Written by Kimberly A. Zueli and Robert Cropp, published by the University of Wisconsin, 2004.
This publication is the fourth and most extensive revision of the Marvin A. Schaars' text Cooperatives, Principles and Practices, University of Wisconsin Extension-Madison, Publication A1457, July 1980. What has come to be known simply as "the Schaars book. "was originally written in 1936 by Chris L. Christensen, Asher Hobson, Henry Bakken, R.K. Froker, and Marvin Schaars, all faculty in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since its first publication, the Schaars book has served as a basic reference for cooperative members and leaders, cooperative instructors and development specialists, and students of cooperatives throughout the United States and world. It has been translated into several languages.
Although the Schaars book has been out of print for some time, the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives (UWCC) continues to receive regular requests for copies. Its straightforward, basic information on the organization, structure, financing, and management of cooperatives is as needed and relevant today as ever. The revisions in this version, which reflect over two decades of learning about cooperative development as well as new cooperative laws and ways of doing business, will hopefully make it even more useful.
Table of Contents
Publication notes
An introduction to cooperatives
Historical development of cooperatives throughout the world
Cooperative history, trends, and laws in the United States
Cooperative classification
Alternative business models in the United States
Cooperative roles, responsibilities, and communication
Cooperative financial management
Procedures for organizing a cooperative
A summary of cooperative benefits and limitations
Notes
Glossary
Cooperative resources
