Concept in Definition ABC

In general terms, the term cooperative is used when you want to account for the tendency to cooperation that an individual presents.

Meanwhile, the most widespread use that the word cooperative observes is that which refers to that autonomous association of people who join voluntarily with the aim of making themselves face their needs and economic, social and cultural aspirations through, then, the formation of a democratic organization, whose management and administration It will be carried out as agreed by all the partners that make it up. That is, unlike many companies that have a single owner and a single person who is responsible for making important decisions, in cooperatives, all partners are holders of it and all make decisions within the framework of the most absolute democracy.

Although a cooperative in regards to its action, it is based on the company production model private, it finds several differences with respect to the latter, basically due to the following issues:

Among the most outstanding values ​​that all cooperatives pursue, propose and manifest are: self-help, mutual help, responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, solidarity and freedom.

Meanwhile, according to the objective that they propose and later carry out, is that it is possible to differentiate between different types of cooperatives, for example, associated work cooperatives, consumer and user cooperative, agrarian, savings and credit, service, transport, housing, credit, education, tourism, commerce, supplies, among other.

The cooperative today is the most widespread form of economy social in the whole world and is the International Cooperative Alliance, the international organization that since 1895 has been systematically in charge of promoting the sentiment and movement cooperative throughout the world.