that best seemed to describe collective development in their sector. While there is some overlap in phases between the two sectors, we have chosen to retain the distinction between sectors in order to remain true to the way in which the understanding of these phases evolved. The table below outlines the institutional phases for collectives in each of the sectors. These phases will be described in greater detail in the following sections. Note that, in practice, collectives do not pass neatly from one phase to the next. In reality, groups may exhibit elements of various phases simultaneously, as skill development in some areas may outpace skill development in others.
3.11 Institutional Phases in Lacware Sector
Group formation Phase
In this phase, members begin to understand the concept of functioning as a worker-owned MAYA ORGANIC collective. Individuals begin to clarify their own personal visions for the future. The group begins to learn how to arrive at consensus on complex issues. In the formation phase, basic learning processes are instituted which will provide a foundation for the group in subsequent phases.
Within the collective, members identify ways of sharing work through the creation of systems and sub-structures, including subgroups and functional groups. These sub-structures are especially important for helping members understand the benefit of working as a collective, rather than as individual workers. The sub-structures enable workers to complete orders efficiently, while sharing common risks and benefits. Before joining a collective, workers have been accustomed to completing all aspects of production independently. They have not yet seen that quality and productivity can increase through division of labour amongst the group. In Lacware, subgroups are formed for specialisation in the production process itself. Subgroups undertake a single production process, for example, turning, lacquering, or painting. As a part of instituting a flat, democratic leadership structure, the group develops functional groups in which members are trained to take responsibility for different components in running the enterprise. At present, collectives have identified the following functional group roles: quality monitoring, business processes (bookkeeping/documentation/business planning), skills and training, and production.
The collective begins to learn about production processes and business management. Members become familiar with the function of job cards, stock indents, purchase orders, savings books, and basic banking transactions. Workers analyse their skill levels through assessments and reflect on factors such as speed, quality of work, ability to maintain records, and consumption of material (used for costing). Based on the assessment, workers begin to develop individual and group learning plans. Often, learning plans include acquiring basic literacy and numeracy, in addition to improving production speed and quality.
