Resumen

ALFONSO ALEMAN, Juan Luis; RIVERA RODRIGUEZ, Claudio Alberto  y  LABRADOR MACHIN, Odalys. Social Responsibility and Balance in Cooperative Businesses. Revista de Ciencias Sociales [online]. 2008, vol.14, n.1, pp.09-19. ISSN 1315-9518.

In evaluating the management of cooperatives, a lack of integrality has been noted in the analyses and policies described because they are meant to resolve problems connected principally with economic-productive activity. However, the application of social balance as a significant instrument contributes not only to establishing a basis for the social projection of cooperatives and evaluating their results, but also to raising the sense of belonging in the associates by increasing their participation in the processes of administering their own resources. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to demonstrate the need for adequately applying social balance to Latin American cooperative businesses, for which end this study begins with the operationality of cooperative principles, those that without a doubt define their nature and essence, until it reaches a formulation of the elements of balance, emphasizing the social responsibility of cooperative organizations. Methodology was based on a broad study of cases about social balance problems in various cooperatives in diverse countries, taking as antecedents a new concept of cooperative social responsibility accompanied by a thorough bibliographical review.

Palabras clave : Cooperative; cooperative principles; social balance; social responsibility.