Collectiveness, Remoteness and Isolation as Factors in Kibbutz Development Strategies

Erratic fuel prices threaten rural communities that are reliant on long-distance transport to markets and employment. To explore how businesses cope with rising transport costs, we analyze the transport strategies used on the kibbutz (pl. kibbutzim) with varying degrees of collectiveness and geographical remoteness. Strategies were found to differ between regions with high cost vulnerability, where fuel prices have elicited behavioral change, and regions with lower vulnerability where adaptation is less evident. While remote and isolated kibbutzim emphasize high value density products or localization, those less remote focus on suburban development. The adaptive capacity of kibbutz enterprises rests on their ability to leverage social and financial capital through collective action at local or regional scales.