Open access | Editorial reviewed article | Published online: January 2025 |
Co-operative governance
Vol 57 No 3, pp. 27-39
https://doi.org/10.61869/IJOP5813
How to cite this article: Adderley, I. (2024). Co-operative governance. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 57(3),17-26. https://doi.org/10.61869/IJOP5813
Abstract
The material in this extract is drawn from Co-operatives: Linking practice and theory (Adderley, in press). This extract provides an overview of the classifications of different types of co-operatives, and then contextualises co-operatives from a governance perspective more broadly. The key to understanding of any type of co-operative governance arrangement is to recognise the nature of the relationship between the member and the business of the co-operative.
References
Adderley, I. (in press). Co-operatives: Linking practice and theory. Co-operative Press Limited/UK Society for Co-operative Studies.
Ammirato, P. (2024). Cooperative enterprises. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003269533
Association of Financial Mutuals. (2019, January). AFM corporate governance code. Association of Financial Mutuals. https://financialmutuals.org/governance/our-governance-code/
Atherton, J., Birchall, B., Mayo, E., & Simon, G. (2012). Practical tools for defining co-operative and mutual enterprises. Co-operatives UK.
Bager, T. (1994). Isomorphic processes and the transformation of cooperatives. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics 65 (1), 33-59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.1994.tb01505.x
Billiet, A., Bruneel, J. & Dufays, F. (2023). Exit, voice, or both: Why organizations engage with stakeholders. Business & Society, 1-36. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00076503231182612
Birchall, J. (2011). People-centred businesses: Co-operatives, mutuals and the idea of membership. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230295292
Birchall, J. (2016). C: Control and governance. In A. Bernardi & S. Monni (Eds.), The Co-operative Firm Keywords (pp. 29-32). Roma TrE-Press.
Birchall, J. (2017). The governance of large co-operative businesses (2nd ed.). Co-operatives UK. https://www.uk.coop/resources/governance-large-co-operative-businesses
Bliss, N., & Lambert, B. (2021). Code of governance for community led housing organisations 2021. Confederation of Co-operative Housing. https://www.cch.coop/our-resources/
Bouchard, M. J., Carini, C., Eum, H., Le Guernic, M. & Rousselière, D. (2020). Statistics on cooperatives: Concepts, classification, work, and economic contribution measurements. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/publications/statistics-cooperatives-concepts-classification-work-andeconomic
Bretos, I., Errasti, A. & Marcuello, C. (2020). Is there life after degeneration? The organizational life cycle of co-operatives under a ‘grow-or-die’ dichotomy. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics 91 (3), 435-458. https://doi.org/10.1111/apce.12258
Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals. (2020). Co-operative and mutual enterprise (CME) governance principles (1.2 ed.). Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals. https://bccm.coop/about/what-we-do/governance/governance-principles/
Byrne, N. (2022). Understanding co-operative identity through relationality. Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, 10 (1), Article 100169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2022.100169
Byrne, N. (2023). Cooperative lifecycle framing — Reinvention or regeneration and does it matter? Sustainability, 15(7), Article 6181. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076181
Canham, C. (2008). Governing for success — a code of governance for credit unions. Journal of Co‑operative Studies, 41(2), 45-47.
Cannell, B. (2008). The worker co-operative code of governance. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 41(2), 42-44.
Charity Governance Code. (2020). Good governance. https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en
Cook, M. L. (2018). A life cycle explanation of cooperative longevity. Sustainability, 10(5), Article 1586. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051586
Co-operatives UK. (2019, November 3). Co-operative corporate governance code. https://www.uk.coop/resources/co-operative-corporate-governance-code
Cornforth, C. (1995). Patterns of cooperative management: Beyond the degeneration thesis. Economic and Industrial Democracy 16(4), 487-523. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831X95164002
Cornforth, C. (2004). The governance of co-operatives and mutual associations: A paradox perspective. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 75(1), 11-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2004.00241.x
Cornforth, C. (2020). The governance of hybrid organisations. In D. Billis & C. Rochester (Eds.), Handbook of Hybrid Organisations (pp. 220-236). Edward Elgar. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781785366116.00022
Cossey, J., Billiet, A., Dufays, F. & Bruneel, J. (2023). How do institutional prescriptions (fail to) address governance challenges under institutional hybridity? The case of governance code creation for cooperative enterprises. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-20. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05581-z
Davis, P. (2001). The governance of co-operatives under competitive conditions: Issues, processes and culture. Corporate Governance, 1 (4), 28-39. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000005975
Davis, P. (2016). Retrieving the co-operative value-based leadership model of Terry Thomas. Journal of Business Ethics, 135(3), 557-568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2489-9
Dillon Kibirige, A. (2021). Corporate governance. CGI Publishing Limited.
Eckart, M. (2009). Cooperative governance: A third way towards competitive advantage. Südwestdeutscher Verlag für Hochschulschriften.
Financial Conduct Authority. (2024). Mutuals public register. Financial Conduct Authority. https://mutuals.fca.org.uk
Financial Reporting Council. (2023, October 4). The Wates corporate governance principles for large private companies. https://www.frc.org.uk/library/standards-codes-policy/corporate-governance/the-wates-corporate-governance-principles-for-large-private-companies/
Financial Reporting Council. (2024, January 22). UK corporate governance code. https://www.frc.org.uk/library/standards-codes-policy/corporate-governance/uk-corporate-governance-code/
Groeneveld, J. M., & Llewellyn, D. T. (2012). Corporate governance in cooperative banks. In J. Mooij & W. W. Boonstra (Eds.), Raiffeisen’s footprint: The cooperative way of banking (pp. 19-35). VU University Press.
