The Development of Workers'co-operatives

By Dr. A.A. MacDonald, Director Coady International Institute In August 1982, the Coady International Institute sponsored a consultation on the development of workers' co-operatives. Workers' co-operatives were selected primarily because of their potential as instruments of human and institutional development. Moreover, during the past decade, there has been a significant resurgence of workers' co-operatives throughout the industrial world, particularly in Spain, Italy and France. The following is a review of the rationale, procedures and findings of the consultation. I. CONSULTATION RATIONALE The general development objectives of the Institute's overall training program constituted the contextual framework of the consultation. These objectives may be described in terms of human and institutional development. Human development is defined as growth of the individual and growth of the collectivity. Growth in physical well being, knowledge, values and skills is indicative of personal development while growth in group solidarity, decisionmaking ability and organizational effectiveness is indicative of collective development. Institutional development is defined