The 8th edition of the COOP Colloquium was organised online on 18th December 2023 and focussed on the theme ‘Cooperatives and Systems Innovation.’
Dr. Yashvantha Dongre, Chairperson of the ICA-AP Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR) welcomed the guest speakers and participants. He said that the COOP Colloquium was launched in 2022 to start an academic dialogue on issues that are relevant to cooperative education and research. Over the past two years, the committee has had good thematic discussions through this series of colloquiums. Dr. Dongre noted that the theme for this session is very interesting and discussions around that in the cooperative context are much needed.
Dr. Sidsel Grimstad, a senior lecturer at Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation (GCSI), Griffith University led the presentation. The GCSI is a centre within Griffith Business School, with an aim to accelerate transitions to regenerative and distributive economies. She mentioned that we are at a critical juncture of change, challenge, and opportunity. Issues like the climate crisis, inequality, the future of work and ageing populations require innovative solutions. Cooperatives help grow capabilities and infrastructures to meet these challenges in ways that are better for people, places, and the planet. Cooperatives have a unique advantage in their response to these challenges. They are guided by cooperative principles and values including maximising member value and prioritising democratic participation in decision making. Cooperatives produce positive economic, social and environmental outputs for their members and communities. However, there are still questions about how cooperatives can bring about substantial systems change. How can the cooperative sector become a larger and more active player in bringing about systems innovation while maintaining the cooperative identity? How can cooperatives lead the way as innovators, not only for other cooperatives but also for non-cooperative organisations? Is this a way to cement the sector's relevance in a changing global business environment?
Dr. Ingrid Burkett, Director of the Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation followed up on the presentation. She has worked across Australia and around the world, with a focus on how we can shift systems to enable better outcomes for people, places and the planet. She highlighted that to be effective and successful in its territory, a cooperative federation must work hard to achieve interrelated goals: a) to strengthen the autonomy of its affiliates while maintaining social networks, b) to enhance its own viability and improve its ability to serve its members, c) to explore new ways of understanding the contribution of cooperatives, d) to examine the conditions required for cooperatives to remain innovative, economically viable and competitive enterprises.[1]
To achieve these objectives cooperative federations must understand the basic assumptions on which the new focusses are built - linking complexity with systems innovation. This will enable them to provide better frameworks and conditions for their sector members to be innovative and to co-evolve in changing business environments.
Mr. Balu Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP in his reflection said that the colloquium helps examine the potential role of cooperatives in systems innovation and how cooperatives can inspire and play a positive part in larger structural changes that are needed to respond to global challenges. There are three areas of particular focus: 1) creating awareness and confidence in the cooperatives' capacity to innovate, 2) finding new pathways to scale innovations and 3) building the capital needed to support these initiatives.
Mr. Mohit Dave, Secretary, ICA-AP CCR gave a vote of thanks and mentioned that the colloquium is a starting point to deep-dive into the role of cooperatives in systems innovation. It aims to bring together cooperative advocates, practitioners and young scholars from the Asia and Pacific region. The recording can be watched here.
ICA-AP CCR was established in the year 2000 to promote and support the initiation and furtherance of research activities within cooperatives and research organizations at regional, national, and local levels, to enhance their social and economic effectiveness.
[1] Building up an innovation region through cooperative experiences https://www.cairn.info/revue-pole-sud-2009-2-page-71.htm#pa2
