Center for Cooperative Excellence



OCDC Members
Domestic CDO's
Educational
International



Good Practices
Key Analysis
Case Studies
BasicDocuments

By Sector
By Issue





 

 

Library and Key Documents

Basic Documents

Computerizing Agricultural Cooperatives: A Practical Guide
The FAO created this manual to ensure that the first attempt to computerize will be a successful one. It is based on a review of computerization experiences in Asia, Africa and South America. This manual is written for developing country cooperatives that are just starting to consider whether or not or how to computerize. Its intended target audience includes managers, trainers and policy makers with little experience in working with computers.

Click here to read.

An Introduction to Fair Trade and Cooperatives: A Methodology (DRAFT)
July 20, 2005
By Kate Surber
Click here to read.
Please send comments and suggested changes to www.coopdevelopmentcenter.coop

Cooperatives: Principles and Practices in the Twenty-First Century
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Publications
http://cecommerce.uwex.edu
This is a reference book for cooperators. Last published in 1980, it has undergone an extensive revision by Kimberly Zeuli, assistant professor, and Bob Cropp, professor emeritus, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, UW-Madison. The book's chapters on organization, structure, financing and management of cooperatives are as relevant today as ever.
Click here for PDF file

Computerizing Agricultural Cooperatives: A Practical Guide
by FAO
Click here for PDF File

Cooperatives versus Corporates
1999 NEW ZEALAND AGRIBUSINESS AND FOOD CONGRESS
By, ROGER KERR
9 NOVEMBER 1999
Click here to read.

CONSIDERING COOPERATION: A GUIDE FOR NEW COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT
By Brian M. Henehan and Bruce L. Anderson
Click here for PDF File

COOPERATIVE FUTURES INITIATIVE
Click here for PDF File

Cooperative Futures: An Overview
Click here for PDF File

Cooperatives 101: An Introduction To Cooperatives
CIR 55. 40 pgs. 1997. Donald A. Frederick
USDA Rural Development
Click here for PDF File.

Cooperatives, Principles, and Practices
by Marvin Schaars
A practical introductory text on cooperative concepts, history , legal requirements, organization, and operations.
1980, UWCC, UW-Extension, $8.00
http://www.wisc.edu/uwcc/icic/orgs/uwcc/staff/groves/

Considering Cooperation: A Guide for New Cooperative Development.
Brian Henehan. Extension Bulletin, Department of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University. E.B. 2001-01.
Click here for .pdf file.

Feasibility Study for a New Co-op
A detailed overview of feasibility studies, what they cover, major components, how to prepare a study, and how to do market analysis.
Click here for pdf file

Member Participation in Agricultural Cooperatives: A Regression and Scale Analysis
USDA, RBS Research Report 165, December 1998
Click here for PDF file.

About the Co-Op Principles
The actual text of the principles, as approved by the Interntional Cooperative Alliance in 1995.
http://ncba.org/abcoop_ab_values.cfm

Co-op Principles
A complete presentation of the "Statement on the Cooperative Identity," as approved by the International Cooperative Alliance in 1995.
http://www.coop.org/ica/info/enprinciples.html

Tutorial about Cooperatives
An online tutorial about cooperatives and the Co-op Principles.
http://www.mbrservices.com/Training/co-opPrinciples/dex1.cfm

Five Good Reasons for Cooperatives
Describes five good reasons for starting a cooperative.
http://www.wisc.edu/uwcc/icic/def-hist/def/five.html

Overview of the Steps to Start a Co-op
A summary of the steps outlined in a book called How to Organize a Cooperative.
http://www.ncba.coop/abcoop_howto.cfm

General Information on Cooperatives
Information on how to start and run coops can be found at USDA.
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/cooprpts.htm

How to Organize a Cooperative
Covers all aspects of starting a new co-op
University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives and Cooperative Development Services
http://www.wisc.edu/uwcc/manual/cover.html

How to Start a Co-op
Click on "Cooperative Development" then "How to Start a Co-op" for an overview and links to other resources.
http://www.ncb.coop/

Writing a Co-op Business Plan
An overview of a co-op business plan, including a detailed outline
http://www.wisc.edu/uwcc/manual/chap_6.html

Governance in the Management of Cooperatives
by Daman Prakash
http://www.coop.org/ica/issues/governance.html

Business Plan Guide
A detailed overview and step-by-step guide to writing a thorough business plan.
Click here for file...

