Big day for co-op | 27 comments (27 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

I think co-operatives are one of the promising models to promote.

I've been working for a few years with the International Co-operative Alliance which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. They have launched an initiative named "Global 300" to promote the model and role of big co-operatives in the framework of globalisation. This initiative was launched in Lyon, in October 2006.

Here is the Global 300 initiative brochure, and the list of the world's 300 biggest cooperatives.

I am currently working with them on the creation of a high-level education scheme (MBA-like) for the managers of co-operatives. It will aim at developing a culture of management which includes the values of the co-operative movement and a critical approach to the dominant schools of thought in economics and business.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 10:14:19 AM EST

Co-operatives in Europe (4.00 / 3)

The Co-operative movement is active in Europe.

Check the following sites:

The European Confederation of Workers' Co-operatives, Social Co-operatives and Social and Participative Enterprises (CECOP)

Cooperatives Europe

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 10:37:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives in Europe (none / 1)

I wonder why J-C.Lescornet changed the PSU in that Red-Green thing... ?
It used to be a good place for the Co-operative minded people (sigh)!

"What can I do, What can I write, Against the fall of Night". A.E. Housman

by margouillat (hemidactylus(dot)frenatus(at)wanadoo(dot)fr) on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 01:03:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (4.00 / 2)

Thanks for those link.

Except for the BBC extract above which is quite negative (coop retail got smashed in the UK), I've yet to find comparison data between non coop vs coop, on any scale. I can't seem to find employment data either.

Is the coop situation so catastrophic?

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 10:57:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (4.00 / 2)

I don't think the coop situation is catastrophic, but it depends on the country. As far as I know, the figures for the market share of the consumers co-operatives in UK are true. But in Japan, for example, consumers co-operatives are huge and very powerful.

For employment figures, it is difficult to find them. The ICA claims that co-operatives represent over 100 millions of employees worldwide (and 800 millions of members).

If you need data on co-operatives, I can try to find them with the ICA.

Do you think it would be interesting to organise a chat on ET with a representative of the Co-operative movement? I think I could organise it.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 11:29:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (4.00 / 2)

I didn't search real hard, but I'm surprised that the coop movement publications I could find are about 99.99% narrative with little or no comparative data.

The only quantitative data I could find is the "Employee Ownership Index", but last datapoint is in 2005 ...

http://www.equityincentives.co.uk/resources/news.aspx

(and it's not really coop).

The Reeves paper is 29 pages, and has only one data point.

I do believe that publishing data will have vastly more impact on public opinion than creating an MBA, so yes I'm really interested in the chat with knowledgable people you're proposing :).

I'm in Paris, but I can travel if face to face is necessary.

Disclaimer: I own 60 000 euros of coop shares (mostly "La Nef").

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 12:10:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (4.00 / 2)

I was thinking of an online chat on ET...

However, I can put you in contact with people from the co-operative movement. The ICA is located in Geneva and its president lives in Bologna.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 12:48:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (4.00 / 3)

As you know, I am fascinated by ICA - thanks to you! I would be great to introduce them to ET - they'd get a lot of feedback and encouragement.

If Jerome hasn't registered a new domain yet - then a .coop would be a good gesture. (Available via the ICA site)

I think if we could put ChrisCook's ideas on Open Capital together with coops, and then use the web to connect people together. it would be possible to build empowering organizations with very low transaction costs.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 01:22:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (4.00 / 2)

I believe that the optimal enterprise model could well consist of an LLP/LLC "Coop of Coops" ie to combine in an LLP "Wrapper" a John Lewis-style employee coop with a Retail Coop owned by its customers - and with any necessary investment coming from these stakeholders as "Capital Partners" through simply "buying revenues forward".

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 06:54:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (none / 1)

Yes, it is this *'Buying Revenues Forward''' that really changes the game,
IMO.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sun Feb 25th, 2007 at 12:03:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (none / 1)

Travel only if necessary, a chat is perfectly fine!

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 03:01:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Co-operatives (none / 1)

chat => online chat on ET

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Feb 24th, 2007 at 03:01:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Big day for co-op | 27 comments (27 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)