1. Food co-operatives sustainably managing common pool resources as hyper-communities as outlined by Consumer Culture Theory.
- Author
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Berge, Simon
- Subjects
FOOD industry ,SUSTAINABLE development ,CONSUMERS ,COOPERATIVE societies ,ECONOMIC systems - Abstract
This paper presents the interview results from nine managers operating in the co-operative food sector in Ontario, Canada. The interview results are framed within the context of Consumer Culture Theory to show how co-operatives can be considered hyper-communities that are built around an opposition to the current economic system's management of food as a common pool resource. The co-operative managers interviewed present a view that co-operatives act as drivers of sustainable innovation by allowing individuals to act as a group with a common interest in sustainable practices. The co-operative model provides these hyper-communities with guidance to interact with the economic system through the co-operative principles. The co-operative principles assist co-operative managers in establishing member control over the common pool resource. This paper supports the growing literature on the co-operative economy and self-governance of common pool resources for a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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