Co-operatives in the Fourth Sector: The Role of Member-Owned Businesses in the Global Economy

Co-operatives and mutual businesses are amongst the oldest and most enduring in the world. They comprise some of the largest business enterprises, take a wide variety of forms, and operate within many different industries. And yet, co-operatives have a lot in common - including a democratic model of governance and their member-owned structure. Co-operatives in the Fourth Sector: The Role of Member-Owned Businesses in the Global Economy contributes to the development of a better understanding of a co-operative and mutual business, and how the member -focused nature of the co-operatives is the fundamental driver of their success. Part I of this book contains four chapters that deal with the governance and financing of co-operatives. Part II includes two international cases that explore the significance of delivering member value to ensure co-operatives sustainability. Part III, then, contains three chapters that examine the potential contribution of co-operatives in developing economies. Drawn from the research of a cross-section of international scholars, this work was a collaborative project between The University of Western Australia and Co-operatives WA. “Co-operatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility.”--UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Table of Contents: Part I ? Co-operative Governance and Financing: Chapter 1 ? The co-operative enterprise business model; Chapter 2 ? ‘Club’ versus ‘shareholder’ dichotomy of co-operatives; Chapter 3 ? The P-network as an interpretation tool for co-ops; Chapter 4 ? Co-operative capital units. Part II ? Member Value Creation: Chapter 5 ? Generating member value; Chapter 6 ? Mobility. Part III ? Co-operatives in Developing Economies: Chapter 7 ? Collaborative marketing groups in developing economies; Chapter 8 ? Agricultural co-operatives; Chapter 9 ? Identification of successful animal husbandry co-ops.