This research stream focuses on the governance principles, structures, and management practices that shape the performance and sustainability of cooperative enterprises. Cooperative governance and management are crucial elements in striking a balance between member participation, democratic control, and managerial efficiency, while ensuring long-term competitiveness and social responsibility.
We invite theoretical, empirical, and comparative contributions that deepen our understanding of how cooperatives design and implement governance systems aligned with their cooperative identity and values. Papers exploring the challenges and innovations in cooperative leadership, decision-making, and strategic management are particularly welcome. The stream encourages cross-country and cross-sector comparisons, longitudinal studies of governance reform and organizational change, mixed-method approaches that combine surveys, case studies, and participatory research, as well as collaborations between scholars and practitioners.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Models of democratic governance and member participation.
– How managers interpret and operationalize cooperative values, manage stakeholder relationships, and design organizational processes that foster participation and co-production.
– Board composition, leadership roles, and professionalization of management.
– Governance of large, federated, or multi-tier cooperative groups.
– Strategic management and performance measurement in cooperatives.
– Tensions and synergies between member control and managerial autonomy.
– Succession, training, and development of cooperative leaders.
– Management of hybrid organizations combining cooperative and investor-owned logics.
– Ethical and accountability frameworks in cooperative management.
– Impact of digital transformation and data governance on cooperative decision-making.
– Comparative analyses of cooperative governance across sectors and countries.
We encourage submissions using diverse methodologies — including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed approaches — and from multiple disciplines, such as economics, management, sociology, and law. The objective is to advance collective understanding of how cooperative governance and management practices contribute to resilient, democratic, and member-centered enterprises.
This stream examines how cooperatives engage with environmental protection, climate action, and social sustainability, connecting everyday practices with global agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG frameworks. Contributions may explore how cooperatives integrate economic viability with long-term social and environmental objectives, including decent work, social inclusion, and community resilience, drawing on work on the social and solidarity economy and sustainability transitions. Analyses may highlight governance arrangements, stakeholder participation, and multi-level policy environments that enable cooperatives to play a key role in climate mitigation, adaptation, and just transition processes.
Key topics might include:
– Assessing the contribution of cooperative models to the SDGs: An examination of how cooperative initiatives actively advance the Sustainable Development Goals by encouraging sustainable consumption and production patterns and improving access to affordable and clean energy.
– Strengthening climate action and disaster preparedness through cooperatives: An analysis of approaches that reinforce the leadership role of cooperatives in community-based strategies for disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation.
– Evaluating the role of cooperatives in economic stability and social inclusion: A study of how cooperatives foster global economic resilience, social inclusion, and community stability through the adoption of sustainable and responsible operational practices.
– Balancing economic viability with long-term sustainability goals: An exploration of how cooperatives integrate financial performance with environmental responsibility, decent work, and social inclusion in everyday practices.
This stream addresses cooperative law and legal frameworks at national, regional, and international levels, including how they define and protect cooperative identity and principles. It welcomes comparative analyses of cooperative legislation, the implementation of the ICA cooperative principles in law, and recent reforms affecting different cooperative types and sectors.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Comparative analysis of cooperative legislation across countries or regions.
– Statute for a European Cooperative Society.
– The role of international recommendations and guidelines (ICA, ILO, EU, UN) in shaping cooperative law.
– Statute of the different types of cooperatives
– Legal personality, membership rights, and capital frameworks in cooperatives.
– Governance requirements and the legal articulation of democratic control.
– Legal treatment of cooperative groups, federations, and second-tier organizations.
– Regulation of intercooperation, mergers, and cooperative networks.
– Taxation, accounting, and audit provisions specific to cooperatives.
– Legal challenges of hybrid or multi-stakeholder cooperative forms.
– Digitalization, platform cooperatives, and emerging legal issues.
– Public policy and legislative initiatives promoting cooperative development.
– The interplay between cooperative law, company law, and competition law.
