Inter-organizational Relationships as a Vector for Socio-environmental, Collective Enterprises: Three Cases on Handcrafting

Abstract

Agents identified with collective entrepreneurship distinguish themselves by the development of solutions that create value for the collectivity. However, the formation and survival of such organizations face many socioeconomic challenges. One alternative to fulfill this gap is the establishment of inter-organizational partnerships. The objective of this paper is to explore how the establishment of inter-organizational partnerships interferes in the promotion and development of a “socio-environmental, collective entrepreneurship”. To achieve this, case studies were performed in three organizations that produce handcrafts with natural raw materials. Data collected through primary and secondary sources were framed within a combination of theoretical approaches: collective entrepreneurship, solidarity economy and inter-organizational partnerships. Results show that the three cases had as main motivator public organizations with the mission of supporting socio-environmental organizations. Those partnerships allow the mitigation of challenges related to commercialization, value added, administrative management, training in human resources, technological knowledge, thus expanding the organizations’ possibilities of developing themselves in a sustainable way.