Developing Successful Worker Co-operatives

Abstract

Developing Successful Worker Co-operatives gives a complete view of the worker co-operative movement in Britain and shows how with the right procedures, attitudes and conditions, co-operatives can succeed as viable businesses, while contributing to the solution of some More...of the most important economic and social problems of our day. The book demonstrates how co-operatives can perform on equal terms with other forms of commercial organization despite the challenges faced from operating in an environment not suited to their needs. It disputes the orthodox theories that co-operatives must eventually disintegrate. The authors present the first large-scale survey of co-operatives' economic performance, a survey of co-operative support organizations and detailed case studies of co-operatives of different types. Finally they evaluate the main policy initiatives designed to encourage co-operative development and suggest ways in which these policies could be improved.