This work compares cooperatives with other firms along two lines: (1) a description of structural development; and (2) a comparison of the strategies in response to the changes in the competitive environment in the last decade. Between 2001 and 2009, compared with other types of firms, Italian...

Art. 2511 of the Italian Civil Code defines co-operatives as companies “with variable capital and mutual purpose”. Therefore main characteristics of co-operative companies are: capital variability and most of all the pursuit of a mutual purpose. The cooperative company, while pursuing a...

After several years of economic crisis, people are increasingly demanding more socially responsible economic activities rather than speculation, and better distribution of social wealth. This structural crisis is encouraging some groups to use their common resources to self-organise local...

Since the 19th century co-operatives have operated for their members' prosperity by promoting economic activities in different fields. This paper seeks to analyse how community co-ops are modifying the traditional co-op structure in order to address new social issues. why do these co-ops also...

A study of a cooperative as an isolated economic unit, with no relations with other cooperatives, would provide only an incomplete and inaccurate picture of its full scope. In fact, from their emergence, cooperatives have developed economic and socio-political forms of inter-cooperative...

This paper highlights the first phase of a research program, completed in late 2014 and early 2015 that homes in on worker-recuperated enterprises (imprese recuperate dai lavoratori) in Italy. The paper specifically focuses on Italy's worker buyouts (WBOs) facilitated by its Legge Marcora...