This work presents a history of the co-operative firm in China from its origins in the early 20th century. The aim is to describe how in its evolution, the Chinese cooperative movement has diverged from the western notion of a co-operative. To understand the similarities and the divergence, we will consider a number of economic and cultural factors, including the etymology of the Chinese and English words for ‘co-operative’, the Confucian culture, and the influence of the political contingencies. We argue that contemporary Chinese economic transition would benefit from the presence of a strong, western style, co-operative sector but that the contribution of the co-operative sector towards sustainability cannot take place unless a civil society develops as well.
Bernardi, AndreaMiani, Mattia
Oxford Brookes Business School\Oxford Brookes Business School
Year of publication: 2014Date of RADAR deposit: 2018-01-24