Tutorial on Co-op Finances
An online tutorial on reading and understanding co-op financial statements. Includes a glossary of terms used in co-op finances.
http://www.mbrservices.com/Training/financial/dex1.cfm

Evaluating Your Business Idea
A tool that prompts you to answer questions that can help you analyze your business plan.
http://www.umsl.edu/~smallbus/Evalbus.pdf

Guide to Starting a New Business
A series of checklists and worksheets to guide the process of starting a new business.
http://www.bec.com.au/start.htm

Online Resources for Business Plans
Click on "The Business Plan" to find an extensive list of online business plan resources.
http://web.mit.edu/entforum/resources.html

How to Start a Food Co-Op
by the Cooperative Grocers Information Network
A guide to give groups interested in starting a retail food co-op a basic overview of the steps and procedures they will need to follow. The guide provides information about what a coop is as well as links to many other references.
http://www.cgin.org/howto.html

USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov then click on "Publications", then "Rural Cooperatives Magazine" or "Business/Cooperative Publications". If you choose "Business/Cooperative Publications", click either "Cooperative Information Reports", "Research Reports", "Service Reports" or "Miscellaneous Reports".
This website has more than 150 cooperative reports and their magazine available to view. Topics range from how to start a cooperative, what a cooperative is and technical subjects such as tax and antitrust.

Text of the Recommendation Concerning the Promotion of Cooperatives
Submitted by the Drafting Committee, International Labor Conference, Nineteenth Session, Geneva, 2002.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc90/pdf/pr-23a.pdf

Directory on Agencies Assisting Cooperatives
December 2000, COPAC
http://www.copacgva.org/directory2000.pdf

Freedom from Hunger website
http://www.ffhtechnical.org/
Information about microfinance, nonformal education, nutrition, maternal and child health, and womens empowerment as a result of Credit with Education program. They provide programmatic descriptions of our integrated poverty-lending and education methodology, as well as access to our research papers, how-to manuals, nonformal health/nutrition/population/business curricula, online resources, and other technical information about Freedom from Hunger's work. The Technical Resource Site's publications section: (http://www.ffhtechnical.org/publications/index.html). Detailed programmatic descriptions of the integrated poverty-lending and education methodology: (http://www.ffhtechnical.org/cwep/index.html). Summary of findings from the Credit with Education impact studies (http://www.ffhtechnical.org/cwep/impact.html).

McKinsey Quarterly: The Psychology of change Management
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/links/6589
Companies can transform the attitudes and behavior of their employees by applying psychological breakthroughs that explain why people think and act as they do.

Bibliography:Selected Works Related to the History of
Co-operatives

By Brett Fairbairn
A brief 16-page summary on selected resources giving information on the history of cooperatives.
Click here for file in MS Word.
Click here for file in PDF.

The Circle of Responsibilite for Co-op Boards: Management Tips Series
by James Baarda, USDA.
A series of articles that identify key responsibilities to cooperative boards of directors.
Click for here PDF File

How to Start a Food Coop
March 2002
Click here for file...

CONSIDERING COOPERATION: A GUIDE FOR NEW COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT
By Brian M. Henehan and Bruce L. Anderson, Department of Applied Economics and Management, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Click here for file...

THE STATUTE FOR A EUROPEAN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY (SCE)
The objective of the SCE Statute, which was adopted by the Council on 22nd July 2003, OJ of 18th August 2003 (L207), is to provide co-operatives with adequate legal instruments to facilitate their cross-border and trans-national activities. The new Statute parallels the Statute for a European Company (SE), adopted in 2001, but has been tailored to the specific characteristics of co-operative societies.
Click here to read Statue and for more information.

The Role of Cooperatives and other Self-Help Organizations in Crisis Resolution and Socio-Economic Recovery.
This document has been prepared primarily for the use of those involved in crisis response and reconstruction programmes, who may not be specialists in the field of cooperatives and self-help organizations (Coops/SHOs); however, it is appreciated that those having varying degrees of experience in this field may also make use of the Report. Specialists in the field of Coops/SHOs, without direct experience of crisis response and reconstruction work can also benefit from studying the wide range of material that has been prepared by and for the ILO’s Cris is Response InFocus Programme. The availability of these publications makes it unnecessary to repeat the many important relevant matters covered within them
By, Edgar Parnell
Click here to read document.

Business Development Services for Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives in Indonesia: Some Guidelines and Needs
by Eduardo Canelo
click here to read document.

Summary Report Management Seminars, Responsibility Center System Training Program
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) in Cambodia, October 2001. By, Aron Hsu, Reuben Jessop, Suvimol Jirayungyam
click here to read document.

How to Establish a Cooperative: The Case Study of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative
by Zvi Galor
Click here or here to read.
To read all documents by Zvi Galor, click here.

Home | CDOs | Library | Contact Us | Site Map


All rights reserved © 2004-06