Much of the time, when confronted with a crisis of national dimensions, businesses do exactly what we expect them to do: they look to their own survival. Occasionally, however, firms in some contexts go beyond this. Based on qualitative, country-based fieldwork in Eastern and Southern Africa, Antoinette Handley examines how African businesses can be key responders to wider social and political crises, often responding well in advance of the state. She reveals the surprising ways in which business responses can be focused, not on short-term profits, but instead on ways that assist society in resolving that crisis in the long term. Taking African businesses in Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and South Africa as case studies, this detailed exploration of the private sector response to crises, including HIV/AIDS and political violence crises, introduces the concept of relative business autonomy, exploring the conditions under which it can emerge and develop, when and how it may decline, and how it might contribute to a higher level of overall societal resilience.

Much of the time, when confronted with a crisis of national dimensions, businesses do exactly what we expect them to do: they look to their own survival. Occasionally, however, firms in some contexts go beyond this. Based on qualitative, country-based fieldwork in Eastern and Southern Africa, Antoinette Handley examines how African businesses can be key responders to wider social and political crises, often responding well in advance of the state. She reveals the surprising ways in which business responses can be focused, not on short-term profits, but instead on ways that assist society in resolving that crisis in the long term. Taking African businesses in Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and South Africa as case studies, this detailed exploration of the private sector response to crises, including HIV/AIDS and political violence crises, introduces the concept of relative business autonomy, exploring the conditions under which it can emerge and develop, when and how it may decline, and how it might contribute to a higher level of overall societal resilience.

The current co-op movement in the U.S. seeks to be a structural alternative to capitalism; this book seriously questions whether the current movement can accomplish that task. Carl Ratner offers a rich and unique political analysis and critique that provides helpful insights into the practice and problems of the contemporary cooperative movement. Noting that co-operators tend to view their work as apolitical because the explicit influence of national political parties is absent, the author constructs a compelling argument that co-operators nonetheless operate unwittingly with implicit political conceptions of freedom, opportunity, human rights, social participation, decision-making, power, and governance that are shaped and limited by the capitalist economic system. Ratner demonstrates how a more radical, anti-capitalist, socialist form of cooperation and co-ops are needed to realise the fulfilling potential of cooperation and co-ops. For those wishing to understand and advance the cooperative movement, this book is essential reading.

In a market-oriented economy, the terms of contract are frequently weighted in favour of persons of large means. Those who have the command of scarce resources are left free to drive a bargain with those who need such resources but are ill-equipped to compete for their possession. Co-operatives are institutional agencies for achieving social cohesion. In a country whose economic structure has its roots in the villages, co-operation is something more than a series of activities organised on co-operative lines. Basically, its purpose is to evolve a system of co-operative community organisation which touches upon all aspects of life. Co-operatives in India started as a means of ensuring, for the poorly equipped citizens, advantages which better placed persons were able to command by their own individual resources. The principle of mutual aid, which is the basis of co-operative organisation, and the practice of thrift and self-help which sustains it, generate a sturdy feeling of self-reliance which is of basic importance in a democratic way of life. By pooling their experience and knowledge and by helping one another, members of co-operative societies cannot only find the solutions of individual problems but also become better citizens. The present work explains and examines the functioning of co-operative banks in India and select other countries -- including Grameen Bank of Bangladesh -- to understand their role in the globalised world.

This book provides a national perspective of co-operative education initiatives by farmer co-operatives. The analysis examines whom co-operatives educate, what resources they use, what topics they focus on, where they source their programs and materials, whether they feel there are enough resources available for education, and what educational topics they feel directors most need to fulfil their duties. A co-operative feasibility study guide is also outlined with a focus on the co-operative business development process.

How economic rhetoric and policy have been hijacked to serve the interests of the wealthy
Americans have fallen for the ticker tape. We watch our portfolios, happily or nervously. We know there were a few bad apples at Enron and WorldCom, but we also know that: - The advent of mutual funds, low-cost brokerages, and the Internet has meant that the stock market is now more transparent, honest, and accessible to the small investor than ever before; - 401(k)s give the individual responsibility and control over their retirement savings, and that makes us more responsible citizens; - Federal deficits are bad for the economy, especially, somehow, when they're linked to social spending; and - Controlling inflation is the most important task of our economic policy.
But as economist Ellen Frank shows us, what we know is wrong. Over the past twenty years, Americans have been fed a mash of confusing financial and economic information. This information has distorted popular understanding of how the economy really operates and camouflaged the transformation of economic policy from a tool for improving the living standards of all to a tool for securing the perquisites of those with financial wealth.
Sifting through confusing rhetoric on everything from the stock market to the federal budget to the global financial system, Frank reveals how financial interests came to dominate U.S. economic policy and lays out in clear and engaging prose the basis of real wealth and economic well-being.

