Exploring the role of cooperatives in contemporary economies

13 February 2012

PRESS RELEASE

Trento, February 13th 2012

A scientific and topical round-table discussion on their contribution to reforming the dominant economic model will be held in Venice, 15-16 March

2012 is officially the International Year of Cooperatives, and Italy is ready to host one of the year’s most important meetings at a global level, a scientifically oriented and highly topical discussion of the role of cooperatives in contemporary economies. The conference, entitled “Promoting the understanding of co-operatives for a better world”, will bring a number of world-famous experts and economists to Venice on 15-16 March, and has been organized by Euricse, the European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises; ICA, the International Co-operative Alliance; and the Alliance of Italian Cooperatives.

To capture the spirit of the conference, Professor Carlo Borzaga, the president of Euricse, explains the reasons behind its organization and its scientific importance:

When we deal with cooperative enterprises, it’s clear there is a contradiction between their relevance to society and the low attention traditionally paid to them by the social sciences. This contradiction has become even more evident with the economic and financial crisis. Despite the key role these enterprises play in improving well-being, supporting economic development and maintaining jobs, these institutions continue to not attract the scientific interest they deserve.

The conference “Promoting the understanding of co-operatives for a better world” wants to contribute to overcoming this contradiction. The analyses presented by the speakers will pave the way for both the development of a more comprehensive interpretative framework and the introduction of regulations and policies better suited to both cooperatives and the markets in which they operate (or could potentially operate).

What distinguishes the Euricse conference from the many others being held around the world during the UN’s Year of Cooperatives is that it will be organized around presentations and commentary that the experts have prepared specially and delivered in advance. This means they will be made immediately available to participants and also means that Euricse’s researchers can prepare innovative materials aimed at encouraging a better understanding of this type of enterprise. These materials will be presented and distributed during the course of 2012 at events organized around the world.

The scientific importance of the meeting is clear from the internationally renowned figures who will be taking part. Researchers and economists from all over the world will be spending two days debating the key issues and helping to plot the course for future developments in the field.

What problems have emerged so far from this lack of scientific attention to cooperatives?

The lack of a solid scientific understanding of cooperatives has a series of negatives consequences, which influence the performance and success of the cooperatives themselves. As a result, growth opportunities fail to be seized, cooperatives tend to make the wrong investments in inappropriate sectors and in many cases inadequate legislation regarding cooperative and social enterprises hinders their expansion rather than supporting it.

Guidelines for new regulations will be presented at the end of the conference. They will have the aim of supporting cooperative expansion and the adoption of management forms more in line with the unique nature of cooperatives.

A specific goal of the conference is also to understand how and to what extent cooperatives can contribute to overcoming the current crisis and reforming the dominant economic model, based on market fundamentalism.

What issues will be explored during the conference?

The conference will be divided into four sessions, each introduced by important speakers, including Romano Prodi, who will talk about changes in global scenarios, and Sir Partha Dasgupta, who will explore the new frontiers of cooperation in the economy.

– The FIRST SESSION will discuss the contributions made by institutional and behavioural economics to the understanding of cooperatives, with the aim of better understanding their role in contemporary economies. For example, it will look at how cooperatives are expanding in those economic sectors recently hit by the contractual failures of the State and the market, like the fields of social and general-interest services. Recent research corroborates the hypothesis that the non-selfish motivations that push the members of a cooperative play a key role in the sector’s success.

These issues will be discussed with contributions from Henry Hansmann (Yale Law School, USA), Avner Ben-Ner (University of Minnesota, USA), Mattew Ellman (Institute for Economic Analysis, Spain) and Vera Zamagni (University of Bologna, Italy).

– The SECOND SESSION of the conference will focus on the contribution of cooperatives to human and social development, especially in relation to the well-being of local communities, the enhancement of social capital and social cohesion and the consolidation of collaborative behaviours.

We’ll be hearing from Ian MacPherson, (Social Economy Hub, Canada), Johnston Birchall (University of Stirling, UK) and Stefano Zamagni (University of Bologna, Italy).

– The THIRD SESSION will explore cooperatives from the perspective of regulation and management, looking in particular at three points that in recent years have gained a certain significance: the often insufficient legislation relating to cooperatives; the regulation of markets in which cooperatives operate, giving the cooperatives equal opportunities compared to traditional businesses; and the management of size increases in cooperatives, analyzing, in a non-ideological way, how members can continue to be involved in the governance of the enterprise.

Presentations will be given by Hagen Henrÿ (University of Helsinki, Finland), Hans Münkner (Marburg University, Germany), Michele Grillo (Catholic University, Milan, Italy), Derek C. Jones (Hamilton College, USA) and Panu Kalmi (Vaasa University, Finland).

– The FOURTH SESSION will be dedicated to an analysis of the best-known forms of cooperatives, especially in comparison to traditional businesses, looking at the development prospects of each type. Attention will also be paid to the innovative field, currently in expansion, of the management of natural resources (e.g. water) by cooperatives.

Participants will include Giovanni Ferri (University of Bari, Italy), Virginie Pèrotin (Leeds University Business School, UK), Jacques Defourny (University of Liège, Belgium), Vladislav Valentinov (Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe, Germany), Pier Angelo Mori (University of Florence, Italy), Konrad Hagedorn (Humboldt University, Germany).

Find more information on the speakers and the programme here: http://www.conference2012.euricse.d.gummyindustries.com/

For more information

PRESS OFFICE – [email protected]

> Aleksandra Bobic – EURICSE Tel. +39 0461 283782 – Mob. +39 346 8830052

> Erika Gardumi – RIZOMA Tel. +39 051 0563855 – Mob. +39 339 5084596

Special events for journalists will be organized during the conference.

For more information contact [email protected].

SAVE THE DATE

PROMOTING THE UNDERSTANDING OF COOPERATIVES FOR A BETTER WORLD

15-16 MARCH, 2012

San Servolo, Venice