We explain what opportunism is and in which cases it is a socially rejected attitude. Also, its meaning in biology and economics.
What is opportunism?
In general, opportunism It is the ruthless exploitation of a convenient situation . That is, an opportunistic person prioritizes personal benefit and selfish interests at an opportune moment, ignoring ethical principles and collective interest. From a moral point of view, It is a reprehensible, negative attitude, and should not be confused with the sense of opportunity that is, by being attentive when opportunities arise and taking advantage of them.
Thus, for example, a soccer player who knows how to take advantage of the circumstances of the game to sneak in with the ball and score a goal is, simply, a shrewd player, with a sense of opportunity, since the advantage he takes advantage of is part of the normal dynamic. of sport. On the other hand, a politician who takes advantage of a critical situation in the country to make pacts with his former enemies and access power in an unscrupulous manner, can be accused of acting in a way opportunistsince he is betraying his principles and political convictions in order to have a position in the government.
Opportunistic behavior is studied from different perspectives: ethical, biological, economic, sociological, psychological and even in political science, and in some of these contexts it is understood from a less condemnatory point of view: as the ability to take advantage of mistakes made. by competitors. In others, however, the notable feature of opportunism is the lack of scruples when it comes to taking advantage of opportunities.
The term “opportunism” comes from “opportunity” and both from Latin opportunisticcontraction of ob portus (“facing the port” or “in front of the port”). A term that figuratively refers to the feeling of relief of sailors who, after spending many months at sea, suddenly discover the port of their destination.
Opportunism in biology
In the field of ecology, it is called biological opportunism to the taking advantage of a moment of weakness or lack of resources of an individual or a community of living beings by their competitors or predators. It is a strategy typical of biological competition, that is, the fight between living beings to benefit and accumulate resources, even when it is at the expense of the well-being of other living beings.
A clear example of this biological phenomenon is the so-called “opportunistic infections”, that is, the reproduction of normally harmless microorganisms in an immunosuppressed patient: bacteria present in the human body that are normally kept at bay by the immune system and that do not represent a threat. for health, they can begin to invade tissues when the immune system breaks down, as happens in the case of diseases such as AIDS.
Opportunism in the business world
In the world of business and economics, opportunism is part of numerous philosophical doctrines that understand the human being as an essentially individualistic individual selfish, interested in one's own benefit. In this sense, the management of market conditions and the agreements established to privilege one's own benefit It would be behavior that is not only acceptable, but strategically convenient. .
On the other hand, it is common to talk in the business world about opportunistic strategies: decisions and investments that attempt to predict immediate future economic conditions (interest rates, exchange rates, monetary policies), to obtain unexpected returns or benefits. For example, if an investor is confident that a corporation's stock will continue to rise, he or she is likely to buy shares so that he or she can later sell them for a profit; while you will not do the same if you suspect that the company's shares will fall.
References
- “Opportunism” on Wikipedia.
- “Opportunism” in the Language Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Opportunism is not the same as sense of opportunity” in Fundéu.
- “Etymology of Opportunity” in the Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary.
- “The Tactics of Strategic Opportunism” by Daniel Isenberg in Harvard Business Review.
- “Opportunism (economics)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
