C ENTRE FOR THE S TUDY OF C O-OPERATIVES Competitive Advantages of Consumer Co-operatives Dr. Lou...

CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF CO-OPERATIVES

Competitive Advantages of Consumer Co-operatives

Dr. Lou Hammond KetilsonDirector, Centre for the Study of Co-operatives

September 2009 www.usaskstudies.coop

Overview of Presentation

• What do we know about Consumer Co-operatives?

• What are some of the central debates among researchers?

• What do we need to know about Consumer Co-operatives?

• How do we find answers to these questions?


What do we know about Consumer Co-operatives

• Long and successful history• Top 15 of Global 300 list – only one

is not a consumer co-operative • Model has spread around the world –

typically takes a form consistent with local context but there are many similarities across countries



• There is great diversity in application– Retail/wholesale co-ops– Financial and Insurance Services – Service co-operatives

• Funeral• Housing• Child care• Preschool• Eldercare


Great diversity in application

• Health care• Water supply, natural gas, rural

electric• Recreational • Transportation, communication • Community development



• Many pressures come to bear– Governance– Management– Financing– Competition from private sector– Lack of understanding in government



• The model is resilient in times of economic crisis

“Resilience of the Cooperative Business Model in Times of Crisis”

-International Labour Organization, 2009


Central Debates in the Literature

• Centralized vs decentralized structures– Strengths or weaknesses of federated

structures– Impact of amalgamations on member

identity/loyalty• Role and composition of boards of

directors


Central Debates in the Literature

• Financing models– Role of/impact of outside investors

• Efficiency– comparative studies with IOF

• Role of government– Developing economies

• Member Engagement– particularly youth, also women,

minorities, Indigenous groups


What do we need to know about Consumer Co-operatives• Answers to all of the above!

• How do we do this? By integrating theory and practice – what does this mean?



Approaches to Research

• University-based conceptual and theoretical

• Sector-based applied research and training

• Integrated - collaboration between sector and university �

Examples

• United States– University of Wisconsin Center for

Cooperatives Madison • United Kingdom

– Centre for Co-operative Studies University College Cork Ireland

– The Co-operative College Manchester England



Examples

• Europe– European Research Institute on Co-

operative and Social Enterprises (EURICSE), Trento Italy

– Ruralia Institute, University of Helsinki• Asia Pacific

– Consumer Cooperative Institute, Japan

Co-operatives in Canada

• At least 4 in 10 Canadians are members• 17.2 million memberships• 9 million in Canadian Co-operative

Association affiliates• Over $280 billion in assets• 9,000 co-ops• With 170,000 employees• 70,000 volunteer directors



Co-operatives in Canada, 2005

• Map


Canada

• British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies

• l'Institut de recherche et d'éducation pour les coopératives et les mutuelles Université de Sherbrooke


Centre for the Study of Co-operatives

Saskatchewan Canada

• interdisciplinary teaching and research institute

• established in 1984• supported by the university, the

co-op sector, the Governmentof Saskatchewan

• part of an international network ofsimilar centres

– largest in Anglophone Canada– most research oriented in NA– one of most interdisciplinary

in the world• long-term community-university

partnership


What We Do

• develop courses that provide an understanding ofco-op theory, principles, development, structures,and legislation

• undertake original research into co-operatives• publish co-operative research, by both centre

staff and other researchers• maintain a resource centre of materials that

supports our teaching and research functions• share our knowledge and experience through

outreach activities


Research

• political, social, economic, and historical issues relating to co-operatives

• conceptual and applied research — each informed by the other

• research is grounded, community-based, interdisciplinary

• research model is collaborative — creating linkages, building networks

• audience includes academics, policy makers, and practitioners


Visiting Research Fellows

• program promotes research focusedon co-operatives

• supports both academics and co-op practitioners

• fellows are in residence at the centre• develop a research paper, present

seminars, and provide guest lectures


The Centre’s Websites

www.usaskstudies.coopwww.socialcohesion.coop

www.usaskstudies.coop/socialeconomy


ICA Committee on Co-operative Research

• 1957 Research Officers Group,• 1970's ICA Research, Planning and

Development Group• Today functions as a network open to

all those interested in sharing research on the co-operative model of enterprise


ICA Committee on Co-operative Research

• International conferences – Oxford 2-3 September 2009

• Regional conferences• Research Symposium Geneva 17

November 2009– “Successful Models for Achieving a

Collaborative Research Agenda”


Thank You!

C ENTRE FOR THE S TUDY OF C O-OPERATIVES Competitive Advantages of Consumer Co-operatives Dr. Lou...

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