Difference between Coordination and Cooperation!

Cooperation refers to the voluntary collective efforts of various persons working together in an enterprise for achieving common objectives.

It is the result of voluntary action on the part of individuals. Coordination, on the contrary is the deliberate unity of action in the pursuit of a common purpose. While existence of cooperation among the members of a group does facilitate coordination, the latter by itself has to be achieved through conscious and deliberate efforts only on part of Management.

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For example, to provide relief for say earthquake victims, many Non- Government Organisations (NGOs) come forward. They cooperate with one another to provide medical facilities for victims, but somehow they ignore to arrange for food facilities.

As a result, there may be severe shortage of food. In this case, there is cooperation but no co-ordination among various NGOs. Hence, satisfactory result cannot be achieved.

Difference between Coordination and Cooperation:

Basis

Coordination

Cooperation

1. Meaning

Coordination is an orderly arrangement of group efforts to maintain harmony among individual efforts toward accomplishment of common goals.

Cooperation is a voluntary effort of individuals to help one other.

2. Nature

Coordination is a system evolved deliberately by the managers

Cooperation is an effort that arises out of informal relations.

3. Need

Coordination is the essence of management and essential for achievement of common goals of an organisation.

Cooperation is a voluntary act that arises out of informal relations with the desire to work together.

4. Managerial function

Coordination is implicit and inherent in all functions of an organization; hence it is also known as essence of management.

Cooperation is a voluntary effort of individuals to work together with the intention of helping one other.

5. Relations

Can be achieved through both formal and informal relations.

Arises out of informal relations only

6. Scope

Wider scope as it includes cooperation.

Narrow scope though it helps to establish coordination.