Social Cooperatives

The social cooperative is the opportunity for social and professional reintegration of people threatened with social exclusion:
Reintegration tool; The objectives of the social cooperative; The threefold nature of the social cooperative; Is it worth it to assume social co-operatives?

Absztrakt: A foglalkoztatási és jövedelemszerzési lehetőségek javítása napjaink egyik legnagyobb kihívása a vidéki térségekben. Ennek orvoslásában fontos szerepet tölthetnek be a szociális szövetkezetek, amelyek képesek integrálni a gazdasági, társadalmi és szociokulturális célokat. Működésükkel jelentős mértékben hozzájárulhatnak a foglalkoztatási és szociális problémák enyhítéséhez, a vidéki térségek gazdaságának stabilizálásához, valamint a társadalmi kohézió és társadalmi integráció előmozdításához. Tanulmányunkban a Bergendóc Szociális Szövetkezet működését és eredményeit vizsgáljuk. Esettanulmányunk rámutat arra, hogy a szövetkezet többféle, főként szociális, kulturális, valamint közösségszervező tevékenységet végzett 2013-as megalakulását követően, miközben nem volt képes kialakítani fenntartható működésének gazdasági bázisát. Az üzleti tevékenységből származó eredmények elmaradása, más anyagi források híján, finanszírozhatatlanná tette a működést, aminek következményeként a szövetkezet válságba került, tevékenységeit jórészt szünetelteti, ma inkább csak vegetál. Abstract: The greatest challenges facing rural areas today are to improve the employment and income opportunities. Remedying this situation, social cooperatives that are able to integrate the economic, societal and socio-cultural goals can play an important role. Their operation can significantly contribute to alleviate employment and social problems, to stabilize the rural economy and to promote social cohesion and social inclusion in rural areas. In our study, we examine the operation and results of the Bergendóc Szociális Szövetkezet (Bergendóc Social Cooperative). Our case study points out that the cooperative implemented various, especially social, cultural and community organizing activities, since its formation in 2013; while it has not been able to develop a sustainable economic basement for its operation. The lack of results from business activities, in the absence of other financial resources, caused financial crisis in the operation and as a consequence of that, the cooperative largely ceased its activities, and actually it just vegetates today.

Tematem analizy niniejszej części raportu z badań „Wykluczenie społeczne: diagnoza i mechanizmy przeciwdziałania w województwie wielkopolskim” są osoby bezdomne. Choć zagadnienie bezdomności per se
nie sprawia większych problemów semantycznych, to wciąż brak jednoznacznych i powszechnie akceptowanych kryteriów definiujących omawiane zjawisko społeczne (zob. Meert et al., 2004; Oliwa‑Ciesielska, 2004; Abucewicz‑Szcześniak,
2001). Dodatkowo trzeba pamiętać, iż przyjęcie określonej perspektywy badawczej (np. socjologicznej, psychologicznej,
ekonomicznej lub prawnej) determinuje sposób postrzegania całego zjawiska bezdomności wraz z istotnymi niuansami metodologicznymi (np. GUS definiuje osobę bezdomną w kategoriach czysto prawnych, odwołując się do ustawy z dnia 12 marca 2004 r. o pomocy społecznej1, co niewątpliwie
ogranicza i upraszcza skomplikowaną strukturę omawianego fenomenu). Ostatecznie jednak „bezdomność pozostaje zjawiskiem nieokreślonym i trudnym do sprecyzowania — także dla ludzi, którzy z założenia powinni być najbardziej zainteresowani pozyskaniem uwagi opinii publicznej i decydentów, a w dalszej kolejności zdobyciem środków niezbędnych do funkcjonowania organizacji, w których pracują” (Poławski, 2001, s. 9).

This is the revised addition of a history of the community clinics in Saskatchewan written by Stan Rands, a noted social activist, public servant and community clinic administrator who died in 1985. This edition includes a new introductory chapter by Gregory P. Marchildon on primary health community clinics and Stan Rands' struggle for the transformation of health care in Saskatchewan and in Canada. This books also includes an examination of co-operatives and consumer control of health care services 50 years after the tumultuous doctors' strike of 1962 in Saskatchewan that marked the birth of universal medical care insurance in Canada.

