The Cooperative Movement, Self‐management, and Competitiveness: The Case of Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa

Abstract

Based on field research in 2005 in the Basque area of Spain, this article discusses the experience of the Mondragõn Corporación Cooperativa—MCC. This network of cooperatives began 50 years ago in the Basque area and has been based on self‐managed cooperatives, education, and technological innovation. Both internal and external solidarity and the daily practice of democracy have been essential for this experience, and demonstrate the potential of self‐management to put limits to economic activity through social, ethical, and ecological commitments in contradistinction to capitalist entrepreneurship oriented by the quest for profit per se. The present day challenges of the Corporación are related to the phenomenon of globalization, which obliged MCC to develop new organizational, technological, and social strategies. Since 1991, when the Corporación was created, technological innovation has been considered an explicit value. A reflection of that is the fact that 12 technological centers are now part of MCC. Furthermore, the Science and Technology Plan of the group has been elaborated since 2001. Internationalization has brought about new challenges as far as the orientating principles of the cooperative movement are concerned.

Impacto socioeconómico de la globalización: el caso de Fagor Ederlan Brasileira

“…En cuanto a su globalización económica, Fagor Ederlan es de las cooperativas de gran tamaño que forman parte de Mondragón que mayores pasos ha dado en el proceso de GPPE (Azevedo y Gitahy, 2010;Errasti et al, 2003). Ha perseguido un acercamiento a los principales mercados de automoción y a sus clientes, con el fin de mejorar su posicionamiento competitivo.…”

Internacionalização De Cooperativas Por Meio Da Intercooperação

“…Nesse caso, uma das capacidades mobilizadas foi a intercooperação, pois, permitiu escala, complementação de competências, acesso a novos mercados, desenvolvimento de novos produtos, compartilhamento de modelos de gestão, unificação de compromissos e culturas, dentre outros. (LOPEZ; LOPEZ; LARRAÑAGA, 2009;AZEVEDO;GITAHY, 2010;CHENEY et al, 2014;KONZEN;OLIVEIRA, 2015;BRETOS;MERCUELLO, 2017). Como potencial fomentadora da internacionalização de cooperativas, a intercooperação será abordada na próxima seção.…”

Does a Democratic Management Model Enhance Performance through Market Orientation? Empirical Evidence from the Mondragon Industrial Group

“…The Mondragon Group appears to have overcome the problems posed by collective ownership and self-management (Moye 1993). Azevedo and Gitahy (2010) highlight the articulation between democratic forms of management and solidarity (materialized in several different forms) and a capacity to innovate utilized for problem-solving. The logic of articulating solidarity and competitiveness and the importance given to technological knowledge and worker training have enabled the group to build its own organizational characteristics.…”