Michal Palgi

Organizational change and ideology: the case of the kibbutz

Privatization in the kibbutz, where there is social property of all production and consumption enterprises and services, means the transference of public budgets that were used for running these institutions and services of the kibbutz to individual members. In return members are charged for all services rendered to them by the kibbutz—services which were previously distributed freely. This change is being made in many kibbutz communities in order that the services would be run more efficiently, that public property would not be wasted, that members receiving the services could choose which service they want and which they do not, that members will have more autonomy to decide about their consumption through having more cash in their hands thus creating an illusion of relative affluence where in reality it does not exist. The most far-reaching ideas for privatization, from the kibbutz point of view, is the introduction of non-egalitarian salaries to individual members, the idea of dividing kibbutz shares to members and giving them right of ownership over their apartments. Two phases of the process of privatization in the kibbutz will be described here. The first phase is the transfer of consumption and educational services from the responsibility of the community to the responsibility of the family. This phase can be divided into several developmental stages:

Pitfalls of Self-management in the Kibbutz

This article traces and analyzes the changes that have occurred in the self-managed Kibbutz communities and in their industrial organization. It primarily examines changes concerned with self-management and democracy in the community and the Kibbutz economy, and analyzes their direction. The article raises the question whether a self-managed democratic community is able to remain as such at a time when the national economy, public support and the collective ideology are all weakened. Even though the Kibbutz community is not self-managed now as it was in the past, it still retains representative democracy, as well as some direct democracy, and presents a unique way of managing its industrial, agricultural and social organizations, which enables the Kibbutz community to adhere to some, if not all, of its basic values.

Women in the Changing Kibbutz Economy

This article examines within the framework of feminist theories how change decisions in the kibbutz communities, which are seemingly gender-neutral, have a significant impact on the gender system. A random sample of 790 kibbutz members representing the 250 secular kibbutz communities was sampled for this purpose. The findings show that womens attitudes toward change are quite similar to mens, but fewer women than men feel that the kibbutz way of life is suitable for them. The conclusions of the article are that: (I) changes that are not aimed specifically at gender equality, would not bring it as a by-product. On the contrary, they might even make the situation worse; (2) while a combination of high technology and good economic situation might cover up gender inequalities, a sudden change in the economic situation would unravel and exacerbate them; and (3) the exclusion of gender equality as one of the goals for survival and the concentration on economic goals alone increases gender inequality.

Experiences of Self-management and Employee Participation1

During the second half of the last decade participation in the organization took many forms. These can be divided into three main types, participation in decision-making, participation in profits, and participation in ownership, various combinations of which can also be found. Each type was developed for different reasons and also to achieve different goals. This monograph presents the theoretical and practical changes that occurred in these participation schemes over the years in terms of structure, process and ideology. The participation schemes evolved out of two main streams of thought, the first of which will be named the ‘political approach’ and the second the ‘motivational approach’ (Bartolke et al ., 1985; Dachler & Wilpert, 1978; Palgi, 1984). The political approach sees participation in decision-making as a tool for enhancing workers’ control in organizations and thus in society in general. From this point of view, participation’s main goal is the redistribution of societal and organizational control in order to create more equality between workers, managers and owners. In many European countries and in the Kibbutz the institutionalization of participation is mainly an outcome of political processes. Schemes that can be related to this approach are self-management and cooperative, as well as co-determination. The motivational approach to participation in decision-making assumes that workers’ participation will have a positive impact on the overall effectiveness of the organization. Thus, it will result in workers’ growing identification with the organization and its goals and their increased motivation to contribute to it. Participation, according to this approach, may bring about better relationships in the organization and can open barred communication channels, thus improving overall performance. The equalization of power within the organization as a result of participation in decision-making is not a goal in itself but a necessary side effect, according to this approach. Schemes that can be related to it are one-on-one consultation, open door management, quality circles, TQM, etc. (Abrahamsson, 1993; Bartolke et al ., 1985; Dachler & Wilpert, 1978; Palgi, 1984).

Divorce in the kibbutz: Past and present

In the kibbutz today, there are no ideological or economic barriers to prevent a couple from deciding to divorce. Both husband and wife are assured continued economic security and equal opportunities for co-parenting, thus reducing fears of disruption in the daily contact with the children. In spite of these favorable circumstances, marital breakups in the kibbutz are less frequent than in the larger cities in Israel. In recent years, however, at a time when a stronger and more intensive family life has gained legitimacy within the kibbutz structure, there is a marked tendency toward a rise in the rate of divorce. In this article we analyze the possible causes of the variations in the frequency of divorce within the kibbutz framework.

The "Over-Educated" Kibbutz: Shifting Relations between Social Reproduction and Individual Development on the Kibbutz.

Most societies reproduce themselves biologically and socially through their young, but this does not happen automatically. Instruction, both formal and informal, helps each generation learn the attitudes, skills, and social relationships that more or less correspond to their adult roles (Inkeles, 1966). In societies where the economy is separated from kinship and community, formal schooling becomes critical in preparing young people for future economic activities. This point applies particularly in advanced industrial societies which rely on schooling to teach attitudes and competencies that families cannot be depended upon to inculcate.