ABSTRACT

The study examined the contributions of microfinance programs channelled through cooperatives for the government’s poverty alleviation thrust particularly among microcredit beneficiaries. We implemented the study through personal interviews with management representatives from sample cooperatives and randomly selected cooperative members who were microfinance program beneficiaries. The study used qualitative-quantitative descriptive survey design utilizing primary and secondary data from sample cooperatives and their members. Majority of the interviewed respondents were women. Government microfinance program have led to improved assets, capital build-ups and profits of cooperatives. As noted, income levels increased among microfinance program beneficiaries. Augmentation of family and household incomes subsequently improved the living standards of member recipients. There was expanded access to microcredit and education by children of program beneficiaries. Women empowerment was evident with strong participation of wives in leading micro-entrepreneurial activities. However, with relatively large household size, exits from the poverty threshold among member households were not substantial. The study also found that many member beneficiaries keep renewing their loans becoming habitual/perennial borrowers from micro-credit lending with availed loans not used anymore for microenterprise activities. We recommend that access to microfinance program should be strengthened and sustained especially for cooperative members in the low income groups.

Keywords:  poverty alleviation, microfinance program, cooperatives, credit assistance, cooperative member-borrower, women’s participation

Democracy is generally considered to be a core element of cooperatives. However, other than elected boards of directors, it appears to play little part in either the governance or operations of most cooperatives. Two challenges to democracy are identified. One is the idea that cooperatives will tend to lose their democratic character over time. The other is that many cooperatives are founded primarily for economic reasons, and democracy is a second-order concern. The paper explores the question of how important democracy is to cooperatives, identifying warning signs and encouraging cooperatives to take a more active approach to promote participation. Democracy cannot be taken for granted, or it may fade away entirely.

Community wealth-building strategies have been seen by some as a form of development that promotes local ownership and retains wealth in the community. In particular, cooperatives have been promoted as a way to not only build local wealth but also build empowerment due to their inherently democratic nature. This paper explores this idea from the perspective of democratic theory, using a theoretical framework developed by the 19th century political economist William Thompson, who laid out the principles on which the cooperative movement is based. The paper finds that the democratic nature of cooperatives is challenged by a number of factors. These include internal dynamics, such as managerialism and size, and external dynamics such as the tensions that may arise between workers and consumers, or between members’ interests and those of the broader community. The existence of these tensions and dynamics means that an effective community wealth-building strategy needs to incorporate mechanisms for the harmonization of interests and the integration of different perspectives in a network model that promotes internal exchange and integration.

SOMMARIO: Il caso: Cass., sez. un., 20.11.2017, n. 27436. – 2. Il rapporto fra socio lavoratore e cooperativa: la tesi ‘‘monista’’ della dottrina e l’opzione ‘‘dualista’’ del legislatore. – 3. Il collegamento negoziale unidirezionale fra rapporto di lavoro e rapporto mutualistico. L’esclusione del rimedio restitutorio. – 4. L’interesse ad accertare l’illegittimità del licenziamento per ottenere la tutela risarcitoria.

Absztrakt: A foglalkoztatási és jövedelemszerzési lehetőségek javítása napjaink egyik legnagyobb kihívása a vidéki térségekben. Ennek orvoslásában fontos szerepet tölthetnek be a szociális szövetkezetek, amelyek képesek integrálni a gazdasági, társadalmi és szociokulturális célokat. Működésükkel jelentős mértékben hozzájárulhatnak a foglalkoztatási és szociális problémák enyhítéséhez, a vidéki térségek gazdaságának stabilizálásához, valamint a társadalmi kohézió és társadalmi integráció előmozdításához. Tanulmányunkban a Bergendóc Szociális Szövetkezet működését és eredményeit vizsgáljuk. Esettanulmányunk rámutat arra, hogy a szövetkezet többféle, főként szociális, kulturális, valamint közösségszervező tevékenységet végzett 2013-as megalakulását követően, miközben nem volt képes kialakítani fenntartható működésének gazdasági bázisát. Az üzleti tevékenységből származó eredmények elmaradása, más anyagi források híján, finanszírozhatatlanná tette a működést, aminek következményeként a ...

