La dirección en la empresa de trabajo asociado: una revisión de estudios empíricos

The difficulty in running a self-managed firm has been one of the arguments used in economics literature to prove the non-viability of the model. People who are sufficiently talented and willing both to manage worker-owners and to assume processes of collective decision-making are a scant resource, one which would involve unsustainable incentives for these companies with their own peculiar characteristics. However, the development of self-managed firms has demonstrated that such a task is possible, a fact with gives the lie to the argument of non-viability. This work systematically draws together the findings of empirical studies from a range of disciplines on managerial work and its peculiarities with regard to other kinds of businesses, in a European Community country with a significant presence of self-run firms. The work is structured into four parts, the first being a delimitation of the subject, object and theoretical framework. The second part sets out the conclusions obtained on the figure of the manager at a level of values, knowledge and management style. The third section goes into detail on the context in which managers must carry out their work and collaborate in the governance of associated work firms. The fourth part deals with findings concerning how managers of this type of firm promote action, either directly or indirectly, by delegating to other people. Finally, the scope of the ideas set out is evaluated, and possible lines of interest are formulated.