tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62783603532374231582024-02-19T07:06:24.195-08:00Holm on Co-ops: Co-operative Conversationswendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-15418188253165287512020-08-28T11:27:00.007-07:002020-08-28T11:27:59.247-07:00COVID-19 - a reset for our way of connecting as individuals and communities?<p>I have not written here in a while, but COVID-19 brings me back...</p><p>Just mailed back final papers with comments to students in my course <u><i>MM5210 - Emerging Global Economies and Society</i></u>, a 2nd year masters course in global cooperation that I teach each Spring as part of Saint Mary's University's International Cooperative Management Eduction Program, Sobey School of Business, Halifax.</p><p>Below an excerpt from my comments to the 2018 Cohort as we began our studies in mid May. As you might imagine, we had amazing discussions.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #365f91; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>A RESET AHEAD?</i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>...this horrific pandemic has been an overarching reset for how we conduct our day-to-day lives. Could it also be a reset for our way of connecting as individuals and communities? Could it be that thru this experience – where we have recognized human needs come before the needs of the economy - we can help shape a more resilient post covid-19 world where the economy becomes the tool of society? Could this pandemic become a reset for the planet?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>This time last year, things were profoundly different. My introductory remarks for the 2019 MM5210 course concluded with the following words:</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">…Fleeing homelands in search of shelter and dignity, the world’s swelling refugee population faces dramatically shrinking options. In Canada, the SNC-Lavalin scandal demonstrates the power and influence of money and politics on governments and public policy. In Sweden, 16 year-old Greta Thunberg’s school strike for the environment has gone viral. Speaking to world leaders at the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Poland and World Economic Forum in Davos, Thunberg’s clear-voiced, no-nonsense demand challenges action: I expect you to panic. Our house is on fire. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We have set free the dogs of capitalism, with no leashes nor regulatory fences/boundaries, and they have turned feral… </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Does our endangered society – like other living organisms - have a built-in imperative to survive? If so, will the evolutionary wheel turn fast enough to pull us back from the brink and create a more cooperative economy? As co-operators, helping to make this happen is our opportunity and our challenge. It is also our responsibility. The picture we see on our screen is no longer “just a test” – like Thelma and Louise, we are pedal to the metal and speeding towards the cliff…</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>TODAY - stopped dead in our tracks – we are as far from “pedal to the metal” as we could be. As Tom Webb notes: </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Only a few short months ago, we went dancing and to parties. We shopped in packed stores. Some of us coughed into our bent elbows and carefully washed our hands but no one really worried about it too much. With COVID 19 we are learning new skills about the power and necessity of working together. We are learning to distance physically but pull together socially. The stories of co-operation and caring resonate with us as strongly as exploitation and profiteering backed by force repel us. We are learning co-operation, caring, openness and the co-operative values and how they are uplifting.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Stefano Zamagni shared these observations by email in the beginning of April:</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The real problem will be how to "resurrect" the economy after this disaster, and we are busy preparing ideas and gathering people for this purpose, but we must be "co-operative", we hope more people will understand this now. Keep strong and healthy and… diffusing the good news: that love is more powerful and joyful than hate.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Can we as co-operators rise to this challenge and – drawing on our midwifery skills of birthing capacity to meet need – help to reset our trajectory in a kinder, more co-operative direction?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>I hope the above has provoked some co-operative thoughts as we begin a journey hallmarked by gentleness, connectedness and support in these difficult times. I look forward to thinking and learning together over the next 8 weeks. </i></span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxZYvOrYiwz9Z3flq2slA7jbDtq4MGoTAHml98C7k916NoeTyMFoe7-iMUfnNEA9Ilki_gxApVo5ME0gJmDVY6zGArFxYrZXeTYpuS1tUalzThyphenhyphenQRXqzOgP69xlDatXtS2aemjJboEcF1/s676/TheBrighterDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="584" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxZYvOrYiwz9Z3flq2slA7jbDtq4MGoTAHml98C7k916NoeTyMFoe7-iMUfnNEA9Ilki_gxApVo5ME0gJmDVY6zGArFxYrZXeTYpuS1tUalzThyphenhyphenQRXqzOgP69xlDatXtS2aemjJboEcF1/s640/TheBrighterDay.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-65512997709416595932013-06-13T09:24:00.005-07:002013-06-13T09:24:42.169-07:00CHEFS' CIRCLE COOPJust back from 6 delightful weeks in Cuba with a few exciting coop ideas in my head, top of mind of which is Chefs' Circle Coop.<br />
<br />
This is the second year I have taken a group of young chefs, lead by SAIT's Andrew Hewson and BC's Ian Lai, to Cuba to exchange culinary experiences with their Cuban counterparts.<br />
