The participation of members in cooperatives and mutuals

Cooperative and mutual companies are present in very competitive sectors. Due to this fact, the economic literature is very skeptical about the active role played by their members. Yet an analysis of their roles in several large cooperative and mutual companies in Limousin and Poitou-Charentes suggests a more nuanced conclusion. Participating members are in the minority but continue to believe in the cooperative model, and engage in a wide variety of actions.