Key Difference – Coordination vs Cooperation
Coordination and cooperation are both essential elements in managing projects, as they are typically a collective effort involving many individuals with different responsibilities. However, there is a key difference between the two:
- Coordination can be defined as the act of negotiating with others to work together effectively.
- Cooperation refers to working together towards a common end.
What is Coordination?
Coordination is the process of ensuring that individuals and departments work together effectively when managing projects or group activities within organizations. This involves transferring information from one person or department to another so that everyone is aware of the project or specific goal. Coordination is also essential when sharing resources and information. For example, if one department is unaware of resource usage, it can affect the overall performance and cause delays in procedures.
What is Cooperation?
Cooperation, on the other hand, focuses on working together towards a common goal. It is a positive and mandatory feature for a group to perform well. Cooperating with others involves working with all team members or workers, which can be challenging due to biases, prejudices, and idiosyncrasies. However, flexibility and open-mindedness are necessary to work effectively with others. Improving cooperation can be achieved by reminding workers that they are all working towards a common goal.
What is the Difference Between Coordination and Cooperation?
- Coordination emphasizes negotiation, information dissemination, and resource sharing to guarantee effective performance.
- Cooperation focuses on working together to achieve a goal.
- Lack of coordination can lead to confusion and misinterpretation among workers, while some members may not be willing to cooperate with others, affecting overall goal achievement.
