Abstract This article explores the challenges that worker cooperatives face when they operate and manage people across borders. Drawing on qualitative research on two Mondragon multinational co-ops based on longitudinal data and in-depth interviews, we address the dilemmas raised by the multinationalization of co-ops through the establishment of subsidiaries abroad, and show the tensions surrounding the ‘cooperativization’ of foreign subsidiaries, that is to say, the reproduction of the cooperative organizational formula and the transfer of its idiosyncratic policies and practices to foreign subsidiaries. The main finding of the research is that, behind the instrumentalization of various institutional barriers by the managerial technostructure of the parent co-ops to justify the non-cooperativization of foreign subsidiaries, lie factors stemming from headquarters-subsidiary power relations, as well as from core co-op owner-members looking to protect their own interests. Indeed, a clear dissociation has been found between the Mondragon corporate discourse about the promotion of participation and democracy overseas, and the real practices that are operational within the foreign subsidiaries. The article also draws some practical implications for multinational co-ops wishing to extend the cooperative model to their overseas subsidiaries.

中文翻译：

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工人合作社跨境管理的挑战：Mondragon合作社集团的见解

摘要本文探讨了工人合作社跨境经营和管理人员时面临的挑战。基于纵向数据和深入访谈，对两个Mondragon跨国合作社进行定性研究，我们通过在国外设立子公司解决了合作社跨国公司化带来的困境，并显示了围绕“合作社”的紧张关系。外国子公司，即合作组织公式的复制以及其特有的政策和惯例向外国子公司的转移。该研究的主要发现是，在通过母公司的管理技术结构对各种制度性障碍进行工具化以证明外国子公司不进行合作的正当理由之后，谎言源于总部与子公司之间的权力关系，以及寻求保护自己利益的核心合作社所有者成员。确实，在有关促进海外参与和民主的蒙德拉贡公司论述与在外国子公司内部运作的实际做法之间，已经找到了明确的分离。本文还为希望将合作模式扩展到其海外子公司的跨国合作社带来了一些实际意义。以及在外国子公司内部运作的实际做法。本文还为希望将合作模式扩展到其海外子公司的跨国合作社带来了一些实际意义。以及在外国子公司内部运作的实际做法。本文还为希望将合作模式扩展到其海外子公司的跨国合作社带来了一些实际意义。