TOPIC 7-STAGE 5-MICRO This is a proposal for an organised session. The papers in this organised session focus on a challenge (or challenges) faced by specific co-ops (e.g., merger, poor financial performance, loss of market... [ view full abstract ]
TOPIC 7-STAGE 5-MICRO
This is a proposal for an organised session.
The papers in this organised session focus on a challenge (or challenges) faced by specific co-ops (e.g., merger, poor financial performance, loss of market share, increasingly competitive economic landscape, changing demographics), and how the governance structure of each co-op affects both the challenge(s) it faces and how the co-operative is able to respond (e.g., successfully or unsuccessfully, specific changes to the governance structure). Each paper contains a component that is conceptual and/or reflective, and a component that presents a (brief) case study of the co-op in question. These two components must be integrated. The conceptual component is linked to the governance framework developed by Fairbairn, Fulton and Pohler in a recent series of papers (Fairbairn, Fulton and Pohler (2015), Fulton, Pohler and Fairbairn (2015), Fairbairn, Pohler and Fulton (2016)). The framework outlines three critical elements that a governance structure must address for success of the co-operative organization: (1) managing strategic interdependencies; (2) developing the “right” view of the future; and (3) establishing and maintaining legitimacy. Each of the papers in the issue shows how, in practice, these various elements are manifested and/or addressed in the governance models of co-operative organizations. To bring added insights to the analysis, a number of the papers in the session will have as a co-author a co-operative practitioner.
The papers in this session will form the basis for an issue of the ICA Review of International Co-operation edited by Murray Fulton and Brett Fairbairn titled “Challenges to Co-operative Governance.” One of the objectives of the Review issue is to link conceptual work on governance with case study examples of governance as it plays out in practice. The session will provide the authors an opportunity to provide and receive feedback on the papers prior to publication.
The authors listed will submit separate abstracts for their own papers.
References
Fairbairn, B., M. Fulton, and D. Pohler. 2015. Governance as a Determinant of Success and Failure What Other Co-ops Can Learn from Co-op Atlantic. Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. http://usaskstudies.coop/documents/books,-booklets,-proceedings/Co-op%20Atlantic%20final.pdf.
Fulton, M.E., D. Pohler and B. Fairbairn. 2015. “The Political Economy of Good Co-operative Governance.” Presentation to the ICA Research Conference, Paris, France, May 28.
Fairbairn, B., D. Pohler, and M.E. Fulton. 2016. “The Governance of Federations.” Working Paper. Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon.
