LIVING THE PRINCIPLES: PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE CO-OPERATIVE DIFFERENCE
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Date
2012-11
Authors
Bettin, Caterina
Rixon, Daphne
Cormier, Roméo
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nova Scotia Co-operative Council, Measuring the Co-operative Difference Research Network, Conseil Coopératif Acadien Nouvelle Écosse, Nova Scotia Government & others
Abstract
Description
This panel session at the 2012 Co-operating to Build a Better Nova Scotia Conference in Halifax explored living co-operative principles. Co-operatives, guided by their co-operative principles, are different from
investor-owned businesses. However co-operatives often struggle to live
these principles and therefore preserve and enhance the co-operative
difference. This session presents strategies to grow a co-operative
business without compromising the “co-op difference”; how the cooperative
principles have influenced the choice of key performance
indicators (KPIs) reported by credit unions; and how a particular
scorecard may help co-operatives to live the principles.
Caterina Bettin, Growing without losing identity: lessons from the
practice, discusses examples of how co-operatives can balance growth
with their identity by following the “strawberry patch strategy” and how
Just Us! Coffee Roaster has tailored this strategy to its own mission and
needs.
Daphne Rixon, An examination of key performance indicators reported
by credit unions in North America, identifies the KPIs reported by credit
unions and the various influences on selection of KPIs including the
seven principles of cooperatives, strategic planning, industry benchmarks,
regulations and users.
Roméo Cormier, Practices for living the co-operative principles –
Consumer Co-operative Planning and Sustainability Scorecard, discusses
how a co-operative can live the co-operative principles by adopting
practices identified in the Scorecard and using the Scorecard’s indicators
to assess its performance in this regard.