Full Description
This book about the Mondragon cooperatives in the Spanish Basque Country is a critical reflection on the origin and further development of one of the most highly-praised cooperative enterprises in the world. At a time when many people regard cooperative entrepreneurship as an ethically sound economic alternative to the traditional organization of companies and business, the author draws attention to the unavoidable impact of globalization which not only affects the workers' involvement and participation in cooperative enterprises but also their employment itself.
Contents
Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter I. Genesis and ideology 1. Introduction 2. Historical outline 3. The ideological framework 4. Portrait of the "founder" Arizmendiarrieta 5. How it all began: outline of the rise of MONDRAGON 6. The basic ideology 6.1. The democratic bodies 6.2. Day-to-day proceedings 6.3. "Remuneration" 6.4. Employment 7. Conclusion Chapter II. The growth of MONDRAGON 1. Introduction 2. Economic evolution 3. Evolution of the ideology 3.1. The democratic bodies 3.2. The work 3.3. Wages 3.4. Employment 4. Conclusion Chapter III. The relation between the MONDRAGON Group and the trade unions 1. Introduction 2. The relation between cooperatives and trade unions in historical perspective 2.1. An estranged couple 2.2. Historical evolution of trade unions (and cooperatives) in Spain 2.3. Trade unions and cooperatives in the Basque Country and in Mondragon in particular: an on-and-off relationship 3. The birth of MONDRAGON and its development during the Franco period 4. MONDRAGON and the trade unions in the new democracy 4.1. The aftermath of the Ulgor strike 4.2. Conflict of values 4.3. Take-overs and expansion: MONDRAG ON and trade unions keep crossing swords 4.4. MONDRAGON goes to America 5. The legal construction 5.1. The graceful waltz of governments and the social economy 5.2. The real status of the MONDRAGON worker-owners and their non-owner colleagues 6. And what about the consejo social? 7. Conclusion Final conclusion Annex 1 Annex 2 Annex 3 Bibliography
