Catalysing co-operation

This book is about building and managing self-governing people's organisations that will succeed in the rough and tumble of today's competitive world. There are numerous theories about the factors that lead to successful co-operatives. These include outstanding leadership and management; favourable social conditions; the existence of homogeneous groups; and a participatory approach. The author challenges these various explanations as being incomplete and offers a new perspective on what makes co-operation succeed.

Tushaar Shah explores important empirical questions drawing upon cases of success and failure from different regions and types of co-operative enterprise. These range from 'tubewell companies' in north Gujarat and sugar co-operatives in Maharashtra to what is considered the heartland of the dairy and farmers' co-operative movement in India-Kheda district in south Gujarat. Based on these field studies, Professor Shah adduces a set of four over-arching principles which can be used to build robust, self-governing people's organisations. Design, he maintains, is the central determinant of organisational performance while the other three important aspects are 'self-creating', 'self-propagating and 'self-preserving'. These features are the result not of good leadership nor of favourable social conditions but of success in securing and retaining the allegiance of members.

With its emphasis on practical application, this book will be of direct interest to planners, the co-operative movement, NGOs, donor agencies and apex bodies while also attracting the attention of sociologists, economists and those studying co-operation and collective action