Szövetkezelés

Szövetkezelés, meaning "cooperative management" or "cooperative organization" in English, refers to the principles and practices of operating a cooperative business entity. Cooperatives are organizations owned and controlled by their members, who use the cooperative's services or products. The core idea is that members, rather than external shareholders, have a say in how the cooperative is run and benefit from its success.

These organizations are typically guided by a set of internationally recognized cooperative principles. These include voluntary and open membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, education, training, and information, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community. These principles ensure that cooperatives are member-focused and operate with a social conscience.

Szövetkezelés can encompass a wide range of business types, such as agricultural cooperatives, credit unions, housing cooperatives, consumer cooperatives, and worker cooperatives. Each type of cooperative is structured to serve the specific needs of its members. For instance, agricultural cooperatives help farmers collectively market their produce or purchase supplies, while consumer cooperatives offer goods and services to their members at competitive prices.

The success of szövetkezelés depends on active member participation and effective democratic governance. Members elect a board of directors and have the right to vote on important decisions. Profits are often distributed among members based on their patronage or reinvested back into the cooperative to improve services. This model contrasts with traditional corporations, where control is vested in a board elected by shareholders who may not be users of the company's products or services.