SPECIAL SESSION International Research Exchange on Cooperatives (INT.RE.COOP)

The International Research Exchange on Cooperatives is a mobility project, which has allowed for the fruitful exchange among EU/AC and TC researchers who are committed to studying cooperative enterprises in Third Countries... [ view full abstract ]

The International Research Exchange on Cooperatives is a mobility project, which has allowed for the fruitful exchange among EU/AC and TC researchers who are committed to studying cooperative enterprises in Third Countries (CIS, North and South American countries).
Cooperatives play a crucial role both in the production of social general-interest services and in traditional sectors. Cooperatives often obtain exceptional results and outperform for-profit and public enterprises; their resilience to the recent global crisis has been evident across many sectors, not only withstanding market volatility but also generating employment, continuing services and providing credit where other business forms have failed or performed poorly. At the same time, policy and opinion makers are increasingly eager to understand if and how traditional as well as new typologies of cooperatives, can play a role in reforming the systems that have contributed to generating the global and financial crisis.
Drawing on the secondment research of In.tre.coop researchers, the aim of this session is to promote a fruitful discussion forum on legal and policy aspects concerning cooperatives outside Europe, namely in the United States, Canada, Chile and Mexico.
The presenters will analyze to what extent the existing policy framework boosts the development of cooperatives in the following domains: the supply of public utilities; the creation of work opportunities for dismissed workers; the delivery of personal and community services..?

Coordinators: Giulia Galera and Barbara Franchini