Inter-cooperation is a fundamental pillar for strengthening cooperatives and an essential mechanism for their consolidation and sustainable growth. This stream examines inter-cooperation as a core cooperative principle and a strategic resource. It explores the various forms, mechanisms, and outcomes of inter-cooperation and networking among cooperatives. It aims to analyze both theoretical and practical aspects, ranging from the factors that facilitate or hinder inter-organizational cooperation to their legal context, as well as the impact that these dynamics have on the competitiveness and sustainability of individual organizations or the sector as a whole.
We invite theoretical, empirical, and case study contributions that analyze inter-cooperative practices, governance models, and joint strategies across diverse cooperative contexts. Of particular interest are works that address how inter-cooperation promotes innovation, enhances market position, improves supply chain efficiency, or supports territorial and community development.
This stream welcomes multidisciplinary approaches, combining perspectives from economics, management, sociology, law, and public policy, to advance understanding of how inter-cooperation contributes to the evolution and sustainability of the cooperative movement.
Key topics might include:
– Governance structures and coordination mechanisms in inter-cooperative networks.
– Economic and social contribution of inter-cooperation at local, regional, or international levels.
– Collaborative strategies between cooperatives and other social economy actors.
– Federations, consortia, and second-level cooperatives as instruments of scaling and competitiveness.
– Research on multi-level organizing, transnational cooperative alliances, and new forms of networked cooperation in response to global challenges such as digitalization, climate change, circular economy, or agricultural value chains.
– Information sharing, joint digital platforms, and innovation ecosystems.
– The role of inter-cooperation in strengthening cooperative identity and mutual support.
– Legal and policy frameworks enabling or constraining cooperative networking.
This stream examines education, training, and capacity-building as integral components of cooperative ecosystems, focusing on how learning processes are embedded in cooperative operations to strengthen member engagement, leadership, governance, and operational performance. It explores education and training across formal, non-formal, and informal contexts, including higher education, vocational training, leadership development, and lifelong learning pathways that support cooperative competence, identity, and resilience.
Contributions may analyse pedagogical approaches, curriculum design, and institutional arrangements that transmit cooperative values and principles while enhancing managerial capabilities, strategic decision-making, and operational efficiency. The stream engages with broader debates on education for democratic citizenship, social economy, and transformative learning, with a particular focus on youth education, digital learning environments, cooperative entrepreneurship, and partnerships between educational institutions and cooperative organizations.
Key topics might include:
– Developing holistic educational programmes within cooperatives: An analysis of integrated training initiatives that combine cooperative principles, ethics, business management, and sector-specific skills to support effective and sustainable cooperative operations.
– Strengthening leadership, governance, and management capacities: A study of educational and training programs aimed at developing current and future cooperative leaders, including strategic management, ethical decision-making, and democratic governance.
– Building operational resilience through education and capacity-building: An examination of learning initiatives that enhance members’ capabilities in risk management, crisis response, and organizational adaptability, contributing to long-term cooperative stability.
– Innovative learning approaches in cooperative education: An exploration of digital learning platforms, collaborative and experiential learning methods, international exchanges, and other innovative approaches that enrich cooperative education and training.
– Assessing the impact of education and training in cooperatives: An analysis of methods and evidence on how educational initiatives influence member participation, organizational performance, operational efficiency, and overall cooperative success.
This stream examines the role of cooperatives within agriculture and food systems, focusing on their contribution to farmer empowerment, value chain organization, sustainability, food security, and innovation. It explores how agri-food cooperatives navigate governance challenges, market access, digitalization, and climate adaptation across diverse territorial and socio-economic contexts.
Contributions may analyse how agri-food cooperatives support rural development, territorial cohesion, and resilience to global market pressures, engaging with debates on global value chains, sustainable agri-food systems, and the reconfiguration of producer–market relations. Particular attention is given to cooperative strategies for quality differentiation, fair pricing, risk-sharing, and ecological transition, as well as to their interactions with public policies, multinational enterprises, and producer organizations.
Key topics might include:
– Strengthening farmer empowerment through collective action: An analysis of how cooperative structures enhance farmers’ bargaining power, income stability, productivity, and the overall competitiveness of cooperatives within agri-food value chains.
– Positioning agri-food cooperatives within global and local value chains and their contribution to reducing asymmetries and rebalancing between different links: A study of cooperative strategies for market access, quality differentiation, fair pricing, and relationships with multinational enterprises and other chain actors.
