In today’s difficult times, in which companies are faced with challenges and challenges unknown so far to stay in the market, after having done all the cuts and reductions have been feasible, and we do not know what else to do, a possibility very important to consider is to collaborate with other companies.
Understanding collaboration, when two or more companies agree to carry out any action that is convenient for them, for which they contribute resources to be used in a shared way, for a determined period and acting without any subordination between them.
We must distinguish between collaboration and cooperation, since the latter involves a higher level of commitment, and should come after a period in which it is collaborating or when we raise a more complex issue that even needs to have a legal formula that groups companies .
The indispensable condition to collaborate is to have a common goal, since if it does not exist, it ceases to make sense. Collaboration will allow us to achieve this goal through shared resources, integrated into reasonable action plans and at all times preserving the sovereignty and absolute independence of companies. The achievement of the objective collaborating must be faster and cheaper than by any other procedure.
Union forces that can push companies to collaborate can be very diverse: not having sufficient resources to achieve the objective, sharing risks in an expensive project, taking advantage of the knowledge of the other company on some aspect, buying together to achieve economies of scale, share costs to tackle new markets, …
The reasons for collaborating have no limits other than imagination (everything that comes to mind) and obviously the cost (if it can be economically profitable and affordable). But the first thing we must do is perform a self-analysis to discover our needs and verify that they have an appropriate solution through collaboration.
Unfortunately the Collaboration has not been much used by the SMEs that constitute the Valencian business community, which in general has always been prone to individualism and to not share infrastructures, machinery, knowledge, … That is, to do everything for fear of copying, not having the leading role … In these moments, when we need our companies have a greater dimension to get better productivity and therefore their level of competitiveness, this option is fundamental, since only in this way can they approach new markets or improve their situation in existing ones.
And lastly we must not forget that to be successful in the Collaboration a basic condition is the one of the generosity and height of sights, so that it is a win-win for all.