*** EN
In this article I examine the use of the SWOT analysis for a small to medium business. In the specific case, a small Italian social cooperative was taken as an example (80 employees, <2 Euros million in turnover, working environment: assistance to the elderly). SWOT Analysis is a tool that has been used internationally since many years preparatory for further business analysis such as strategic planning or as a pre-analysis on specific projects. In Italy, although at the academic level it is well known and is actively proposed as consultancy instrument, at the level of small or micro businesses or is not used or misused.
The main issues are:
• SWOT is perceived as a complex activity that takes time and needs an external consultant, so it is not used;
• SWOT is "compiled" by a single person (the CEO, the president, the quality manager, ...), so it is likely to be subjective.
To overcome these issues, I propose a synthetic methodology and a series of simple tools that allow to start a SWOT analysis in a short time, at reduced costs and involving various subjects in the organization, in order to obtain contributions as wide as possible. The proposal is based on three instruments:
• methodological notes;
• customizable analysis form;
• customizable pre-formatted form for collecting and discussing data.
All tools can be requested.

Recalling Gibson-Graham’s notion of rereading as a technique for uncovering possibilities that are currently obscured from view, This paper moves beyond thinking about solutions to Detroit’s plight based on market-driven forms of investment to fully imagine how a city organized around new forms of economic democracy and cooperative enterprises might blunt, if not reverse, the industrial decline that has characterized Detroit’s recent history. In a provocative thought experiment, the article imagines a non-market solidarity economy for Detroit, in which at a critical historical juncture, public funds could have been used to finance a worker-owned and -controlled automobile factory (rather than the massive subsidies to General Motors to build a capitalist factory in the city’s Poletown area, that has long since closed). In the paper I argue that such a move would have generated more stable living-wage jobs and helped to bolster a co-operative urban and regional milieu of mutually reinforcing worker, consumer, producer, and community service co-operatives. This would have reduced the future vulnerability of the community to market forces.

Sommario: 1. Il caso del lavoratore che impugni solo il licenziamento. – 2. Il
rapporto fra socio lavoratore e cooperativa: la tesi “monista” della dottrina e la scelta “dualista” del legislatore. – 3. Il collegamento negoziale unidirezionale fra rapporto di lavoro e rapporto mutualistico. L’esclusione del rimedio restitutorio. – 4. L’interesse ad accertare l’illegittimità del licenziamento per ottenere la tutela risarcitoria: i problemi della prospettiva “rimediale” accolta dalle sezioni unite. – 5. La giurisprudenza successiva.

During times of crisis, economic practices organized on principles of reciprocity often arise. Greece, with the vibrant sociality pertaining to its ‘solidarity economy’, is a case in point. This article is premised on the idea that crises make contradictions in societies more visible. I suggest that a central contradiction is at play in Greece between informal and formalized economic activity, as demonstrated in the tension between the fluid features of ‘solidarity’ networks and the formalization proposed or imposed on them by state institutions. In Thessaloniki, the informal solidarity economy proves to be more efficient than the work of NGOs. Arguing that such economic activities are built around the rise of new forms of sociality rather than a tendency toward bureaucratization, the article contributes to anthropological understandings of solidarity and welfare, as well as their relation.

In recent decades, an ethical and responsible tourism has become increasingly important in the context of a general orientation to promote sustainable development models in the world. The recognition of the negative impacts of mass tourism has led to a profound reflection on tourism and its contribution to the development of a territory. The debate has highlighted the importance of promoting a sustainable and responsible tourism development that brings economic, social and environmental benefits to the local community and its members. The importance of promoting an ethic of tourism for the progress of society has been equally emphasized. Values must not be forgotten in leisure time as they contribute to the civil growth of territories and people. Today, even the tourists are more informed and aware, often interested in traveling responsibly and having significant experiences that satisfy social needs. Studies have also highlighted a widespread need for authenticity and a greater sensitivity of consumers to the ethical aspects of a travel. Organizing ethical and responsible tourism activities means to embrace these principles and to consider these tourists' expectations. This paper emphasizes and explores the role of tourism in promoting values that favor the development of territories and visitors (such as those of legality, justice and honesty), as well as its aptitude to foster an economic and social redemption of the local community. To this end, we present two case studies concerning innovative forms of ethical and responsible tourism recently established in Southern Italy in a more favorable institutional and cultural context. These are initiatives characterized by a strong ethical profile, being related to the fight against organized crime in Sicily. The analysis shows how the emergence of ethical tourist practices that exploit opportunities and the potential of a disadvantaged area generate various positive effects (economic, social, cultural and symbolic) on the territory, on the local community and tourists, also thanks to a full enhancement of the educational function of the travelling. The cases highlight that: i) human values have a central role both in the development of the entrepreneurial idea and in the contribution to the personal growth of visitors; ii) tourism can be a tool for promoting social and economic justice in a local community with specific problems.