– Governance, innovation, and digitalization in agri-food cooperatives: An exploration of organizational models, digital tools, and innovative practices that support cooperative performance and adaptation in changing agri-food markets.
– Public policies and institutional environments shaping agri-food cooperatives: An analysis of how agricultural, rural development, and food policies influence cooperative strategies, governance, and long-term viability.
This research stream focuses on housing cooperatives as key actors in promoting affordable, sustainable, and community-oriented housing solutions. As cities and regions face mounting challenges in affordability, inclusion, and environmental sustainability, cooperative housing models offer innovative forms of collective ownership, participation, and resilience. We invite contributions that analyze the economic, social, legal, and governance dimensions of housing cooperatives, as well as their role in shaping more equitable and sustainable housing systems.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Governance and member participation in housing cooperatives: Studies on decision-making structures, management practices, and participation mechanisms that enhance transparency, accountability, and community cohesion.
– Affordability, financing, and long-term sustainability: Analyses of financial structures, access to credit, and policy mechanisms that support affordable and stable cooperative housing, including innovative financing and mixed ownership models.
– Social inclusion and community building: Research on how housing cooperatives foster social networks, solidarity, and integration, particularly among vulnerable populations, youth, or migrants.
– Legal and institutional frameworks: Examination of national and local legal systems, regulatory approaches, and public programs and policies that enable or constrain the development of housing cooperatives.
– Environmental sustainability and energy efficiency: Case studies of cooperatives implementing green building practices, renewable energy integration, and collective management of resources for low-carbon living environments.
– Urban regeneration and territorial impact: Exploration of how housing cooperatives contribute to neighborhood revitalization, equitable urban planning, and the prevention of displacement or speculation.
– New models and innovations in cooperative housing: Analyses of emerging models such as co-housing, limited-equity cooperatives, and intergenerational or mixed-use cooperative projects that respond to evolving societal needs.
This stream explores worker-owned and worker-managed cooperatives, analyzing their contribution to democratic workplaces, decent work, productivity, and resilience. It welcomes contributions on governance, labor relations, worker buyouts, and the role of worker cooperatives in broader processes of economic democracy and inclusive growth.
The stream invites conceptual and empirical work on participation, wage-setting, surplus distribution, and organizational culture in different countries, including comparative analyses with investor-owned firms and other forms of employee ownership.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Governance and democratic management: Studies on how worker-members participate in decision-making, monitor management, and balance operational efficiency with democratic governance.
– Economic performance and resilience: Analyses of productivity, innovation, and financial sustainability, including how worker cooperatives perform in times of crisis compared to conventional firms.
– Employment conditions and quality of work: Exploration of employment relations, wage distribution, job stability, and participation mechanisms that define equitable and dignified work in worker cooperatives.
– Capitalization and financial instruments: Examination of cooperative capital structures, member investment, and external financing strategies that respect democratic ownership principles.
– Succession and business conversion to cooperatives: Research on transformations of conventional enterprises into worker cooperatives, including legal, financial, and managerial challenges in employee buyouts.
– Intercooperation and networks of worker cooperatives: Case studies of federations, consortia, and cooperative groups that promote collaboration, collective services, and shared development strategies among worker cooperatives.
– Public policy and institutional frameworks: Analyses of legal systems, public programs, and policy tools that support or hinder the creation, consolidation, and scaling of worker cooperatives.
– Social innovation and cooperative identity: Inquiry into how worker cooperatives foster social innovation, sustainability, and collective empowerment, contributing to broader solidarity economy movements.
– Digital transition and platform cooperativism: Exploring worker-owned digital platforms, data sovereignty, and the impact of AI and algorithmic management on democratic decision-making and the future of work.
This stream encourages interdisciplinary research bridging economics, management, labor studies, law, and sociology to deepen knowledge about the potential of worker cooperatives as sustainable and democratic forms of enterprise.