The authors tell the story of a democratic workers' cooperative that makes hand-rolled cigarettes, known as "beedis," in the unorganized sector of a fiercely competitive capitalist economy in India. For decades, beedi workers have been among the most exploited and impoverished of India's work force. In 1969, in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, several thousand workers banded together to form a worker-owned beedi cooperative. The authors argue that their skill and determination, combined with Kerala's generally leftist political culture, allowed them to beat the odds. The cooperative surprised the private sector beedi barons by creating an enterprise that has lasted and prospered, offering the best wages and benefits in the business, while making a profit and contributing to the local economy.The authors analyze the major features of the cooperative, assessing its overall structure, worker-elected management, shop floor democracy, and progress in providing a better life for its worker-owners. Tensions are also discussed, including the complaints of women workers and the need for diversification from tobacco.

The authors tell the story of a democratic workers' cooperative that makes hand-rolled cigarettes, known as "beedis," in the unorganized sector of a fiercely competitive capitalist economy in India. For decades, beedi workers have been among the most exploited and impoverished of India's work force. In 1969, in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, several thousand workers banded together to form a worker-owned beedi cooperative. The authors argue that their skill and determination, combined with Kerala's generally leftist political culture, allowed them to beat the odds. The cooperative surprised the private sector beedi barons by creating an enterprise that has lasted and prospered, offering the best wages and benefits in the business, while making a profit and contributing to the local economy.The authors analyze the major features of the cooperative, assessing its overall structure, worker-elected management, shop floor democracy, and progress in providing a better life for its worker-owners. Tensions are also discussed, including the complaints of women workers and the need for diversification from tobacco.

This case study focuses on and analyses the formation of four co-operatives in the Evangeline region, a small Acadian community in the southwest part of Prince Edward Island.

Defined by the authors as an 'integrated community-controlled economy, ' the Evangeline community demonstrates the potential that a network of interrelated co-operatives has for community economic development. More specifically, the authors discuss why some co-operatives succeed while others fail, and propose a model that outlines the element necessary for any comprehensive community economic-development process.

Wilkinson and Quarter look at the Evangeline experiment in the context of two seemingly contradictory trends today: globalization and decentralization. They argue that the initiatives undertaken by the Evangeline community fit within the trend toward decentralization and community control. The citizens of the Evangeline region have formed a community-controlled economy, refusing to accept the conventional wisdom that a small community is not viable in a modern economy. The authors suggest that the Evangeline experiment shows that communities which are being marginalized in the modern world can take matters into their own hands and succeed where externally driven development has failed.

Cooperatives the world over are successfully developing alternative models of decision-making, employment and operation without the existence of managers, executives and hierarchies. Through case studies spanning the US, Latin America and Europe, including valuable new work on the previously neglected cooperative movement in Cuba, Peter Ranis explores how cooperatives have evolved in response to the economic crisis. Going further yet, Ranis makes the novel argument that the constitutionally enshrined principle of 'eminent domain' can in fact be harnessed to create and defend worker cooperatives. Combining the work of key radical theorists, including Marx, Gramsci and Luxemburg, with that of contemporary political economists, such as Block, Piketty and Stiglitz, Cooperatives Confront Capitalism provides what is perhaps the most far-reaching analysis yet of the ideas, achievements and wider historical context of the cooperative movement.

"Like every other agency research director, I suffer from focus-group anxiety. Pumping M&M?s behind the one-way mirror, I?m monitoring the groups, the moderator and the client simultaneously. It?s tough enough to manage the client?s expectations and responses. Worrying about whether the moderator can effectively manage the content flow and the group dynamic makes the experience life threatening. Watching Tom moderate, I find myself constantly thinking, ?Wow, he?s smart. I wish I thought of that. He?s the best.?"

--George Scribner, Research Manager, Organic Inc.

"Dynamic, entertaining, and armed with information on new drugs and medical techniques that would challenge the knowledge of most physicians, Tom Greenbaum presides over an attentive yet relaxed group of medical specialists anxious to share their opinions and prejudices with this most charming of focus group moderators. Serving as a polished master of ceremonies, Mr. Greenbaum is able to work with the many individual styles of his physician panel and at the conclusion, leaves one with the sense of having participated in something important."

--Alan H. Richman, M.D., Chairman, Department of Radiology of Norwalk Hospital

"Tom Greenbaum is a highly effective moderator who has the special ability to quickly learn any subject matter and can conduct groups with expert knowledge. From the discussion guide to the final report, Tom works with speed and accuracy."

