WP 44 | 12 Cooperative enterprises and network contracts: Key findings from a qualitative survey

Publication date: 18 March 2012
Research areas: Legal framework
Publication categories: Working papers
Tags: cooperatives, employment, turnover

The paper aims to investigate the “Network Contract,” an innovative form of business aggregation recently introduced by the legislature, through the results of a qualitative survey conducted on a sample of about 300 companies involved in 159 network contracts. The survey aims to identify the main reasons why cooperative enterprises chose this tool; its advantages and disadvantages; judgments and expectations on the performance of some business variables (orders, turnover, employment, exports, production costs); relations with the banking system; and improvements to be made for its wider use. The research aims to highlight any behavioral differences between cooperative enterprises and other legal forms. Finally, an attempt was made to indicate some industrial policy measures based on the suggestions provided by the interviewed enterprises themselves.

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