This research stream invites contributions that explore new and emerging areas in which the cooperative model is being applied or redefined. As economic, social, and technological changes reshape production and consumption patterns, cooperatives are expanding into innovative sectors and experimenting with novel organizational logics. This stream seeks research that captures these ongoing transformations, highlighting how cooperative principles evolve to address new societal needs and frontier challenges.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– New cooperative sectors and hybrid models: Studies on cooperatives emerging in creative industries, culture, health, care, mobility, and knowledge-based economies, as well as hybrid organizational forms that blend cooperative principles with other models of collective entrepreneurship.
– Circular economy and waste valorization cooperatives: Analyses of cooperative initiatives promoting circular business models, material reuse, shared resource management, and community solutions for sustainable production and consumption.
– Social care and health cooperatives: Research on cooperatives providing social, health, and welfare services, including their governance models, funding mechanisms, and role in meeting community care needs.
– Cooperatives in new technological frontiers: Exploration of cooperative participation in data cooperatives, cooperative artificial intelligence, or decentralized autonomous cooperative forms responding to digital transformation.
– Cooperatives for climate adaptation and resilience: Examination of cooperative responses to climate risks and disasters, emphasizing community-based risk management and local resilience strategies.
– Creative and cultural cooperatives: Case studies of cooperatives in arts, media, entertainment, and cultural production, focusing on innovation, intellectual property, and sustainable livelihoods.
– Other sectors not included in specific research streams.
– New research approaches and theoretical frameworks: Conceptual or methodological contributions proposing new lenses, metrics, and theories for understanding cooperative evolution in emerging contexts and hybrid economies.
This stream encourages contributions from multiple disciplines, including economics, management, sociology, innovation studies, and environmental sciences, to expand the frontiers of cooperative research and identify emerging trends in cooperative development worldwide.
Technology, Digitalization, and Platform Cooperatives is a proposed research stream that examines how digital technologies are reshaping cooperative organizations, opening new possibilities for member participation, efficiency, and value creation, while also raising fresh governance and ethical challenges. The stream bridges classic concerns of cooperative democracy with contemporary debates on platform capitalism and data governance, with a special focus on platform cooperatives as collectively owned and governed alternatives to dominant investor-owned platforms.
The stream welcomes theoretical, empirical, and case study contributions from diverse fields, including management, information systems, law, sociology, and economics, to advance the understanding of digital transformation as a driver of innovation and resilience in cooperative organizations.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Digitalization of governance and member participation:
Studies on how digital tools (e-voting, online assemblies, collaborative platforms) enhance transparency, engagement, and democratic decision-making within cooperatives.
– Data management and cooperative digital sovereignty:
Analyses of how cooperatives collect, share, and govern data, emphasizing ethical data use, privacy, and collective ownership of information assets.
– Platform cooperatives and new digital business models:
Exploration of cooperative responses to the platform economy, including digital cooperatives in mobility, care, and cultural industries, and how they differ from conventional platforms.
– Digital transformation in cooperative supply chains:
Research on the use of digital technologies (IoT, blockchain, AI) to improve traceability, efficiency, and sustainability in agricultural, industrial, or service cooperative networks.
– Skills, leadership, and digital culture in cooperatives:
Examination of how digital competence, leadership practices, and organizational learning influence successful technology adoption and innovation.
– Legal and regulatory frameworks for digital cooperatives:
Analyses of emerging legal questions around digital platforms, ownership models, labor relations, and cooperative identity in the digital era.
– Social and ethical dimensions of digitalization:
Reflection on how digital transformation affects cooperative values, inclusion, member well-being, and the future of work and participation.
The stream encourages contributions from diverse fields, including management, information systems, law, sociology, and economics, to advance the understanding of digital transformation as a driver of innovation and resilience in cooperative organizations.
This research stream explores the role of cooperatives as agents of social innovation and local development, fostering inclusive economic growth and empowering communities. By combining democratic ownership with collective problem-solving, cooperatives contribute to building civic wealth — a locally rooted, socially shared, and sustainably managed resource. The stream invites theoretical, empirical, and case-based contributions examining how cooperatives generate social value, strengthen local ecosystems, and promote transformative community initiatives.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Cooperatives as catalysts of social innovation: Studies on how cooperative organizations generate innovative solutions to social, environmental, and economic challenges through member engagement and collective entrepreneurship.
