ETHICS OF COLLABORATION - Collaborative Computational Technologies for Biomedical Research - page 130

communication, especially in international settings; clear goals and objectives
mutually agreed upon; shared and explicitly defi ned responsibilities; rules and
norms for sharing and handling data and other information; shared responsi-
bility for writing, publishing, and other tasks associated with collaboration; and
disclosure and settling of fi nancial interests.
Recognizing that collaborations at times run into problems, a method of
resolution must be in place prior to any dispute, large or small. The optimum
resolution to any problem would, of course, be found among the collaborators
themselves, for then trust would be enhanced. Also, the confl ict or problem
would be solved at the lowest level.
Organizations that wish to have collaborative activities and engagement
must also take action or adopt policy that fosters trust. The key for such orga-
nizations is to value relationships while being other regarding and not merely
concerned with the bottom line (in whatever form an important or fi nal goal
may take). The conditions of trust are likely to be established.
The leaders in an organization that desires collaborative activity, internal
or external, must be willing to share power and authority, trusting subordinates
to discharge their collaborative responsibilities. Organizational leaders need
to create the conditions that enable trust, respect the dignity of subordinates,
respond to the needs of the collaborators, provide resources for team members
to engage the work of the collaboration successfully, appreciate individuals at
whatever level they might be, allow disagreement without being disagreeable,
and considerately provide guidance as needed.
Were organizations, scientifi c or otherwise, to establish sustainable collabo-
rations, not only would the participants in the collaboration have enhanced
opportunities for individual growth but the organization would likely experi-
ence a growth - enhanced bottom line [20 - 22] .
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