Democratic Management and Business Success

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Democratic ManagementandBusiness Success

• Workers Cooperative

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Down with Bosses!!

• I didnt join a coop to be bossed around by
  managers!!
• Being in a coop is all about personal freedom
• If we all do what we want, things will sort
  themselves out
• Lifestyle or Employment you decide.

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Tyranny of Structurelessness

• Collectives total democracy or tyranny of the
  individual veto
• Lack of authority except personal
• Individual interest dominant
• Stop go stop management

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Suma www.suma.coop

• founded 1977
• 25 million turnover
• 150 employees (100 members)
• unbroken growth
• 100 self-financed
• collective management
• no MD, no Chief Exec

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Suma principles

• 100 employee owned and managed
• Democratic decision making
• Multi-skilling and job variety
• Personal development within the coop
• Ethical employer
• Equal wage rates for all
• Equal Opps / Profit from Diversity
• Common Ownership

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Unitary Board
shareholders (owners) AGM CEO Executive
Directors (Controllers) (non executive
Directors) Managers Union Operatives Employees
Agency Workers
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Network Governance
General Meetings of Members Elected Management
Committee (non executive Board) Function
Coordinators Officers Workers (Members
Contracted Employees Casuals)
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Management by Consensus

• Open Book Management
• Responsibility to communicate
• Network communications.
• Management is function not status
• Collective good not private interest
• Agreed rules and processes
• Rights AND Responsibilities
• Disempower the executive

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Member Rights Responsibilities

• Rights to be heard, to be respected, to vote
• Responsibilities
• to take part, to develop self to take
  responsibilityto be cooperative to communicate,
  to listen to prioritise the common good

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• Freedom is the mother, not the daughter, of
  order.
• Proudhon