Cooperation and the Modern Organization

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This post is a brief analysis of Modern Organizations- the molecules of Economic Production. It aims at bringing out the inherent co-operative nature of traditional[orthodox]{1} organizations of Modern Economies. It thus attempts to bring to people's conscience that Cooperation and Cooperative Management are highly relevant concepts, not only to understand cooperative Organizations but also to enrich one's knowledge of modern Organization realities.

Cooperation: 

To undertake production in a modern Capitalist Organization{2}, medium or large sized, strict cooperation{3} is at the heart of harmonious economic activity, the smooth running of the economy. It is not that people had not cooperated to produce Commodities{4} in previous forms of societies- eg. under ancient communism, slave, feudal, and others. There too, cooperation was the ultimate necessity facilitating production. But, it is only under the modern mode of production[called Capitalist mode] where a comparatively large number of labourers are required to cooperate and produce.

A modern form of organization pre-supposes: 1). A highly specialized and complex division of labour within the Organization itself, 2). A complex division of labour in society, and 3). Cooperation of the labourers involved in the process of production.

It is this third aspect that is very essential to understand the concept of Cooperative method of Organizing and its inherent existence in every form of Production organization. We thus see, that Cooperation of labour is evident in every modern 'firms'{5}- be it Microsoft, Google, a Textile unit or any other production site{6}. Harmonious acceptance of each other and of the method of production along with the acceptance of the way it is organized, the political-legal back up it has in terms of property relations, the structure and content of labour-process, is what helps in daily reproduction of the given society in its current form.

Cooperation: Heart of the economic molecules

Every firm{7} that exists today, exists only because the labour force employed under it obeys the larger social-economic categories that create and sustain the modern forms of production. For eg. Suppose a strike occurs{8}. News of workers' strikes are common. At these moments do we realize how important the mutual cooperation of labour-force is. Whenever there is a disequilibrium in this set-up, in the uninterrupted flow of cooperative work within a traditional organization; the importance of this element is seen, naked in front of our eyes. 

It is very important to protect this mutual harmonious work-flow in order to sustain healthy economic activity, failing on which the economic system in dominance can come to a stand-still{9}. Many different processes have to be undertaken, outside the firms in order to sustain the given form of mode{10}.

Cooperative Organizations: A different class-structure

Hence, we see that any form of firm needs cooperation at its heart in order to reproduce itself profitably, daily. Still, we do have a completely separate discipline of study that confines itself only to Cooperative forms of Organizations. Such organizations, though rest on the same fundamental element{11}, still differs from traditional organizations in one very important way- the difference of internal class structure{12}.

In private or public organizations, the produce of the firm is a property of a particular individual or a group of individuals, but not of the direct producers. While in a Cooperative organization the produce of the firm is under ownership of the direct producers- the decisions regarding which are taken by the direct producers themselves. Hence, the need to undertake a separate study of this concept.

Conclusion:

Cooperation is at the heart and profit-chart of modern market-based profit-oriented firms. Lack of mutual harmony among themselves and with the larger social-economic variables around them, results only in disruption and crisis in the Economy- given a relatively labour-dominated industry/economy. The belief that Cooperation and Cooperative Organizations are alien and different than traditional Organizational set-ups is incorrect. As we saw, every firm, be it under any social-economic system, is a cooperative firm, where labourers work under complete harmony. Any disequilibrium to this fact results in interruption in the production process and hence in the entire economy. 

In modern times, we have separate disciplines such as Motivation, Leadership, Human Resource Management and a plethora of others whose ultimate aim, it seems, is the sustaining of Cooperation of the labour-force, both within the firm and within the Society at large. 

Notes:

1). Here referred in reference to modern private/public enterprises.

2). Medium or Large scaled, employing many labourers.

3). Cooperation that is a must, for working in a given firm, to which every employee must obey. This is based on Company's rules/regulations/etc.

4). Here referred to as simply any Good or Service produce for selling to others.

5). Used in the sense as in microeconomics

6). Irrespective of its produce- Goods or Services.

7). As in point 5

8). Any event or issue that stops the production process can be equally used here

9). Not to suggest that only this particular reason can cause crisis

10). For eg. Ideological, political, intellectual propaganda

11). i.e. Cooperation of labourers

12). More on this concept- refer Richard Wolff's website and Books

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