Cooperation in Italy in 2008
20 Pages Posted: 11 Jul 2012
Date Written: May 11, 2012
Abstract
Despite a growing interest in cooperatives, the knowledge of real economic, occupational and social dimensions of the cooperative enterprises is still little and fragmentary, at both a national and an international level.
This is also the case of Italy, a country with one of the most widespread cooperative system.
Many Italian Institutes (e.g. Istat, Confcooperative, Legacoop and Unioncamere) have been studying cooperatives for a long time. The majority of their studies refer to specific contexts, to specific types of cooperative or to restricted samples. There is still a lack of updated analyses of the overall dimensions of this phenomenon, able to follow its evolution and quantify – with reasonable precision – the ability to manage business and create jobs.
Starting from these preliminary remarks, the present study intends to offer a reliable analysis of the 2008 Italian cooperative system, by highlighting the economic and occupational dimensions and impact of the phenomenon. This analysis is only part of the widest research programme carried out by the European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises which has developed an observatory on cooperation for a constant analysis of the role of cooperation in Italy.
La versione italiana di questo documento è disponibile al seguente link: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2010032
Keywords: cooperation, Italy, regional development, employment, economic performance
JEL Classification: J21, L31, M41
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation