One for All and All for One? A New Generation of Co-operatives Emerges

Abstract

Business owners who traditionally organised their marketing and supply activities through co-operatives are changing their strategic orientation with increased frequency. The result is a “new generation” of co-operatives sweeping through several industries. This article examines how traditional co-operatives differ from the typical investor-owned firm and some of the motivating factors leading to the emergence of the new generation of co-operatives. These new generation co-operatives (NGCs) appear to be organisational hybrids combining aspects of investor ownership and co-operative ownership structures. The article describes differences between the traditional and new generation co-operatives with the objective of providing implications for managers who are faced with the movement toward more entrepreneurial organisations in their industries.