collaboration vs cooperation

[Jenny Nguyen]

Hello,

What is the difference between "collaboration" and "cooperation"? Can these two words be used interchangeably?

Thank you very much!

Jenny

 

[emsr2d2]

Have you looked both up in several good dictionaries? What did you find?

 

[Rover_KE]

By 'good dictionaries' we mean those included here (click on the underlined link).

Everybody should bookmark the OneLook website for future reference.

 

[Jenny Nguyen]

Have you looked both up in several good dictionaries? What did you find?

Both words refer to the action of working together to produce something but a teacher told me that collaboration implies the equal role of two partners while "cooperation" may imply that one party is more superior than the other. Is it correct? I am confused sometimes.

 

[Rover_KE]

These examples might be helpful:

If two people are working together to create something (write a book, produce a film, achieve a scientific breakthrough etc.), then collaboration is the right word.

If two people (or two businesses) are working together on a project for mutal benefit, then cooperation is the right word.

(MissFit, WordReference forums)