Society for Co-operative Studies Bulletin 12

Society for Co-operative Studies

Bulletin 12 March 1971
 

Contents
 
Reports from the Regions, pp. 4-5                                                                                  

Provides a round-up of the meetings and activities of the Society in partnership with regional co-operative societies and universities.

Current Co-operative Studies and Research, pp. 6-7                                                

Information of the conribution of universities and colleges to co-operative studies and research.
 
AGM and Conference 1971. p. 8                                                                          
Announcement and agenda of the Society's annual general meeting and conference April 1971

Annual Report 1970/71, pp/ 9-14                                                                                   
Annual report providing information on regional memberships of the Society, local and national activities, developments and research, the Bulletin, and financial report.

Co-operative Capital Problems: Their Magnitude and some New Approaches
K. A. Noble, pp. 15-18   

The shortage, both current and prospective, of capital for co-operative trade development by investment in fixed assets, mainly shops, is justifiably viewed as a major problem. The co-operative movement, despite the closing of many unsuitable, mainly small, shops in recent years, still operates with about 13,000 shops. number of large (some very large) modern stores, almost all selling both food and non-food in varying proportions according to type, size and location. The questions: (a) What capital shall we have available for the next 5 years? (b) What are our needs? and (c) What policies do we need to close the gap? are very pertinent and this conference paper provides an overview of the challenges for co-operative societies in the UK                                              

Aspects of Co-operative Industrial Relations 
L. A. Harrison, pp. 19-23

Two developments in the Co-operative Movement combine to highlight the importance to retail societies of paying careful attention to industrial relations and of carrying out an appraisal of personnel policies. They are, firstly, the sudden and quite dramatic reduction in the number of independent Societies with consequential effects on staff morale; and secondly, the loss of confidence by Societies in the ability of our National wages machinery to negotiate realistic wage settlements.The author offers little argument against the principle of a substantial improvement in the level of earnings of co-operative employees, but cannot see any long-term benefits either to the co-operatives or to employees if enormous "across the board" increases are negotiated which pay scant regard to productivity and efficiency, ignore the relative ability of Societies to pay, and hand cost advantages on a platter to  competitors. 

International Notes
W P Watkins, pp. 24-25

This overview provides information on a new German training cente, and co-operation studies and education.