– Community development and territorial impact: Analyses of cooperative contributions to local economies, employment, and infrastructure, including partnerships that foster sustainable regional development.
– Civic wealth and inclusive local economies: Research on how cooperatives build community assets and collective wealth through models that retain value locally and prioritize equity, participation, and resilience.
– Collaborative governance and multi-stakeholder partnerships: Examination of cooperative participation in local governance systems, cross-sector alliances, and social economy ecosystems that enhance social impact.
– Urban and rural regeneration through cooperation: Case studies of cooperative-led initiatives revitalizing urban neighborhoods or rural areas, strengthening local identity and cohesion.
– Measurement of social impact and value creation: Innovative approaches to assessing the social, cultural, and civic outcomes of cooperative activities, beyond traditional economic performance indicators.
– Policy frameworks and enabling environments: Analyses of public policies, support structures, and institutional arrangements that facilitate cooperative-led social innovation and community development.
– Education, empowerment, and civic participation: Investigation of how cooperatives activate civic engagement, participatory learning, and community leadership that reinforce democratic and inclusive societies.
This research stream examines the viability of cooperatives, focusing on the impact of various factors on their development, growth, and long-term sustainability. As key actors in achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth, cooperatives rely on enabling environments that align legal, fiscal, and policy instruments with cooperative principles and values. The stream welcomes theoretical, empirical, and comparative contributions that analyze the interactions between cooperatives, governments, and other institutions at local, national, and international levels.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– National and regional policy frameworks for cooperatives: Analyses of public policies, strategies, and institutional structures designed to support cooperative development, promotion, and competitiveness.
– Resilience and Strategies of Cooperatives Facing Policy Withdrawal: Institutional, organizational, and financial responses by cooperatives to reduced or restructured government support.
– Role of international organizations and policy coordination: Studies on how supranational institutions (ILO, ICA, EU, UN) promote cooperative development through recommendations, guidelines, and international cooperation.
– Public financing, fiscal incentives, and procurement policies: Research on financial instruments, tax benefits, and public purchasing frameworks that improve access to resources and market opportunities for cooperatives.
– Institutional partnerships and ecosystem-building: Examination of multi-actor collaborations between cooperatives, public administrations, and social economy organizations that strengthen the institutional environment.
– Cooperative development agencies and support programs: Case studies of agencies, federations, and technical support bodies that provide training, consulting, or funding to cooperatives.
– Regulatory challenges and modernization of cooperative law: Exploration of how evolving legal and economic frameworks affect cooperative competitiveness, governance, and innovation.
– Policy evaluation and evidence-based policymaking: Contributions assessing the effectiveness and impact of public interventions and institutional arrangements that influence cooperative growth and performance.
– Policy coherence and integration in the social economy: Analyses of how cooperative-friendly policies align with broader sustainability, employment, innovation, and territorial development goals.
This stream addresses conceptual and methodological challenges in measuring the economic, social, and environmental performance of cooperatives. It welcomes work on impact assessment, social and cooperative accounting, performance indicators, and evaluation frameworks tailored to the distinctive features of cooperative enterprises, including member ownership and democratic governance, and the distribution of value among stakeholders. Special attention is also given to the role of fiscal and taxation-related factors in shaping the performance, accountability, and sustainability of cooperatives.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
– Measurement of democratic participation, social value creation, and community impact in cooperatives, including approaches that capture cooperative-specific value beyond conventional financial metrics
– Methodological innovations for assessing the economic, social, and environmental impacts of cooperative enterprises
– Sustainability metrics and performance indicators adapted to cooperative governance structures and multi-stakeholder objectives
– The role of fiscal frameworks, taxation policies, and public incentives in shaping cooperative performance and long-term sustainability
– Challenges and opportunities in integrating sustainability reporting, social accounting, and impact measurement practices within cooperative organizations
– Cooperative accounting systems and reporting practices: analyses of accounting models that reflect member-based capital structures, distribution of surplus, and the integration of social value in financial statements.
