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A new look at co-operatives and their role in developing countries
01.03.1992
Co-operatives have been adopted in many situations: in communist countries, as a stepping stone to less centralized economies, and in the USA as a counterbalance in the strongly capitalist market-based system. They have their convinced advocates as well as their detractors and there are plenty of examples of both successes and failures to support either camp. This article suggests that co-operatives, as 'people-centred' enterprises, provide an alternative to businesses that have the prime objective of delivering returns based on capital ownership. It outlines what a co-operative is and what it is not, and points out some pitfalls that should be avoided if a co-operative is to stand a reasonable chance of success.