As with production, there are incentives for high quality work, and consequences for low quality work. For example, if the quality check at the unit level results in a rejection rate of more than 5 per cent of the total production, there will be no profit paid to the collective. Collective will be charged for rejected and defect garments. Similarly, where targets are met and quality is good, a percentage will be paid to the groups. This system has given an incentive to groups to hold their quality functional group accountable and to insist that their quality checks be strict. As the maturity of the group increases, quality expectations rise. At Level 2 the rejection rate goal is 20 per cent or less, while at Level 3 it drops to 5 per cent or less. If a group successfully executes an order with rejections below a pre-set level, MAYA ORGANIC gives them some financial compensation or a reward such as free working material, or a share in the profits.
3.3 Existing Maturity Levels in Sectors
After a discussion of maturity phases in collective development and milestones, we turn now to the empirical assessment of collectives in the Lacware and Garments sectors.
3.31 Maturity Levels: Lacware
Over the last two years, the MAYA ORGANIC Lacware sector has enrolled approximately 100 men and women as job workers or members into seven group enterprises. The table below shows the profiles of each of the collectives as well as their savings, investments, earnings, and skill sets. There are, on an average, ten to twelve workers in each collective, with a range of experience from virtually nothing to 25 years. Investment and savings levels differ with the period of the sector’s engagement with the collective, as well as with skill levels and the maturity of the groups.
The oldest collective is the Nisarga Collective, and it is the highest skilled group. This is a men’s group, and it specialises in turning on the lathe. This collective has responded very well to the group enterprise concept. It has managed to save over Rs. 11800 for personal emergencies, and made an initial investment of Rs. 9000. Ekta and Roshini, collectives of previously untrained workers, have eleven women trainees each. They were able to accumulate savings of approx. Rs. 6000 each and to invest a total of Rs. 4000 each. Swarna, a small collective initiated in May, 2004, has specialised in assembly and quality checking.
