Nearby 11.000 entrerprises were eliminated, country-wide in the first four years of the decade of 1990. This article seeks to establish, through a qualitative study that uses method of case that there are alternatives to companies emerging from the liquidation or restructuring process. This would be the self-management model. Also we describe a case showing the main cultural, administrative and management characteristics, which the self-managed organizations have. From this diagnosis of the essential elements of these companies, several cases of study were characterized: Cales y Derivados de La Sierra S.A. CALDESA; Laminados y Derivados, Layder, (whose case is presented in the article); Minera Las Brisas; Cooperativa Los Guaduales, in Antioquia; Artgrancol and Calzado La Corona, in Bogota. The creation of the companies, self-managed by the workers, constitutes an opportunity for the conservation of productive units, which contribute to improve the quality of life of the workers and their families.