WP 26 | 12 Cooperation in Italy in 2008

Despite a growing interest in cooperatives, the knowledge of real economic, occupational and social dimensions of the cooperative enterprises is still little and fragmentary, at both a national and an international level.
This is also the case of Italy, a country with one of the most widespread cooperative system.
Many Italian Institutes (e.g. Istat, Confcooperative, Legacoop and Unioncamere) have been studying cooperatives for a long time. The majority of their studies refer to specific contexts, to specific types of cooperative or to restricted samples. There is still a lack of updated analyses of the overall dimensions of this phenomenon, able to follow its evolution and quantify – with reasonable precision – the ability to manage business and create jobs.
Starting from these preliminary remarks, the present study intends to offer a reliable analysis of the 2008 Italian cooperative system, by highlighting the economic and occupational dimensions and impact of the phenomenon.