Their Own Idea Lessons From Workers' Cooperatives

About this book

This volume is for anyone whose job it is to assist people to start their own businesses, or "income-generating projects", and who is considering the merits of group as opposed to individual enterprise. Emphasis is placed on decision-making based on an understanding of the issues involved and on local needs rather than any preconceived preferences. "Their own idea" starts with a general introduction to workers' co-operatives and their history and present position in industrialized and developing countries. It explores 13 detailed case studies of workers' co-operatives in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Some of these projects have failed and others have succeeded, but they all have important lessons and warnings for anyone who may be involved in similar enterprises.

Contents

Introduction - what are workers' co-operatives?; formal workers' co-operatives in industrialized countries; industrialized country successes - kobbutzes and Mondragon; three British failures - Kirby, the "Scottish Daily News", and Meriden; the developing country experience; introduction to case studies - the Puri Road Coir business (India), the Das Brothers Plastic Moulders (India), the Ibadan Co-operative Tailors' Society (Nigeria), the Thusano Silversmiths (Botswana), the Nia Welders' Society (Tanzania), Clays of Jamaica Co-operative, the Sekonda-Takoradi Tailors' Co-operative Society (Ghana), the Musika Catering Co-operative (Zimbabwe), the Marama Co-operative Society (Fiji), Candle Industries Co-operative (Dominica), the Mandro Stonecutters' Co-operative (India), the Shumgu Women's Group (Zimbabwe), the Orissa Filigree Workers' Co-operative Society (India); the lessons.

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