Cooperation

== Cooperative systems ==
Cooperation is a process by which the components of a [[Cooperative systems|system]] work together to achieve the global properties. In other words, individual components that appear to be "selfish" and independent work together to create a highly complex, greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts system. The phenomenon is generally known as 'emergence' and is considered an outcome of self-organization.<ref>Mobus, G.E. & Kalton, M.C. (2015). ''Principles of Systems Science, Chapter 8: Emergence'', Springer, New York</ref> Examples:
* The components in a cell work together to keep it living.
* Neurons create thought and consciousness, other cells work together and communicate to produce multicellular organisms.
* Organisms form food chains and ecosystems.
* People form families, tribes, cities and nations.
* Atoms cooperate in a simple way, by combining to make up molecules.
Understanding the mechanisms that create cooperating agents in a system is one of the most important and least well understood phenomena in nature, though there has not been a lack of effort.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}

Individual action on behalf of a larger system may be coerced (forced), voluntary (freely chosen), or even unintentional, and consequently individuals and groups might act in concert even though they have almost nothing in common as regards interests or goals. Examples of that can be found in market trade, military wars, families, workplaces, schools and prisons, and more generally any institution or organization of which individuals are part (out of own choice, by law, or forced).{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}

A cooperative system has been defined in [[organization studies]] as a complex of physical, biological, personal and social components which are in a specific systematic relationship by reason of the cooperation of two or more persons for at least one definite end.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Functions of the Executive |url= https://archive.org/details/functionsofexecu1938barn |url-access= registration |last= Barnard |first= Chester I. |author-link= Chester Barnard |year= 1938 |publisher= Harvard University Press |location= Cambridge, MA |oclc= 555075}}</ref>