Difficulties of Operation of Initiatives from Solidarity Economy in the Competitive Capitalist Environment

Abstract

The capitalist system presupposes an environment of heightened competition, which requires companies toconstantly search for survival strategies. Nevertheless, enterprises based on the principles of solidarity economy operate in the same competitive environment, struggling to get the necessary competitiveness to their permanence and progression in the market. In a typically capitalists business network, the bargaining power of each active link defines the ability to attract profits and hence the survival of the business. we analyse the case of three cooperatives of waste pickers who work in the city of Londrina-Pr.