Against the widespread assumption that data are the oil of the 21st century, this article offers an alternative conceptual framework, interpretation, and pathway around data and smart city nex-us to subvert surveillance capitalism in light of emerging and further promising practical cases. This article illustrates an open debate in data governance and the data justice field related to cur-rent trends and challenges in smart cities, resulting in a new approach advocated for and recently coined by the UN-Habitat programme ‘People-Centred Smart Cities’. Particularly, this feature article sheds light on two intertwined notions that articulate the technopolitical dimension of the ‘People-Centred Smart Cities’ approach: data co-operatives and data sovereignty. Data co-operatives are emerging as a way to share and own data through peer-to-peer (p2p) reposito-ries and data sovereignty is being claimed as a digital right for communities/citizens. Conse-quently, this feature article aims to open up new research avenues around ‘People-Centred Smart Cities’ approach: First, it elucidates how data co-operatives through data sovereignty could be articulated as long as co-developed with communities connected to the long history and analysis of the various forms of co-operatives (technopolitical dimension). Second, it prospectively antici-pates the city–regional dimension encompassing data colonialism and data devolution.

En  España  la  crisis  económica  ha  tenido  un  correlato  directo  en  el  sector  periodísticoy conducidoal cierre de medios de referencia y al aumento de los despidos y la precarización del sector. En  este  contexto  adverso,  las  cooperativas  de  medios  se  han  convertido  en  una  vía  de  salida  para muchos  profesionales  por  cuanto  ofrecen  la  posibilidad  de construir un  periodismo  autónomo  e identificado  con  el  interés  de  los  propios  trabajadores  y  de  la  ciudadanía.  Este  artículo  esboza  una cartografía  de  las  cooperativas  periodísticas  en  España  durante  el  período  de  crisis  económica  que arranca en 2008. Se intenta caracterizar cuál es el origen e ideario de estos proyectos, y cuáles son sus principales  modelos  de  organización  y  sostenibilidad  a  fin  de  garantizar  una  agenda  informativa alternativa e independiente.
Abstract:  The Spanish economic crisis had a direct correlate in the journalistic sector leading to the closure of reference media and the consequent increase in layoffs and precariousness. Within this adverse context, media cooperatives have become a way out for many professionals since they offer the possibility of developing an autonomous journalism identified with the interest of workers themselves and citizens. This article draws up a cartography of Spanish journalistic coops along the
period of the economic crisis that started in 2008. It attempts to characterize the origin and ideology of these projects, as well as their organization and sustainability models aiming at guaranteeing an alternative and independent information agenda

En España la crisis económica ha tenido un correlato directo en el sector periodístico y conducido al cierre de medios de referencia y al aumento de los despidos y la precarización del sector. En este contexto adverso, las cooperativas de medios se han convertido en una vía de salida para muchos profesionales por cuanto ofrecen la posibilidad de construir un periodismo autónomo e identificado con el interés de los propios trabajadores y de la ciudadanía. Este artículo esboza una cartografía de las cooperativas periodísticas en España durante el período de crisis económica que arranca en 2008. Se intenta caracterizar cuál es el origen e ideario de estos proyectos, y cuáles son sus principales modelos de organización y sostenibilidad a fin de garantizar una agenda informativa alternativa e independiente.

