Outbidding as Deterrence: Endogenous Demands in the Shadow of Group Competition

2021 ◽  
pp. 125-161
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Samuel Bowles ◽  
Herbert Gintis

Why do humans, uniquely among animals, cooperate in large numbers to advance projects for the common good? Contrary to the conventional wisdom in biology and economics, this generous and civic-minded behavior is widespread and cannot be explained simply by far-sighted self-interest or a desire to help close genealogical kin. This book shows that the central issue is not why selfish people act generously, but instead how genetic and cultural evolution has produced a species in which substantial numbers make sacrifices to uphold ethical norms and to help even total strangers. The book describes how, for thousands of generations, cooperation with fellow group members has been essential to survival. Groups that created institutions to protect the civic-minded from exploitation by the selfish flourished and prevailed in conflicts with less cooperative groups. Key to this process was the evolution of social emotions such as shame and guilt, and our capacity to internalize social norms so that acting ethically became a personal goal rather than simply a prudent way to avoid punishment. Using experimental, archaeological, genetic, and ethnographic data to calibrate models of the coevolution of genes and culture as well as prehistoric warfare and other forms of group competition, the book provides a compelling and novel account of human cooperation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-55
Author(s):  
Paul Hansbury

Abstract After 2014 the relationship between Russia and its ally Belarus was strained. Russia was dissatisfied with Belarus’s foreign policy and sought to influence the latter’s international affairs. This article considers the extent of change and continuity in Belarus’s foreign policy, and thus whether Russia’s criticisms reflect consequential shifts, covering the period 2016–2019. The analysis begins with the removal of EU sanctions, which afforded Belarus new opportunities, and ends before the protest movement that emerged ahead of the election in 2020. The study considers three policy areas: international trade; diplomacy more broadly; and foreign policy concerns for prestige. The article argues that Belarus made appreciable policy changes in response to structural pressures in the period 2016–2019, but the parameters of these foreign policy shifts were necessarily highly constrained by domestic interest group competition which prevents Belarus distancing itself from Russia. It concludes with a brief reflection on how the 2020 election protests and repressions affect the dynamics described.


2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1942) ◽  
pp. 20201905
Author(s):  
Jesús Alcázar-Treviño ◽  
Mark Johnson ◽  
Patricia Arranz ◽  
Victoria E. Warren ◽  
Carlos J. Pérez-González ◽  
...  

Echolocating animals that forage in social groups can potentially benefit from eavesdropping on other group members, cooperative foraging or social defence, but may also face problems of acoustic interference and intra-group competition for prey. Here, we investigate these potential trade-offs of sociality for extreme deep-diving Blainville′s and Cuvier's beaked whales. These species perform highly synchronous group dives as a presumed predator-avoidance behaviour, but the benefits and costs of this on foraging have not been investigated. We show that group members could hear their companions for a median of at least 91% of the vocal foraging phase of their dives. This enables whales to coordinate their mean travel direction despite differing individual headings as they pursue prey on a minute-by-minute basis. While beaked whales coordinate their echolocation-based foraging periods tightly, individual click and buzz rates are both independent of the number of whales in the group. Thus, their foraging performance is not affected by intra-group competition or interference from group members, and they do not seem to capitalize directly on eavesdropping on the echoes produced by the echolocation clicks of their companions. We conclude that the close diving and vocal synchronization of beaked whale groups that quantitatively reduces predation risk has little impact on foraging performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghong Li ◽  
Zhenning Yang ◽  
Pengcheng Ma ◽  
Hang Chen

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to document the relationship between intra-group coopetition and subsidiaries' innovation performance and the moderating impact of the intensity of external competition.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 75 subsidiaries in China through a questionnaire survey of their R&D and general managers. The total number of individual respondents was 205. We tested our hypothesis by using ordinary least squares regression.FindingsIntra-group cooperation was found to promote a subsidiary's performance in product and process innovation. Intra-group competition was found to have a U-shaped relationship with product and process innovation. Intra-group cooperation strengthens the U-shaped relationship between intra-group competition and process innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study involved firms from more than one industry. Studies of specific industries might reach more specific conclusions. And all of the data were self-reported by the managers of the firms concerned. Future studies would be well-advised to consider more objective data describing pairs of parent firms and subsidiaries.Practical implicationsSubsidiaries ought to build their internal networks to cooperate with each other. That can bring significant advantages in terms of information and synergy in innovation. Subsidiaries are also suggested to take full advantage of the opportunities that intra-group competition brings.Originality/valueThis study is the first one to explore coopetition phenomenon in the context of business group. By taking Chinese business group subsidiaries as the research samples, this research not only extends the coopetition research but also reveals that cooperation and competition are co-existed and exert influence in subsidiaries.


Scott Lithgow ◽  
2005 ◽  
pp. 157-206
Author(s):  
Lewis Johnman ◽  
Hugh Murphy

This chapter follows the lengthy process of the merger between Scotts and Lithgows Limited, taking place over a five year period between 1965 and 1970. It analyses whether or not the merger was inevitable via a detailed history of the contributing factors. It begins with the establishment of the Shipbuilding Inquiry Committee (SIC) and the efforts made to re-invigorate the industry to match international competitors; before tackling the labour question and employment concerns; the transition of the Admiralty to the Ministry of Defence; the status of the Warship Group; competition from Japanese shipyards; the revitalising recommendations of the SIC Report (Geddes Report); the establishment of the Shipbuilding Industry Board; and the difficult industrial relations that persisted throughout. It concludes by suggesting that the merger would be one of name only, due to the four years of unproductive talks, disruptions, and deliberations by those involved.


Author(s):  
Cody T. Havard

The current chapter offers (1) an overview of what is known regarding sport rivalry and (2) how that knowledge can be applied to both sport and non-sport settings. In particular, the authors discuss what is known about rivalry and intergroup relations, detailing specific examples from the sport setting. Then, the essay addresses how non-sport organizations, and society at large, can benefit from the literature on sport rivalry. Included in this are examples of responsible promotion of rivalry and group competition, along with a discussion of the Adventures with Sport Rivalry Man comics, cartoons, and curriculum, a program intended to teach people about rivalry and appropriate behavior toward others. Suggestions for responsibly promoting rivalry and competition outside of the sport setting are offered along with areas for future consideration. Finally, a challenge is presented to future researchers and practitioners to improve the use of rivalry to promote products and decrease group member deviance.


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