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Finnish Co-operative Movement 110 Years: Celebratory Conference Helsinki School of Economics, September 24-25, 2009 Comments on Co-operative man as socio-political actor - The local and global impact of co-operatives. Dr.Sc. (Econ.) Eliisa Troberg University of Helsinki, Finland .
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Finnish Co-operative Movement110 Years: Celebratory ConferenceHelsinki School of Economics, September 24-25, 2009Comments on Co-operative man as socio-political actor - The local andglobal impact of co-operatives Dr.Sc. (Econ.) Eliisa Troberg University of Helsinki, Finland
Co-operatives as social enterprises • Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä, Professor at University of Turku and Esko Kumpusalo, Professor at University of Kuopio have recently proposed that co-operatives would constitute the approriate enterprise form in the social and welfare sector. • WHY? Because in co-operatives.... • Profits are used to develop services and activities of the firm. Profits are not maximized for the purpose of outside owners. • The co-operative values and principles as well as the democratic ownership structure appropriately support the aims of social enterprises.
Co-operatives as social enterprisescontinued • Long term thinking, which is dominating in co-operatives, suits social enterprises well. • Collaboration between different interest groups and the community spirit is inherent in this enterprise form. • Human values and human beings are in the center of activities. • Well-being at work is well taken care of in co-operatives (according to a recent study of Finnish co-operatives). • The co-operative form of working brings extra flexibility to its members. • This kind of flexibility increases the members’ motivation and creativity.
School Co-operatives- A Tool of Social Entrepreneurship education • School co-operatives could be established for the purpose of providing education in social entrepreneurship. • School co-operatives could, e.g. operate in the sectors of elderly care, cleaning and environment, sports and culture. • In Finnish universities of applied science , co-operatives are largely used as a tool for entrepreneurship education. • Other schools could use best-practices and experiences of the universities of applied science for the purpose of educating younger children in social entrepreneurship.
