’ manuscript is relatively small but the probability of rejecting a ‘good’ manuscript is very high. By continuing with the current publishing structure, the global distribution of the scientific community would be increasingly clustered. Publication biases by gender, ethnicity, reputation, conformation and conformity will be increasingly common and revolutionary concepts increasingly difficult to publish. Ultimately, I explore the possibility of designing a peer review publishing system in which the conflicts between individual optimization and collective goal can be minimized. In such a system, if everyone behaves with maximum selfishness, biases would be minimized and the progress towards the collective goal would be faster and smoother. Changing towards such a system might prove difficult unless a critical mass of authors take an active role to revolutionize scientific publishing.

Actorness and trade negotiating outcomes: West Africa and the SADC Group in negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merran Hulse
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
International Negotiations ◽  
Trade Negotiations ◽  
Power Asymmetry ◽  
Interregional Trade ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
Interregional Cooperation ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Collective Goals ◽  
The Eu

In 2014, the EU concluded Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with several African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions. These EPAs represent some of the most advanced examples of interregional cooperation. Yet, the outcomes of EPA negotiations are not the same across all regions. This article investigates differences in negotiated outcomes and argues that regional actorness – the ability of regions to become identifiable, to aggregate the interests of member states, to formulate collective goals and to make and implement decisions – influences regions’ ability to navigate interregional trade negotiations. In a comparison of the actorness and negotiated outcomes of West Africa and the SADC EPA Group, the article shows that actorness matters for international negotiations: regions with higher levels of actorness can negotiate better outcomes even under conditions of stark power asymmetry.

scholarly journals The role of relational governance in innovation platform growth: the context of living labs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Luisa Cantù ◽  
Daniel Schepis ◽  
Roberto Minunno ◽  
Greg Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Relational Governance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Living Lab ◽  
Living Labs ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Innovation Platform ◽  
Collective Goals

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the role of relational governance in innovation platform development, specifically investigating the context of living labs. Design/methodology/approach Two longitudinal case studies are presented, derived from auto-ethnographic narratives, qualitative interviews and secondary documents, which cover the critical stages in the development of each living lab. Findings Empirical insights demonstrate the relevance of coordination activities based on joint planning and activities to support innovation platform development across different stages. The governance role of research actors as platform activators is also identified. Practical implications The paper offers a useful perspective for identifying collective goals between living lab actors and aligning joint activities across different stages of living lab development. Social implications The case provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for collaboration between academia, industry and users to support sustainable construction innovation. Originality/value A relational governance mode is identified, going beyond top down or bottom up approaches, which contributes a new understanding of how collective goals align within a relational space.

Crafting a Culture That Values Exceptional Teaching Practice: A Dean’s Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-270
Author(s):  
Barbara A. Ritter
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Collaborative Culture ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Faculty And Administrators ◽  
Higher Education Industry ◽  
Collective Goals ◽  
Different Levels

This essay explores the similarities and differences between faculty and administrators related to the definition and applied practice of teaching and learning. It is concluded that there is much agreement in defining the construct from sources over time, from different levels and different disciplines in higher education. However, perspectives across administration and faculty may differ as related to consideration of the environment of the higher education industry, the student experience and curriculum as a whole, and external regulating bodies related to accreditation and state and federal governments. The essay concludes with a discussion around creating a collaborative culture with a focus on the collective goals of the unit that can advance a strong focus on exceptional teaching practices.

City regions and the cities within them: Connecting two overlapping scales

2020 ◽  
pp. 73-98
Author(s):  
John Sturzaker ◽  
Alexander Nurse
Keyword(s):  
City Region ◽  
City Regions ◽  
The City ◽  
Collective Goals ◽  
Regional Agenda

This chapter charts the demise of the regional agenda and the shift towards city-regional thinking which has underpinned much of the recent devolution agenda. Considering the similarities to the metropolitan architecture of the 70s and 80s, this discusses the emergence of Local Enterprise Partnerships through to Combined Authorities. This sets the scene for a broader discussion of the Devolution Deals being agreed at the city region level. In doing so, the chapter takes a broader look at how city regions function and, in particular, how districts can cooperate towards collective goals. This draws down recent examples from the emerging devolution deals, including how new metro-mayors are exercising their powers within their city regions, as well as lessons that can be learnt from the now nearly 20-year-old London Mayoral post.

Comparing Facilitator Priorities of Suicide Survivor Support Groups

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-229
Author(s):  
William Feigelman ◽  
Beverly Feigelman ◽  
Daisuke Kawashima ◽  
Keisuke Shiraga ◽  
Kenji Kawano
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Mutual Aid ◽  
Ways Of Coping ◽  
Survivor Of Suicide ◽  
Societal Problems ◽  
Collective Goals ◽  
Group Facilitators

A total of 56 Japanese and 59 American survivor of suicide support group facilitators were asked to rank the mutual aid objectives of their groups following Shulman’s scheme in terms of their frequency and importance. Both American and Japanese facilitators showed an emphasis on personal adaptation goals (such as helping bereaved feel less isolated in their grief or encouraging bereaved to share their coping with loss experiences) over collective goals (such as raising monies for more research on mental illness or trying to combat societal suicide stigma in their local communities). Differences were also noted with American facilitators evaluating helping with problem solving, sharing different ways of coping, viewing personal issues as societal problems, and advocating for promoting social change as significantly higher than the Japanese did. We believe some of these contrasts reflect differences in American and Japanese cultural values.

scholarly journals Shaping imagined communities through music: Lessons from the School Song practice in Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-523
Author(s):  
Danielle Shannon Treacy ◽  
Heidi Westerlund
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Imagined Communities ◽  
Complex Societies ◽  
Critical Research ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Educational Ethnography ◽  
Collective Goals

This study attends to the global need to rethink how music education could provide opportunities for shaping imagined communities in times of intensifying societal complexity and diversity by exploring the practice of singing ‘school-specific songs’ in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The methodology combines educational ethnography with Appreciative Inquiry, whereby individual interviews with school administrators, musician-teachers, a school founder and a composer were analysed and reflexively interpreted. Countering previous critical research on school-specific songs, this study shows that although the school-specific song practice originates outside Nepal, the songs are tailor-made to canonise each school’s unique vision and mission, and for teaching values and character, and were thus considered to be local. Through considering the new ideas and practices that emerge through a reflexive interpretation of the school-specific song practice, we discuss five perspectives that arose from the Appreciative Inquiry process: the universal right to aspire; developing reflexivity; the pedagogical paradox of rituals; a continuum from individual to collective goals; and a constantly changing ‘we’ in diversifying, complex societies. The study suggests that rituals in schooling, of which school-specific songs are a part, should be applied reflexively and subject to ongoing critical reflection and constant revision.

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