AllYourSmurf@lemmy.world 2 days ago
What makes Apoidea different from other ERP-style software? Does it enforce the strategic unions model? How restrictive would that be to a new (small) business?
There are other open source ERP tools out there, notably OpenERP. While I don’t agree with all of their design decisions, Frappe has a decent framework.
Please don’t take that as me promoting OpenERP or discouraging your work. The ERP space is still wide open. I hope you’ll share some more details about your plans and direction.
I remember the strategic unions conversation. I keep meaning to to back and compare it to successful cooperatives like Mondragon. Has anyone done that thought experiment?
Juniperus@infosec.pub 2 days ago
Thanks for the great comment!
The main difference between Apoidea and other ERP software is that it reinforces the cooperative model, specifically if you go into the main menu under General Conference, you’ll see spaces carved out for “Issues” and “Votes”. Typical ERP software like Odoo is only intended as a tool for management, not as a general tool for worker-owners to make decisions.
The software will not reinforce the Strategic Union model specifically, but it will allow for it. However, there’s nothing stopping someone from using the software for a traditional co-op with any shareholder restrictions or model they like. Additionally, you don’t need to put in a management hierarchy. For some applications, such as agricultural co-ops, there seems to be a significant body of research that shows they perform just fine without the hierarchy.
I have thought a lot about Mondragon, and in fact the best example from them I can find is Mondragon Assembly. They are led by a CEO, which is unusual for co-ops, but I don’t have any other information about their management structure. They seem to have about 1000 members, and they make assembly line equipment for hi-tech manufacturing like solar panels. They are the best example I know of to show what co-ops are capable of, and my hope would be that a Strategic Union might one day be their customer.
If anyone has more info about Mondragon I’m all ears.