France: Universities and SCOPs sign alliances

SCOPs, small and medium-size co-operatives employ some 35 000 people in France. Their specific governance system makes them appealing to new university research. For the third time, the university of Le Mans welcomed in last april the confederation of the SCOPs to emphasize the dialogue between co-operatives and the work of academic researchers. The seminar organised on the specific features of these ” societés ouvrières de production ” in terms of governance reached its target : revamping the old model of the social economy in the era of responsible companies and sustainable business governance principles. Participer, the SCOPs glossy magazine, some years ago an activist newsletter, is today an influential media which provides insights to the traditional economic press. A dozen of new academic research have been recently published. They focus especially on the strenghts of SCOPs to escape the risk to be absorbed by profit businesses and to behave as a mix of entrepreneurship and social model. The rising trends on ecology, innovation and sustainability in all fields of activity help the co-operative French movement to redesign its identity. And universities are quite pleased to see other forms of opportunity for achieving financial and … intellectual partnerships. www.scop.coop