This research stream explores how cooperatives foster equality, participation, and diversity in their governance, membership, and organizational culture. As democratic enterprises rooted in solidarity, cooperatives have a unique potential to promote gender balance, generational renewal, and social inclusion — yet they continue to face significant structural and cultural challenges. We welcome theoretical, empirical, and comparative studies that analyze how cooperatives integrate inclusive practices and equitable opportunities across different contexts and sectors.
It welcomes contributions on youth engagement, gender equality, leadership diversity, migrant inclusion, accessibility, and intersectional approaches to inequality within cooperative organizations and ecosystems.
Contributions may analyze barriers to participation, governance reforms, and best practices for inclusive cooperative models, drawing on gender, critical, and intersectional perspectives. The stream highlights the role of cooperatives in advancing decent work, empowerment, and social justice across social groups and generations, including the design of inclusive policies, quotas, mentoring, and support structures.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Gender equality and women’s leadership: Research on women’s representation in cooperative decision-making, barriers to leadership positions, and initiatives that promote gender equity and empowerment within cooperatives.
– Youth engagement and generational renewal: Studies on how cooperatives attract, retain, and empower young members, including education, entrepreneurship, digital participation, and intergenerational transfer of values.
– Diversity, equity, and inclusion practices: Analyses of strategies for embracing cultural, ethnic, and social diversity in cooperative membership and governance, highlighting best practices in inclusive management.
– Governance structures for inclusiveness: Examination of democratic mechanisms and institutional frameworks that ensure the representation of marginalized groups in cooperative boards and decision-making processes.
– Workplace equity and cooperative labor relations: Investigation of equitable employment policies, gender pay gaps, and inclusion-oriented labor practices that reflect cooperative principles of fairness and participation.
– Intersectional perspectives on identity and participation:
Theoretical contributions exploring how gender, race, age, disability, and other social categories interact to shape inclusion and participation within cooperatives.
– Education, training, and cooperative culture of inclusion: Case studies and analyses of educational and training initiatives that build awareness and capacity for equality, diversity, and inclusion within the cooperative movement.
This stream encourages diverse methodological and disciplinary approaches — from sociology and gender studies to management, law, and economics — to deepen understanding of how cooperatives can lead transformative change toward more equitable and inclusive societies.
This stream examines the role of cooperative banks and mutual insurers in addressing contemporary economic, technological, and social challenges. These entities play a distinctive role within the financial system by combining economic efficiency, proximity to member-customers, democratic governance, and a strong commitment to sustainable development. In a context shaped by digitalization, intensifying competition—including the emergence of new actors such as fintech firms—regulatory transformation, and broader structural challenges facing the economy, this stream invites contributions that analyze how cooperative financial institutions are adapting their business models while preserving their cooperative identity.
The stream welcomes theoretical, empirical, and comparative research that explores processes of change in cooperative banking and mutual insurance from economic, financial, organizational, regulatory, and governance perspectives.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
– Digitalization and member–customer relationships: Analyses of the impact of digital transformation, omnichannel banking, and artificial intelligence on cooperative relationships, service personalization, financial inclusion, and the maintenance of proximity and trust.
– Artificial intelligence, ethics, and regulatory compliance: Studies on the use of AI in credit allocation, insurance pricing, risk management, and customer service, as well as the challenges arising from compliance with the European Artificial Intelligence Act, including algorithmic governance, transparency, and human oversight.
– Competition in the new financial ecosystem: Research on how cooperative banks and mutual insurers compete and differentiate themselves from traditional banks, neobanks, fintech firms, and large technology platforms, including strategies related to innovation, collaboration, and specialization.
– Growth, concentration, and cooperative identity: Analyses of consolidation and growth processes in the cooperative financial sector and their implications for governance, member participation, sense of belonging, and the preservation of cooperative identity.
– Governance, leadership, and diversity in the cooperative financial sector: Studies on board composition, professionalization of management, gender diversity in senior leadership, and their impact on decision-making, organizational performance, and institutional legitimacy.
– Cooperative banking, sustainability, and climate change: Research on the role of cooperative financial institutions in sustainable finance, the green transition, green and social bonds, ESG strategies, and contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.
