THE ROLE AND STRATEGY FOR A COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF CO-OPERATIVES AS A SECONDARY ORGANIZATION: THE CASE OF THE GURO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF CO-OPERATIVES IN KOREA.

ABSTRACT In 2012, the 'Framework Act on Cooperatives' was legislated and about 7,500 co-operatives have been newly established in Korea. However, most of them are small, less competitive, and less skilled in management. In addition, they have difficulties in obtaining financial and management support from other organizations due to the lack of general awareness about co-operatives in Korea. To assist these co-operatives, secondary self-formed organizations composed of co-operatives have been created. This study explores the characteristics of these organizations and proposes possible models and strategies for cooperation among co-ops through these secondary organizations. In detail, we explore (1) the cooperation model to encourage collaboration among co-ops, (2) the roles and possibilities of secondary organizations to activate this cooperation model, and (3) the specific strategies and challenges for a more accessible cooperation model. To answer these questions, we conduct focus group and in-depth interviews with member and non-member co-ops in the Guro Community Association of Co-operatives, which is a self-organized secondary association in the Guro district in Seoul. Based on the interviews, we tried to find out their needs and the possibility for cooperation among co-ops at the level of the association. Also, we drew a conceptual cooperation model and its specific strategies through the association from theoretical review and interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]