Cooperation between companies is an inherent part of the business itself. In most cases, this is due to the supplier-customer relationship, but cooperation between two companies competing in the market is very rare. It is obvious that each has conflicting interests, although this is not always the case. In many cases, although they sell a similar product or service, they are aimed at different types of customers and even markets.
In our country in particular, when in doubt, every company is a competitor and therefore we are facing enemy number one. I believe there are many forms of collaboration and in many degrees. The most important, without a doubt, is to be able to put on the table the future of the sector and its improvements with regard to the image of customers and even the critical mass in general, safety issues, regulations and sharing of common problems at the export level, logistics, interference of companies from other sectors, etc.
Unfortunately, we have a serious problem in the country as many of these forms of collaboration are carried out through associations where sector guidelines are set.
Work and collaboration within organizations such as associations have little roots in the country and are generally seen as worthless. Scenarios where general information is shared that contributes little to our business and even many companies join these associations for the sole purpose of seeking customers, something allowed but that in the end contributes little to the rest of the affiliates.
We do not know how to share information that in the end is beneficial to all, we start from the distrust of the enemy or water, paradigms about not giving an advantage even if it is also for me. Maintain cordial relations at best to save face. To be aware of what others are doing and above all not to let them see what I am doing.
Mistrust is the worst enemy of collaboration and when this happens in a sector it has a big problem and can be considered a sick and weak sector since it will not be able to protect itself from interference or abuses of both regulations and bad practices of companies in the sector itself, causing irreparable damage to its image and finally to each of the companies that have not had the vision for the future, mainly because of the trust that is needed for it.
We must reflect on this point in an important way and I believe that institutions also have an important role to play in supporting and encouraging this type of association in order to make our companies stronger and more competitive. This ultimately has to do with how competitive we will be in the marketplace as other countries such as Germany, France, etc. have a deep-rooted culture of partnerships.