International Co-operative Alliance. (2015). Guidance notes to the co-operative principles. https://ica.coop/en/media/library/the-guidance-notes-on-the-co-operative-principles
Jamaluddin, F., Saleh, N. M., Abdullah, A., Hassan, M. S., Hamzah, N., Jaffar, R., Abdul Ghani Aziz, S. A., & Embong, Z. (2023). Cooperative governance and cooperative performance: A systematic literature review. SAGE Open, 13(3), 1-21. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231192944
Jones, P. A., Money, N., & Swoboda, R. (2017). Credit union strategic governance. Research Unit for Financial Inclusion, Liverpool John Moores University.
King Committee. (2009). King report on governance for South Africa 2009. Institute of Directors in Southern Africa.
King Committee. (2016). King IV: Report on corporate governance for South Africa 2016. Institute of Directors in Southern Africa.
Louis, R. (1983). Labour co-operatives: Retrospects and prospects. International Labour Office.
MacPherson, I. (2014). Mainstreaming some lacunae: Developing co-operative studies as an interdisciplinary, international field of enquiry. In T. Woodin (Ed.), Co-operation, learning and co‑operative values (pp. 177-194). Routledge.
Mazzarol, T., Simmons, R., & Mamouni Limnios, E. (2014). A conceptual framework for research into co-operative enterprise. In T. Mazzarol, S. Reboud, E. Mamouni Limnios & D. Clark (Eds.), Research Handbook on Sustainable Co-operative Enterprise (pp. 22-50). Edward Elgar. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781783472024.00007
Michaud, M., & Audebrand, L. K. (2022). One governance theory to rule them all? The case for a paradoxical approach to co-operative governance. Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, 10(1), Article 100151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2021.100151
Miner, K. & Novkovic, S. (2020, Fall). Diversity in governance: A cooperative model for deeper, more meaningful impact. The Cooperative Business Journal, 4-15.
Mooney, P., & Gray, T. W. (2002). Cooperative conversion and restructuring: In theory and practice. (RBS Research Report 185). United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.rd.usda.gov/publicationforcooperatives/rr-185-cooperative-conversion-and-restructuring-theory-and-practice
Myners, P. (2014, May 7). The Co-operative Group: Report of the independent governance review. The Co-operative Group. https://www.co-operative.coop/investors/myners-report
NCR. (2019). Governance code for co-operatives 2019: Principles and rules. NCR. https://www.cooperatie.nl/english-summary/
Novkovic, S., & Miner, K. (2015). Introduction: Co-operative governance fit to build resilience in the face of complexity. In International Co-operative Alliance (Ed.), Co-operative governance fit to build resilience in the face of complexity (pp. 10-21). International Co-operative Alliance.
Novkovic, S., Miner, K., & McMahon, C. (2023). Humanistic governance in democratic organizations. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17403-2
Novkovic, S., Puusa, A., & Miner, K. (2022). Co-operative identity and the dual nature: From paradox to complementarities. Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, 10 (1), 100162. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2021.100162
Rees, C., & Briône, P. (2021). Workforce engagement and the UK corporate governance code: A review of company reporting and practice. Financial Reporting Council.
Sacchetti, S., & Birchall, J. (2018). The comparative advantages of single and multi-stakeholder cooperatives. Journal of Entrepreneurial and Organizational Diversity 7 (2), 87-100. http://doi.org/10.5947/jeod.2018.011
Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, Pub.L. No. 107-204 (2002). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-107publ204
Spear, R. (2004a). From co-operative to social enterprise: Trends in European experience. In C. Borzaga & R. Spear (Eds.), Trends and challenges for co-operatives and social enterprises in developed and transition countries (pp. 99-116). Edizioni31.
Spear, R. (2004b). Governance in democratic member-based organisations. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 75(1), 33-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2004.00242.x
Spear, R. (2021). Co-operative hybrids. Review of International Co-operation, 106, 70-91.
Spear, R., Cornforth, C., & Aiken, M. (2007). For love and money: Governance and social enterprise. National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Svensk Kooperation. (2019). Swedish code for the governance of cooperative and mutual enterprises. Svensk Kooperation. https://svenskkooperation.se/code-cooperatives-mutuals/
Tchami, G. (2007). Handbook on cooperatives for use by workers’ organizations (J. S. Macdonald, Trans.). International Labour Office. https://www.ilo.org/publications/handbook-cooperatives-use-workers-organizations
Tricker, B. (2015). Corporate governance: Principles, policies, and practices (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Turnbull, S. (2001). The competitive advantage of stakeholder mutuals. In J. Birchall (Ed.), The new mutualism in public policy (pp. 171-201). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203470565
van Dijk, G., Sergaki, P., & Baourakis, G. (2019). The cooperative enterprise: Practical evidence for a theory of cooperative entrepreneurship. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16279-5
Wilson, A. (2021, June 17-19). Challenging governance orthodoxies [Keynote address]. 2nd International Co-operative Governance Symposium, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Wilson, J. F., Webster, A., Ekberg, E. & Skurnik, S. (2023). The consumer co-operative sector: International perspectives on strategic renewal. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003333838
workers.coop. (2023). Worker co-op code (3rd ed.). https://www.workers.coop/resource/workercode/