The Spanish economic crisis had a direct correlate in the journalistic sector leading to the closure of reference media and the consequent increase in layoffs and precariousness. Within this adverse context, media cooperatives have become a way out for many professionals since they offer the possibility of developing an autonomous journalism identified with the interest of workers themselves and citizens. This article draws up a cartography of Spanish journalistic coops along the
period of the economic crisis that started in 2008. It attempts to characterize the origin and ideology of these projects, as well as their organization and sustainability models aiming at guaranteeing an alternative and independent information agenda

El capítulo ofrece elementos para el posconflicto colombiano, a través del análi- sis de las organizaciones de la Economía Solidaria como agentes socioeconómicos del territorio útiles para superar situaciones de conflicto entre actores, aportando creatividad e innovación social desde el enfoque de capital social y acción colectiva. Asimismo, el capítulo examina y presenta las relaciones entre la ilegalidad y criminalidad organizada y cómo son necesarias instituciones que generen confianza y credibilidad en torno a proyecto productivos basados en bienes decomisados a la criminalidad organizada. Se analizan los casos de tres territorios italianos y se compara en el sistema de de restitución de bienes decomisada entre Colombia e Italia.

While developing the operations manual of three eco-laundry shops established by a Smokey Mountain cooperative, I discovered an alarming disparity in salary schemes among the social enterprises. Cooperatives in the Philippines embody the values of stakeholdership in that they balance the needs of all stakeholders to increase social performance. But in this case, principal-agent compensation practices were implemented towards increasing profitability. A discussion on compensation and organizational rewards allows for further understanding of the process in which these compensation packages were developed by the decision-makers. After using the survey method, measurable business indicators were evaluated to distinguish the effects of profitability, productivity, customer loyalty, and service quality on compensation. This study will show that leaders in this case did not uphold stakeholder values congruent with cooperatives, but instead implemented performance controls at the expense of more hardworking employees. A proposed compensation scheme which could be seen as more equitable by all employees is then discussed. JEL Classification: J33

This paper examines how the Argan Oil Cooperatives in Morocco positively altered the social, economic, and political status of women. It undertakes a historical investigation of the circumstances that the women lived in, specifically in underdeveloped areas of rural Morocco. The investigation deals with the relationship between the Argan Oil Cooperatives and the members (women) working for the cooperative to examine the question: To what extent did the birth of the Argan Oil Sector in Morocco affect the role of women in Moroccan society?
To answer this question, the traditional role of Moroccan women, initiatives of Argan Oil Cooperatives, and the structure of these cooperatives will be examined. The Argan Oil Cooperatives empowered women with their ability to conduct business by employing traditional methods of processing Argan Oil made by Berber women. The significance of the cooperative becomes even more evident when men are found bringing their wives to cooperative, asking if their wives can be part of this culture. In addition to employment, Argan Oil Cooperatives gave board positions to these women, a responsibility that rural Moroccan women previously were not allowed to hold. An interview of a President of the cooperative and specific economic data will be used to show the culture shifts that the cooperatives created within a rural society. 
The conclusion reached is that the high esteem held by women in rural Morocco can be attributed to the success of the 150 cooperatives that span Southeast Morocco. These cooperatives have changed the private and public image of women while at the same time sustaining and improving the Moroccan economy. Women have seen internal improvements, encouraging children to attend school and learn languages such as Arabic and French. Overall, the cooperative movement simultaneously revamped a polarized society while bettering Moroccan women.

PL
Kategoria retradycjonalizacji stanowi przyczynek do dyskusji o kondycji rodzimej ekonomii społecznej (ES) – o tym, jak inspiracje historyczne, obok wymogów instytucjonalnych, budują jej nowoczesną formułę. Celem artykułu jest analiza ES przez pryzmat zjawiska zwrotu w stronę tradycyjnych form kooperacji i współpracy gospodarczej, a oparta została ona na przykładzie tradycji i funkcjonowania spółdzielni uczniowskich. Empiryczna baza tekstu to analiza treści (dane ilościowe i jakościowe), badanie sondażowe skierowane do szkół podstawowych, gimnazjalnych i ponadgimnazjalnych z terenu miasta Poznania oraz pogłębione wywiady swobodne (zrealizowane w latach 2015–2017). Główną tezą artykułu jest natomiast zwrócenie uwagi na przydatność retradycjonalizacji jako ważnej kategorii poznawczej i analitycznej w ES oraz fenomenu ukazującego jej podstawowy sens.
ENG
The retraditionalisation is a useful tool to Polish social economy (SE) analysis. The aim of this paper is emphasizing the “traditional turn” in nowadays ES. To achieve this goal an example of the tradition and functioning of student cooperatives is used. Content analysis (quantitative and qualitative data), a survey with primary, secondary and post-gymnasium schools from the area of Poznan and individual in-depth interviews was conducted in the years 2015-2017. The most important finding of this text is pointing at the retraditionalisation as the key and important analytical phenomenon at the area of social economy.

