autogerenciamento

Autogerenciamento, or self-management, refers to a governance and organizational approach in which workers or participants collectively control decision-making about work processes, resource use and the direction of an organization. It can occur in various forms, including worker cooperatives, collectives within firms, housing or social projects, and community organizations. The core idea is to distribute authority rather than concentrate it in a traditional hierarchical management layer.

Key features often associated with autogerenciamento include democratic decision-making, participatory planning, transparency, and the equitable distribution of profits or benefits. Decision-making may occur through general assemblies, elected or rotating representatives, and consensus or majority voting. In practice, some organizations also implement participatory budgeting, open information systems, and mechanisms to rotate leadership positions to prevent permanent power concentration.

Historical and theoretical context: autogerenciamento is linked to labor movements, cooperative traditions, and strands of socialist and anarchist thought that advocate workplace democracy. It gained prominence in the 20th century with worker cooperatives and social economy initiatives. A widely cited example is the Mondragon Corporation in the Basque Country, a federation of worker-owned cooperatives that incorporates democratic governance and cooperative principles. In Portuguese-speaking contexts, the term is used in discussions of cooperativism, participatory management and social enterprises, with applications in Brazil and Portugal among unions, communities and worker-led initiatives.

Relation to other concepts: it contrasts with hierarchical or autocratic management and aligns with ideas of industrial democracy and participatory management. Implementations vary in scale and form, but common aims include greater employee engagement, social responsibility, and resilience through shared governance. Challenges include coordination complexity, slower decision-making, capital access, and aligning diverse interests.