- Title
- The co-operative model as an instrument in the community economic development process
- Title
- Development Studies Working Paper, no. 41
- Creator
- Barratt, Neal
- Subject
- Fraternal organizations -- South Africa Producer cooperatives Wages -- South Africa Working class -- South Africa Cape Town (South Africa) -- Economic conditions
- Date Issued
- 1989
- Date
- 1989
- Type
- Book
- Type
- Text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2046
- Identifier
- vital:20250
- Identifier
- ISBN 0868101796
- Description
- There has recently been considerable interest in the viability of co-operative enterprise as a means to both social and economic empowerment. The objectives of this broadly-based research have been to address a number of basic aspects of co-operative endeavour. The first of these concerns the realisation that 'cooperative' has become something of a generic term, often incorrectly applied, for any venture which involves a group of persons working towards a common goal, and which has consequently achieved a certain popularity as a political catchword in some circles. The purpose here has been to outline the social, economic and basic legal conditions circumscribed by an accurate definition of this term. The second objective has been to state clearly the different types of co-operative which exist. All subscribe to a similar set of philosophical principles, yet have different purposes. The major categories of co-operative enterprise are called Producer Co-operatives, Service Co-operatives, Worker Cooperatives, Housing Co-operatives, Benefit Societies and Consumer Co-operatives. This list is not exhaustive, and the various other sub-divisions of co-operative endeavour fall under the aegis of one or other of these categories. The third objective has been to acknowledge the different emphases which can be exploited by co-operative projects. These fall into two broad categories; namely, as instruments of economic or of social change. Having investigated the nature of co-operative endeavour, it has been important to accept the fact that despite much well- meaning activity in a sphere which has been lauded by some as a universal panacea to the social and economic ills which beset South Africa in these present times, the success rate of co-operatives has been far less than perfect. The reasons for this situation rest on a number of factors; the most important of which have to do with the degree of cooperative community ethos, access to capital for startup costs, the degree and nature of skills available, and the degree of training and experience in marketing and market analysis, costing, bookkeeping, general literacy and management skills. The research which has been conducted in this field has resulted in the production of a companion instruction manual, in workshop format, which will permit training and exercises in the above areas, and which is available from the Development Studies Unit.
- Description
- Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
- Format
- 76 pages
- Format
- Publisher
- Rhodes University, Institute of Social and Economic Research
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Development Studies Working Paper, no. 41
- Rights
- Rhodes University
- Rights
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
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