OBJECTIVES:

• To construct the Model of Excellence and Quality in Social Economy. The leadership is the starting point in the design and development of effective management models. This investigation will make it possible to define the criteria of Leadership in the Excellence project.

• To design and implement actions that respond to the learning and development needs of the entrepreneurs within our sector, providing them with the attitudes, skills, knowledge and tools that will allow them to successfully tackle the present in order to build a future of growth.

DESCRIPTION: This study is based on the premise that, increasingly, leadership development is considered as a key source of competitive advantage (some investigations suggest that companies must always include its development among their 5 strategic priorities). And yet, even today, many organisations lack formal programmes that cultivate their leadership skills. The classic approach to this theme suffers from three serious deficiencies: it receives little attention; it is based upon conceptual models and bases outside of the reality of the Social Economy; with a view to the medium/long-term, the leadership skills development programmes run the risk of falling into the “fad effect” and using contents, formats and tools that are novel, but useless.

This investigation consists of selecting valid ideas from information obtained through dialogues (a scripted interview) with various leaders, putting the leader in front of the mirror and questioning him about what he does (in the present) but also projecting into the future, whilst questioning them upon fundamental matters. In this study, men and women who have had long careers as leaders and are recognised as such, will be interviewed. Both traditional and emerging leaders will be sought, in order to compare their views of this organisational role. Also, both cooperative and employee-owned companies have been selected.

The results of the investigation reveals a leadership in evolution, with training needs and support measures that are specific to the Social Economy in general and to Andalusia in particular.

PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: Servicio de Conocimiento Asociado, S. Coop. And.

FINANCING: Department of Social Economy and Entrepreneurs of the Autonomous Government of Andalusia

COMPLETION DATE: April 2007