– Cooperative finance and Europe’s economic challenges: Analyses of the role of cooperative banks and mutual insurers in enhancing European competitiveness, financial stability, support for SMEs and local economies, and social cohesion in a context of structural economic transformation.
This research stream explores energy cooperatives as hybrid socio-technical and economic organisations, operating at the intersection of law, economics, and engineering, and playing a strategic role in the energy transition. Energy cooperatives combine democratic ownership structures, economic viability, and technical energy solutions, enabling citizens and local communities to participate actively in renewable energy systems and energy markets.
Rather than focusing on a single disciplinary perspective, the stream adopts an integrated approach, recognising that the development and scalability of energy cooperatives depend on the interaction between regulatory frameworks, economic models, and technological infrastructures. Energy cooperatives are therefore analysed as collective enterprises embedded in local territories and multi-level energy governance systems.
The stream welcomes conceptual, empirical, and comparative studies exploring the economic, social, environmental, legal, and technical dimensions of cooperative initiatives in the energy sector.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Renewable energy systems and community-based ownership models. Case and interdisciplinary studies on cooperative renewable energy projects (solar, wind, biomass, hydro), including system design, grid integration, storage solutions, and operational performance, linked to models of collective ownership.
– Economic models, financing, and market integration- Research on business models, cost structures, pricing mechanisms, risk allocation, and financial sustainability of energy cooperatives, as well as their interaction with energy markets and public support schemes.
– Regulatory and policy frameworks: Examination of national and EU-level legislation affecting energy cooperatives, focusing on how legal design shapes economic incentives, technological deployment, and organizational scalability.
– Social and environmental impact assessment: Multidimensional impact assessments addressing decarbonization outcomes, local economic development, employment, social cohesion, and the reduction of energy poverty.
– Digitalization and intelligent energy systems: Studies on digital platforms, smart metering, data governance, energy management systems, and collective self-consumption tools that enhance efficiency, system reliability, and member engagement.
– Intercooperation and energy networks: Exploration of collaborative strategies among cooperatives, municipalities, and social economy entities for scaling energy transitions and community-based energy services.
– Education, skills, and inclusive participation: Research on training, capacity-building, and knowledge-transfer initiatives that enable citizens to understand, manage, and co-design cooperative energy projects, with particular attention to inclusiveness and vulnerable consumers.
This stream encourages interdisciplinary contributions, including economics, engineering, law, environmental science, and social studies, to enhance understanding of how energy cooperatives contribute to a just, sustainable, and democratic energy transition.
This research stream focuses on consumer cooperatives as vital actors in building fair, sustainable, and socially responsible markets. Rooted in democratic ownership and consumer empowerment, these cooperatives contribute to shaping ethical consumption, supply chain accountability, and local economic resilience. The stream welcomes theoretical, empirical, and comparative studies that analyze the governance, business models, and social impact of consumer cooperatives in diverse contexts.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
– Governance and democratic participation: Studies on decision-making structures, member participation mechanisms, and governance innovations that ensure transparency, accountability, and member engagement in consumer cooperatives.
– Business models and competitiveness of consumer cooperatives: Analyses of how consumer cooperatives differentiate themselves through pricing, product quality, service innovation, and their capacity to compete in modern retail and service markets.
– Consumer trust, identity, and brand loyalty: Research on how cooperatives build trust, communicate values, and strengthen collective identity in the context of changing consumer behaviors and expectations.
– Sustainability and ethical consumption: Examination of consumer cooperatives’ contributions to sustainable consumption patterns, including environmental responsibility, local sourcing, and social justice initiatives.
– Digital transformation and omni-channel strategies: Studies of how digitalization is reshaping consumer engagement, retail operations, data management, and innovation within consumer cooperatives.
– Intercooperation and supply chain relationships: Analysis of partnerships between consumer cooperatives and producers, worker cooperatives, or social enterprises to foster fair trade, traceability, and shared value creation.
– Financial performance and resilience: Empirical research on the financial sustainability, efficiency, and adaptability of consumer cooperatives in response to market crises and competition pressures.
– Public policy and institutional environment: Exploration of how legal, fiscal, and policy frameworks influence the growth, regulation, and competitive position of consumer cooperatives.