Re: Mondragon: Mondragon papers

[RaceM <race@netspace.net.au>]

Dear All

Thanks to Terry Martin - currently working in Mondragon on the 
updating of the original  Mondragon text, "Mondragon: An Economic 
Analysis" by Chris Logan and Henk Thomas - some additional 
information has become available about the training courses to which 
the draft conference paper refers. Lists of competencies and skills 
have been agreed or are undergoing development for members of boards 
and social councils, foremen and managers. For example, an agreed 
list of fourteen competencies and seven skills for managers includes 
change management, team management and commitment to the co-operative 
and its objective. At the shopfloor level, temporary members are 
required to take a four-hour orientation module. Candidates for full 
membership are required to take an additional seven modules: namely 
The Co-operative: An Organisational Project; Personal Development; 
Basic Organisation of the Co-operative; The Organisational Structure 
of the MCC; The History of Co-operativism; The Role of the Lagun-Aro 
Social Insurance Co-operative; and Pay Policy. Older members who may 
have missed out on a full high school education may take a two-year, 
2000 hour course to qualify for a government diploma.

It would be interesting to know whether - and, if so, to what extent 
- these courses are seen as a response to the disaffection among 
members in some co-operatives that Greenwood and Gonzalez identified 
in their Fagor study and that is also evident in attitudinal data 
from studies by the sociological research unit within what is now the 
Otalora Institute. Has any assessment of the effectiveness of the 
courses been undertaken, and, if so, with what result? Is there a 
problem in the apparent absence of measures whereby current members 
can engage in consciousness and confidence building and the 
acquisition of participative skills, including the interpretation of 
financial data and performance indicators? How do the orientation 
courses rate as a preparation for making more effective the "open 
book" information management philosophy which the co-operatives have 
embraced?  What can be said about them in the light of industrial 
democracy experience in other countries and cultures? Are there other 
models or sources of advice which could be drawn to the attention of 
the co-operatives, for them to adopt, adapt or reject as they see 
fit? Is there perhaps some guidance that Davydd Greenwood can 
offer,in the light of his tantalising references to the failure of 
his team to develop an effective enough internal dissemination 
strategy for the results and methods of their work? Have other 
students of the Greenwood and Gonzalez material arrived at 
conclusions which may be helpful in remedying the problems of the 
co-operatives that it highlights, and enabling them to make the most 
of their strengths? Can a pooling of ideas about this key issue for 
the co-operatives now be commenced?

Best wishes, Race Mathews


-- 


Dr Race Mathews,
Senior Research Fellow,
Government and Governance Unit,
Faculty of Business and Economics
Monash University.

Postal Address:
123 Alexandra Avenue,
South Yarra, Vic, 3141,
Australia.

Phone/Fax: (03) 9826 0104.