Strategic Resilience during the COVID-19 Crisis

Diedrich et al. surveyed senior executives in Europe to understand how organizations responded to COVID-19 crisis and found that about half reported that the crisis exposed weaknesses in their strategic resilience – defined as the extent which an organization’s business model and competitive position prove resistance to disruption. From Diedrich’s article, the actions that anti-fragile Read More

10 Key Findings about Cooperatives and Their Members in Philippines.

From responses received to survey questions addressed both to cooperative members and non-members, it is possible both to understand the members’ perspectives and as relevant to compare their responses to those of non-members. The data from the Philippines Country Study of What Difference Do Cooperatives Make?”…Read More

What Makes Rural Cooperatives Resilient in Developing Countries

Rural Cooperatives: this article reviews the literature, particularly with respect to sub-Saharan Africa, that co-operative organizational resilience centres on co-operatives’ multidimensionality and the development of collective capability in five mutually reinforcing areas of activity. These are membership, networks, collective skills in governance, innovation and engagement with governments. Together, they strengthen co-operatives’ resilience, but where lacking, Read More

2020 – Cooperatives and wider SSE enterprises respond to COVID-19 disruptions, and government measures are being put in place.

This article summarizes the cooperative, wider SSE enterprises, and government response to COVID-19 disruptions. Cooperatives, in partnership with governments, around the world are being affected by – and responding to – COVID-19 in various ways in immediate and short terms. This article covers a variety of sectors and summarizes the actions taken by cooperatives and Read More

“Co-Operative Governance Fit to Build Resilience in the Face of Complexity”

Co-Operative Governance: this comprehensive publication includes several articles covering a variety of topics pertaining to the unique ability for cooperatives to build stronger resilience in the face of complex challenges and obstacles – in particular because of their governance structures. The Table of Contents are as follows: Statement on the Cooperative Identity Foreword by Pauline Read More

2012 Keystone Development Center Cooperative Development Checklist

The Keystone Development Center has a check list that we follow when working with groups forming cooperatives. Any errors are not Jerry’s but are the responsibility of KDC. It is presented in the form of questions we ask ourselves. If the answer to the question is no, the recommended action is included. If the answer Read More

2018 Study Guide for Cooperative Principles: Fostering Racial and Economic Equity in Cooperatives

Author/Publication: Patricia Cumbie, Jade Barker, Bill Gessner, Carolee Colter and Thane Joyal, Columinate This article is a discussion guide to strengthen the relationship between the cooperative principles and fostering racial and economic equity in cooperatives. From the authors: Discussing each principle and value through the lens of racial and economic equity will provide a starting Read More

“Supporting Women Throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency Response and Economic Recovery.”

Author/Publication Info: African Gender Innovation Lab, World Bank This article highlights evidence from the Africa Gender Innovation Lab and other promising research to protect the lives and livelihoods of women and girls – in diverse topics such as household, firms and farms, and adolescence – to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls, Read More

“Agricultural Cooperatives and COVID-19 in Southeast Africa. The Role of Managerial Capital for Rural Resilience.”

Author/Publication Info: Francesconi, Nicola, Fleur Wouterse, and Dorothy Birungi Namuyiga. Sustainability 13 (3): 1046. This article hypothesizes that collective or organizational resilience is especially significant to smallholders when idiosyncratic risk coping strategies fail. By using pre- and during-shock data from agricultural cooperatives in Southeast Africa, the authors analyzed the resiliency of these smallholder-owned organizations. Many Read More

2020 – Applying a Gender Lens to Post-Covid Economic Recoveries: A Spotlight on Women-Led Businesses in Africa

Author/Publication Info: Naoko Koyama, Madjiguene Soc, Katrina Kwan, Dalberg. For many African nations, women head up the SMEs that make up the fabric of communities and economies. This article summarizes the particular difficulties and challenges that African Women-led SMEs face and how they have responded to such obstacles. This article also provides short term and Read More

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