STRUMENTI PER LA DIDATTICA E LA RICERCA – 172 – Cooperative Enterprises in Australia and Italy Comparative analysis and theoretical insights edited by Anthony Jensen Greg Patmore Ermanno Tortia Firenze University Press 2015 EuRICSE, European Research Institute on Co-operative and Social Enterprises, Trento Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento Co-operative Research Group at the Business School, University of Sydney This book is the upshot of the research program “Advancing the Co-op- erative Movement in Australia and Italy. A three years research project”, which was conducted by the University of Trento in collaboration with Eu- RICSE (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterpris- es), and by the University of Sydney, Co-operative Research Group. The program started in February 2010 with a symposium held at the University of Sydney, Business School. It has included a second symposium held at the University of Trento and EuRICSE in July 2011, and a third and final symposium and conference held at the University of Sydney in July 2013. The editors and all the program participant acknowledge and thank the financial and organizational support offered to the conference events and to the preparation of this book by the University of Sydney, Co-operative Research Group, by EuRICSE, and by the University of Trento. Cooperative Enterprises in Australia and Italy : comparative analysis and theoretical insights / edited by Anthony Jensen, Greg Patmore, Ermanno Tortia. – Firenze : Firenze University Press, 2015. (Strumenti per la didattica e la ricerca ; 172) http://digital.casalini.it/9788866558682 ISBN 978-88-6655-867-5 (print) ISBN 978-88-6655-868-2 (online) Graphic design: Alberto Pizarro Fernández, Pagina Maestra snc Picture on cover: Workers’ Mutual Aid Society. Established in 1861, Bagnacavallo (Ravenna), Central Italy. Acknowledgements The editors thank in a special way Emeritus Professors Russel D. Lansbury (University of Sydney) and Stefano Zamagni (University of Bologna), and Professors Avner Ben-Ner (Uni- versity of Minnesota), Johnston Birchall (University of Stirling) and Carlo Borzaga (University of Trento) for the formal support given to the project of the book. Financial support to the th- ree years research project and to the realization of the book was provided by the Co-operative Research Group at the Business School of the University of Sydney and by EURICSE (Europe- an Research Institute on Co-operative and Social Enterprises) in Trento. The book project was financially supported also by the Department of Economics and Management at the Universi- ty of Trento. Usual disclaimers apply. Peer Review Process All publications are submitted to an external refereeing process under the responsibility of the FUP Editorial Board and the Scientific Committees of the individual series. The works pub- lished in the FUP catalogue are evaluated and approved by the Editorial Board of the publish- ing house. For a more detailed description of the refereeing process we refer to the official doc- uments published on the website and in the online catalogue of the FUP (www.fupress.com). Firenze University Press Editorial Board G. Nigro (Co-ordinator), M.T. Bartoli, M. Boddi, R. Casalbuoni, C. Ciappei, R. Del Punta, A. Dolfi, V. Fargion, S. Ferrone, M. Garzaniti, P. Guarnieri, A. Mariani, M. Marini, A. Novelli, M.C. Torricelli, M. Verga, A. Zorzi. © 2015 Firenze University Press Università degli Studi di Firenze Firenze University Press Borgo Albizi, 28, 50122 Firenze, Italy www.fupress.com Printed in Italy Capitolo – nomeTable ofautore –contents sezione Introduction. Advancing the co-operative movement in Australia and Italy: a three years research program 11 Anthony Jensen, Greg Patmore, Ermanno Tortia PART I Comparative Perspectives A Comparison between Australian and Italian Co-operative Law 21 Troy Sarina, Antonio Fici National Co-operative Organisations in Australia and Italy 37 Richard O’Leary, Greg Patmore, Alberto Zevi Consumer Co-operatives in Australia and Italy 57 Patrizia Battilani, Nikola Balnave, Greg Patmore Financial Co-operatives in Australia and Italy 75 Ivana Catturani, Leanne Cutcher Worker Co-operatives in Australia and Italy 89 Marina Albanese, Anthony Jensen Agricultural Co-operatives in Australia and Italy 113 Eddi Fontanari, Richard O’Leary, Samira Nuhanovic-Ribic, Ermanno Tortia Anthony Jensen, Greg Patmore, Ermanno Tortia (edited by) Cooperative Enterprises in Australia and Italy : comparative analysis and theoretical insights ISBN 978-88-6655-867-5 (print) ISBN 978-88-6655-868-2 (online PDF) © 2015 Firenze University Press 8 Cooperative Enterprises in Australia and Italy PART II Theoretical insights and case studies TOWARDS A NEW THEORY OF CO-OPERATIVE FIRMS