En España la crisis económica ha tenido un correlato directo en el sector periodístico y conducido al cierre de medios de referencia y al aumento de los despidos y la precarización del sector. En este contexto adverso, las cooperativas de medios se han convertido en una vía de salida para muchos profesionales por cuanto ofrecen la posibilidad de construir un periodismo autónomo e identificado con el interés de los propios trabajadores y de la ciudadanía. Este artículo esboza una cartografía de las cooperativas periodísticas en España durante el período de crisis económica que arranca en 2008. Se intenta caracterizar cuál es el origen e ideario de estos proyectos, y cuáles son sus principales modelos de organización y sostenibilidad a fin de garantizar una agenda informativa alternativa e independiente.

This is the revised edition of a history of the community clinics in Saskatchewan written by Stan Rands, a noted social activist, public servant and community clinic administrator who died in 1985. This edition includes a new introductory chapter by Gregory P. Marchildon on primary health community clinics and Stan Rands&#39; struggle for the transformation of health care in Saskatchewan and in Canada. This books also includes an examination of co-operatives and consumer control of health care services 50 years after the tumultuous doctors&#39; strike of 1962 in Saskatchewan that marked the birth of universal medical care insurance in Canada.

To avoid ‘co-op whitewashing,’ experiments with data co-ops should be co-developed with communities connected to the long history and analysis of the various forms of cooperatives.

To cite this article: Scholz, T. & Calzada, I. (2021), Data Cooperatives for Pandemic Times. Public Seminar journal. Retrieved from: https://publicseminar.org/essays/data-cooperatives-for-pandemic-times/ DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.12320.51200/1.

The study examined the contributions of microfinance programs channelled through cooperatives for the government’s poverty alleviation thrust particularly among microcredit beneficiaries. We implemented the study through personal interviews with management representatives from sample cooperatives and randomly selected cooperative members who were microfinance program beneficiaries. The study used qualitative-quantitative descriptive survey design utilizing primary and secondary data from sample cooperatives and their members. Majority of the interviewed respondents were women. Government microfinance program have led to improved assets, capital build-ups and profits of cooperatives. As noted, income levels increased among microfinance program beneficiaries. Augmentation of family and household incomes subsequently improved the living standards of member recipients. There was expanded access to microcredit and education by children of program beneficiaries. Women empowerment was evident with strong participation of wives in leading micro-entrepreneurial activities. However, with relatively large household size, exits from the poverty threshold among member households were not substantial. The study also found that many member beneficiaries keep renewing their loans becoming habitual/perennial borrowers from micro-credit lending with availed loans not used anymore for microenterprise activities. We recommend that access to microfinance program should be strengthened and sustained especially for cooperative members in the low income groups. Keywords - Economics poverty alleviation, microfinance program, cooperatives, credit assistance, cooperative member-borrower, women’s participation, descriptive design, Cebu, Philippines.

This article problematises sexual inclusion in the workplace by theorising the social and historical processes that underpin heteronormativity in organisations. Drawing on a genealogical analysis of sexuality and inclusion in four Italian social firms that support the work and social integration of disadvantaged individuals, the article provides an in-depth analysis of the historical conditions affecting the management of sexualities in organisations. The analysis exposes the fragility and contradictory character of the notion of inclusion by illustrating how efforts to ‘include’ are often grounded on normative principles. It also shows how heteronormativity works, in practice, to moderate different modalities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer inclusion, recreating hierarchies and binaries within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. The article discusses how the power of heteronormativity produces specific meanings of inclusion within which some ...

The present paper concentrates on the issue of work in the context of operation of social cooperatives,defined by the law as social enterprises (Act of 27 April 2006). In order to illustrate the character of operation of this new form of economic life organisation / form of entrepreneurship, which, apart from purely market-oriented purposes (generating profits), also has social objectives (social and professional re-integration of persons excluded or threatened with exclusion), I will use the data collected in the course of the project called “Social Exclusion: Diagnosis and Mechanisms of Counteraction in Greater Poland Region”. Keywords: social cooperative; social economy; social enterprise; social exclusion; labour force.