The co-operative form, owing to both the specific ownership asset covered and relevance of the goals other than economic pursued, is particularly suitable to assume a number of connotations, consistent to the cultural and... [ view full abstract ]
The co-operative form, owing to both the specific ownership asset covered and relevance of the goals other than economic pursued, is particularly suitable to assume a number of connotations, consistent to the cultural and socio-economic environment which hosts it. These specificities contribute to render the co-operative typology an organizational form particularly flexible and capable of adjusting to the changing economic, social and political conditions (Galera, 2004).
Starting from this assumption, this paper will especially focus on cooperatives’ present potentials. The recent emergence of new co-operative fields of activity, which contributed to co-operative revitalization and followed the 1980s’ general obscuration of the cooperative phenomenon as a whole, leads in fact to reflect from a theoretical point of view on the actual potentials of this organizational form (MacPherson, 1995 and Laidlaw, 1992;). The author will provide an overview of cooperative evolution in a number of EU countries where new co-operative forms have recently emerged to supply services of general-interest beyond the ‘boundaries’ of co-ops’ membership and thus fill gaps in the delivery of public services (Galera, 2016 and Borzaga, Fazzi and Galera, 2016). This trend has undermined the traditional model of co-operative, based on a single stake-holding system and on the identification of members and users, and lead to openness and readiness towards having additional bearers of interests that share the duties and benefits of the organization.
Carlo Borzaga, Fazzi. Luca and Galera Giulia Monographic Section, G., Social Enterprise as a Bottom-up Dynamic: Part 1. The Reaction of Civil Society to Unmet Social Needs in Italy, Sweden and Japan, International Review of Sociology, Taylor & Francis, forthcoming
Giulia Galera, Social and Solidarity Cooperatives across the world, in Michie, J, Blasi, J and Borzaga, C. Handbook of Co-operative and Mutual Business, Oxford University Press, forthcoming.
Giulia Galera, The evolution of the co-operative form: an international perspective, in Trends and challenges for co-operatives and social enterprises in developed and transition countries, edited by
Carlo Borzaga and Roger Spear, Edizioni31, Trento, 2004.
Ian MacPherson, Cooperative Principles, in ICA Review 1995, vol. 88, n. 4.
Alexander Laidlaw, La cooperazione nell’anno 2000, collana Impresa Sociale, Edizioni CGM Milano 1992