--Mark Alfonso, V. P. of Marketing, The Purdue Frederick Company

"Tom is one of the most competent and intuitive moderators I have ever worked with: not only does he have an impeccable understanding of the technical skills necessary for a successful moderator, he also has a unique and uncanny ability to foster and capitalize on the internal dynamics of any group."

--Joseph A. Ciaralli, The Prudential Insurance Company of America

"Thomas L. Greenbaum eats and breathes focus groups. If you want a definitive look at this research technique, you need to either live with the guru for a year or read his books."

--Dave Quincy, Clarion Marketing and Communications

The entire range of facilitation techniques is covered in this comprehensive handbook, from pre-session tips in participant recruitment to post-session reporting. Moderating Focus Groups covers all the fundamentals of successful group facilitation, and also includes a wealth of advanced techniques not found in other books on focus group research (on managing group dynamics, energizing a tired group, and digging deeper into the minds of participants.) Greenbaum also goes beyond the basics with chapters on how to build a business moderating focus groups, and how to price moderating services. While this book is particularly aimed at the needs of focus group practitioners, there is plenty of advice that will benefit anyone who conducts in-depth interviews or group facilitation. Additionally, the many people who hire moderators to facilitate their sessions will benefit from reading this book because it will provide them with valuable insights on how to evaluate their moderators? work.

Employee Participation in Europe covers both the internal dynamics of workplace participation within individual European nations and the transnational policies and problems of participation at the European Union level. Combining historical, sociological, and comparative analysis, the author presents an understanding of participation's role in contemporary industrial relations. Knudsen shows how participation--while widely approved as an ideal--involves varying interests and rationales on the actors involved: employees and governments. The ways in which participation has been introduced and the differences in its practice are illustrated by detailed analysis of participatory institutions in Germany, the UK, Spain, and Denmark. This comparative approach clarifies the ways in which participation is embedded in national industrial relations systems and cultures. The author also addresses two major influences on the changing context of participation in contemporary industrial relations: the European Union and the growing importance of information technology. This broad-ranging review will be essential reading for all scholars of industrial relations, human resource management, sociology of work and employment, and related disciplines.

The negotiation of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade agreement in 1985-88 initiated a period of substantially increased North American, and later, global economic integration. However, events since the election of Donald Trump in 2016 have created the potential for major policy shifts arising from NAFTA's renegotiation and continuing political uncertainties in the United States and with Canada's other major trading partners. Navigating a Changing World draws together scholars from both countries to examine Canada-U.S. policy relations, the evolution of various processes for regulating market and human movements across national borders, and the specific application of these dynamics to a cross-section of policy fields with significant implications for Canadian public policy. It explores the impact of territorial institutions and extra-territorial forces - institutional, economic, and technological, among others - on interactions across national borders, both within North America and, where relevant, in broader economic relationships affecting the movement of goods, services, people, and capital. Above all, Navigating a Changing World represents the first major study to address Canada's international policy relations within and beyond North America since the elections of Justin Trudeau in 2015 and Donald Trump in 2016 and the renegotiation of NAFTA.

After decades of flying beneath the radar, co-operation as a principle of business and socio-economic organisation is moving from the margins of economic, social and political thought into the mainstream. In both the developed and developing world, co-operative models are increasingly viewed as central to tackling a diverse array of issues, including global food security, climate change, sustainable economic development, public service provision and gender inequality. This collection, drawing together research from an interdisciplinary group of scholars and co-operative practitioners, considers the different spheres in which co-operatives are becoming more prominent. Drawing examples from different national and international contexts, the book offers major insights into how co-operation will come to occupy a more central role in social and economic life in the twenty-first century. Mainstreaming co-operation will be of interest to students and academics studying economics, business studies, history, politics and international development, but also to policy makers interested in co-operatives and mutuals as a viable alternative to conventional models of social and economic development. -- .

As issues of employee involvement and participation once more evoke considerable controversy, this textbook provides an accessible overview of the main strands, perspectives and debates in current thinking and practice. It adopts a comparative international approach, addressing developments in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, the United States and elsewhere. The authors identify two main strands of evolution: one driven by managerial interests in enhancing and controlling employee commitment and performance; the other deriving from employees' attempts to influence high-level organizational decision-making. In particular, they examine and analyze: the background of key concepts, issues and philosophies underpinning these different strands; the range of current employee involvement methods, from the individualistic and management-led to more regulated collective approaches; and the rationales and responses of employees, unions and employers to the various initiatives. Throughout the book the authors evaluate the contrasting philosophies and practices in the context of the rapidly evolving organizational and economic landscapes of advanced industrialized countries. Relevant factors include declines in manufacturing industries, deregulation of labour markets, intensifying international competition and the ever-increasing globalization of enterprise.