Purpose – This paper promotes a critical approach to co-operative studies by contributing new theoretical insights. The … aim is to propose a new view on the co-operative firm as a socioeconomic phenomenon embedded into the local contexts in … which it is situated. Sociological and economic analyses have mainly explored the relationship between co-operative members …

"This dissertation explores the cooperative idea as defined by Hermann Schulze-Delitzsch and Friedrich Wilhelm … on benefitting members. In a cooperative, members are not only customers, but also the owners. Building on a basis of … cooperative principles are frequently regarded as a decisive distinguishing feature, it seems that many people consider the …