From the Neoliberal to the Participatory Firm: employee participation through industrial relations and governance in Australia and Italy 137 Ermanno Tortia, Martha Knox Haly, Anthony Jensen Worker Co-operatives as Collective Entrepreneurial Action: review of the economic literature and new theoretical insights 157 Cecilia Navarra The Silver Lining of Co-operation: self-defined rules, common resources, motivations, and incentives in co-operative firms 175 Silvia Sacchetti, Ermanno Tortia Organizational Models of Firms and Social Capital: the different aptitude of capitalistic and co-operative firm in accumulating social capital 191 Marina Albanese, Salvatore Villani CASE AND SECTOR STUDIES IN AUSTRALIA AND ITALY Emergence, Evolution, and Institutionalization of Italian Social Co-operatives 209 Carlo Borzaga, Sara Depedri, Giulia Galera Social Media Use in Australian Co-operatives: current applications and future opportunities 231 Olivera Marjanovic, Petri Hallikainen, Nikola Balnave, Greg Patmore, Yasmin Rittau Good and Bad Networks. The role of social enterprises in the fight against organised crime 245 Michele Mosca, Salvatore Villani Table of contents 9 Conclusion. Co-operatives in Australia and Italy: lessons and prospects 265 Anthony Jensen, Greg Patmore, Ermanno Tortia Bibliography 271 List of Authors 297 A. Jensen G. Patmore E. Tortia Introduction. Advancing the co-operative movement in Australia and Italy: a three years research program The book strives to capture the past and current developments, and the future status of the cooperative movements in two different countries: Aus- tralia and Italy. It is the result of a three-year research collaborative project titled Advancing the Co-operative Movement in Australia and Italy: A three years research program. The comparative character of the book poses some chal- lenges and difficulties since the book compares two countries that show markedly different development patterns and institutional systems both in terms of corporate law and in terms of system of industrial relations. The legal framework, both general and specific to co-operatives, for the two countries is remarkably different. Australia has a common law tradi- tion that makes it similar to other countries such as the UK and the US, which are characterized by notable limitation of specific legislation for co- operative firms. Italy represents instead one of the best civil law examples of development of the cooperative legislation. As Australia and Italy have witnessed different degrees of creation, diffusion and disappearance of co- operative firms, very different dimensions and patterns of development of co-operatives characterize these two countries. Co-operatives represent a more significant part of economic and social life in Italy than Australia and a fundamental issue in the book concerns the enquiry into the reasons for these cultural and social differences, and for the different scale of the phenomenon. The answers given in the different chapters provide general insights for the field of co-operative studies. One of weaknesses of many comparative publications is their failure to provide clear conclusions linking the contributions and to add expla- nations grounded in the combination of the individual contributions. We strive to overcome this problem through a conclusion that provides a clear set of outcomes from the book, which will benefit both policymak- ers and researchers. In addition we note research that points to the posi- Anthony Jensen, Greg Patmore, Ermanno Tortia (edited by) Cooperative Enterprises in Australia and Italy : comparative analysis and theoretical insights ISBN 978-88-6655-867-5 (print) ISBN 978-88-6655-868-2 (online PDF) © 2015 Firenze University Press 12 Anthony Jensen, Greg Patmore, Ermanno Tortia tive social, economic and political impact of high levels of co-operatives on society. Part I of the book compares two different co-operative movements in their historical, economic and institutional development. Also the different features of the socio-cultural and political contexts will be considered. Spe- cific focus is devoted to particular types of co-operatives (consumer, work- er, financial, and agricultural/producer co-operatives) and an analysis of the reasons for the strengths and weaknesses of these different types. For example, why are consumer co-operatives weaker in Australia than Italy? Is it because of the legal framework, or instead the attitude of significant ac- tors such as the labour movement and farmers? Or instead the differences can be traced back to more general cultural divides, and be substantiated in alternative socio-economic processes (e.g. based on individualism more than on collective and social objectives). Strong and weak elements