Abstract
Cooperatives are one of the alternatives to privatization or government control of enterprises. Textbooks on neither economic theory nor public debate between privatization and its critiques have explored the role of cooperatives as an alternate form of enterprise management. In public image, cooperatives are largely either government-run or are private enterprises masquerading as cooperatives. Hence, macro-data on cooperatives is suspect. This study of an 80-year-old construction labour cooperative is part of an endeavour to see if there are other cooperatives, in addition to a few well-known ones, that do not fit this image. Besides checking on its cooperative and self-reliant character, an attempt has also been made to document its structure and processes in sufficient detail to provide initial input for its replication. This process has led to a more critical reading too.
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