IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/treure/v23y2017i2p177-192.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital economy and the rise of open cooperativism: the case of the Enspiral Network

Author

Listed:
  • Alex Pazaitis

    (Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia)

  • Vasilis Kostakis

    (Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia)

  • Michel Bauwens

    (P2P Foundation, Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

Abstract

This article explores how autonomous workers/contributors, involved in peer-to-peer relations, can organise their productive efforts so that they have sustainable livelihoods. The discussion is guided by the concept of ‘open cooperativism’, which argues for a synergy between the commons-based peer production movement and elements of the cooperative and solidarity economy movements. To this end, we review the case of Enspiral, a network of professionals and companies that empowers and supports social entrepreneurship. We explore its values, operation and governance as well as the chosen strategies for autonomy and sustainability. Finally, some lessons are summarised for the cooperative and union movement, which point to open cooperativism as an integrated vision.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Pazaitis & Vasilis Kostakis & Michel Bauwens, 2017. "Digital economy and the rise of open cooperativism: the case of the Enspiral Network," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 23(2), pages 177-192, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:23:y:2017:i:2:p:177-192
    DOI: 10.1177/1024258916683865
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1024258916683865
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/1024258916683865?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richard Hyman, 2007. "How can trade unions act strategically?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 13(2), pages 193-210, May.
    2. Hyman, Richard, 2007. "How can trade unions act strategically?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 39803, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Richard Hyman, 2016. "The very idea of democracy at work," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 22(1), pages 11-24, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michele Ford & Michael Gillan, 2022. "Understanding global union repertoires of action," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 559-577, November.
    2. Christian Lévesque & Gregor Murray, 2010. "Understanding union power: resources and capabilities for renewing union capacity," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 16(3), pages 333-350, August.
    3. Tom Hunt & Heather Connolly, 2023. "Covid‐19 and the work of trade unions: Adaptation, transition and renewal," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 150-166, March.
    4. Maria da Paz Campos Lima & Antonio Martín Artiles, 2011. "Crisis and trade union challenges in Portugal and Spain: between general strikes and social pacts," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 17(3), pages 387-402, August.
    5. Gregor Murray, 2017. "Union renewal: what can we learn from three decades of research?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 23(1), pages 9-29, February.
    6. Christian Dufour & Adelheid Hege, 2010. "The legitimacy of collective actors and trade union renewal," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 16(3), pages 351-367, August.
    7. Steffen Lehndorff, 2015. "Acting in different worlds. Challenges to transnational trade union cooperation in the eurozone crisis," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 21(2), pages 157-170, May.
    8. Melanie Simms, 2015. "Accounting for Greenfield Union Organizing Outcomes," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 397-422, September.
    9. Davide Però & John Downey, 2024. "Advancing Workers’ Rights in the Gig Economy through Discursive Power: The Communicative Strategies of Indie Unions," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 38(1), pages 140-160, February.
    10. Sara Lafuente Hernández, 2018. "Book Review: Firms as Political Entities. Saving Democracy through Economic Bicameralism," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 24(3), pages 356-359, August.
    11. Christina Karakioulafi & Kostas Kanellopoulos & Janina Petelczyc & Tom Montgomery & Simone Baglioni, 2021. "Patterns of Labour Solidarity Towards Precarious Workers and the Unemployed in Critical Times in Greece, Poland, and the UK," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 26(3), pages 739-758, September.
    12. David Lewis & Wim Vandekerckhove, 2018. "Trade Unions and the Whistleblowing Process in the UK: An Opportunity for Strategic Expansion?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(4), pages 835-845, April.
    13. Catherine Le Capitaine & Gregor Murray & Christian Lévesque, 2013. "Special Issue. Edited by: Gregor Murray, Christian Lévesque, Christian Dufour and Adelheid Hege," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 389-408, July.
    14. Sergio González Begega & Holm-Detlev Köhler & Mona Aranea, 2018. "Contested industrial democracy discourses in transnational companies. The case of the ArcelorMittal European Social Dialogue Group," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 24(4), pages 451-465, November.
    15. Sarkar, Santanu & Kuruvilla, Sarosh, 2020. "Constructing transnational solidarity: the role of campaign governance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 101164, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    16. Bosch Gerhard & Schmitz Jutta & Haipeter Thomas & Spallek Anne-Christin, 2020. "Gestaltung von Industrie 4.0 durch gewerkschaftliche Betriebspolitik," Arbeit, De Gruyter, vol. 29(1), pages 3-23, March.
    17. Jonathan Preminger & Assaf S. Bondy, 2023. "Conflicting Imperatives? Ethnonationalism and Neoliberalism in Industrial Relations," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 76(4), pages 646-673, August.
    18. Martí López-Andreu, 2020. "Breaking Fragmentation through Mobilization: The Development of a Collective Identity during Movistar’s Contractors’ and Technicians’ Strike in Spain," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(4), pages 661-677, August.
    19. Panagiotis Panagiotopoulos & Julie Barnett, 2015. "Social Media in Union Communications: An International Study with UNI Global Union Affiliates," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 508-532, September.
    20. Hugo Dias, 2021. "The evolution of Portuguese trade unionism: Political economies and power resources," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 237-254, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:23:y:2017:i:2:p:177-192. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.