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The Cooperative Economy 

– A Case-Study-Based Introduction to Business Models, Management, and the Organization of Cooperatives –

In times of economic turmoil, marked by glaring environmental problems, unequal distribution of wealth, demographic shifts, and profound financial and debt crises, corporate behavior focused solely on financial gain is increasingly reaching its limits. Such “market failures” have recently become apparent, among other things, in connection with the energy transition at the local level, in ensuring adequate medical care in rural areas, in the inadequate provision of affordable housing, and in addressing climate change. As a time-honored form of collective economic activity, the legal structure of the registered cooperative offers solutions to these (and many other!) challenges. Cooperatives are active in many sectors of the German economy, both at the local level (e.g., banking and housing construction) and on a supraregional basis (e.g., retail). They open up (international) markets for small and medium-sized enterprises and secure jobs as well as economic development in the regions. Many new cooperatives are able to address the challenges outlined above and are becoming increasingly important.

Against this backdrop, the goal of the course is to identify cooperative responses to the diverse global challenges using concrete practical examples. First, a practice-based overview of the specific characteristics of the cooperative organizational form and its integration into a comprehensive overall structure will be provided. In this context, the theoretical foundations of cooperatives will also be covered. However, the focus is on (inter)national case studies of various fields of activity and business models of cooperatives, which include industry analyses, address management aspects (including organization), discuss the specific characteristics of the legal form, and shed light on current economic and social challenges.

The course will be taught by Dr. Andreas Wieg, an alumnus of the School of Business & Economics at Philipps University of Marburg, who currently serves as head of the executive staff of the DGRV e.V. (German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation) and heads the federal office for “Energy Cooperatives.”