<br />
We traveled afield - Vinales' mogotes, Cienfuegos' seaside, Topes de Collante's serenity - but also managed to fit in SEVEN amazing meals at Havana's top paladares, one of which we co-prepared:<br />
<ul>
<li>Atelier</li>
<li>Café Laurent </li>
<li>Le Chansonnier </li>
<li>Cocina de Lilliam </li>
<li>La Guarida </li>
<li>Mama Ines </li>
<li>Starbien</li>
</ul>
It became apparent as we cooked together that the chefs in these papadars shared a few common interests:<br />
<ul>
<li>commitment to cuisine, artistry, professionalism, skills-development and the client<br /></li>
<li>desire for access to wider range of specialty ingredients, spices, etc.<br /></li>
<li>interest in informal exchanges with chefs from other countries</li>
</ul>
<br />
The idea of a Chefs' Circle Coop has been playing in my brain ever since. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-3248325325595076132013-04-13T12:35:00.001-07:002013-04-13T16:55:44.874-07:00VANCITY again tells members who to vote for...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a class="lightbox-processed" href="http://www.straight.com/files/styles/popup/public/COL_NewsVancity_2364.jpg" rel="lightbox" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The Vancity board endorses candidates in the credit union’s elections, but some say the practice has an undue influence on how members cast their votes."><img alt="" height="180" src="http://www.straight.com/files/styles/article_main/public/COL_NewsVancity_2364.jpg" title="The Vancity board endorses candidates in the credit union’s elections, but some say the practice has an undue influence on how members cast their votes." width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="userContent">Vancity became the great credit union it is today thru a
democratic election process. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">Telling members who to vote for
("recommending" candidates who are Board-approved) creates board clones,
sacrificing democracy and the cooperative difference....</span><br />
<br />
This piece in the Georgia Straight nails it...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.straight.com/news/370571/vancity-election-recommendations-generate-controversy">http://www.straight.com/news/370571/vancity-election-recommendations-generate-controversy</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank"><br /> </a><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank"> click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-44073362179898683332013-04-03T07:11:00.000-07:002013-04-03T07:11:08.369-07:00Worker Co-ops and the Co-op Difference...The <a href="http://www.eacb.eu/en/home.html" target="_blank">European Association of Co-operative banks (EACB)</a>
is holding a competition rewarding young researchers who conduct studies on cooperative banks.
The goal of this competition is to raise awareness on the cooperative
bank model amongst the players in the research field, and, at the same
time, to better inform them. Prize is 2,000 Euros.<br />
<br />
Details at: <a href="http://www.sommetinter.coop/site/home?template=newsDetail&newsID=7105&utm_campaign=20130403-mouvement-infolettre&utm_medium=email&utm_source=infolettre&utm_content=EN__eacb__">http://www.sommetinter.coop/site/home?template=newsDetail&newsID=7105&utm_campaign=20130403-mouvement-infolettre&utm_medium=email&utm_source=infolettre&utm_content=EN__eacb__</a> <br />
<br />
I think an amazing area for research would be to compare co-op banks with a hierarchical (employee) structure with coop banks that are also worker coops. As I recall, Mondragon's Caja Laboral (an example of the latter) had an efficiency ratio to die for.. (Definitely south of 50% - i seem to recall low 40's). Does being also a worker coop bring added zest to the co-op difference? <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-14359990462992400332013-03-31T13:32:00.003-07:002013-03-31T13:32:59.377-07:00 Pope Francis washes the feet of 12 young prisoners; 2 are Muslim women...<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span class="blog-admin"></span>
</h1>
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/holy-thursday/2013/03/28/a807a3ee-9797-11e2-b68f-dc5c4b47e519_gallery.html" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img class="gallery-pic" height="213" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/03/28/Web-Resampled/2013-03-28/518520132--606x404.jpg" width="320" /></a>THIS IS REMARKABLE.<br />
<br />
Forgetting for the moment about his PAST comments on gay marriage, this new Pope is inspiring many.<br />
<br />
Can you imagine if the religious leaders of today were to sit down and wash each others feet?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #45818e;">Maybe we all - from every religion - need to form a "religion coop"</span></b>where we sit down as members and tell our board (religious leaders from
all walks of faith) to quit their fighting and get back to the business
of governing the spiritual commons, in which we all have an interest.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/pope-washes-feet-of-two-girls-two-muslims-at-youth-prison/2013/03/28/0a7c573e-97e5-11e2-b5b4-b63027b499de_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/pope-washes-feet-of-two-girls-two-muslims-at-youth-prison/2013/03/28/0a7c573e-97e5-11e2-b5b4-b63027b499de_story.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a><br />
<br />
wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-78282323781858425412013-03-19T11:52:00.002-07:002013-03-19T11:52:17.577-07:00Back to the Future with Coops...<br />
This YouTube clip of my January 2013 address to the Wild Rose
Agricultural Producers Association was re-edited by request to linger a
bit on some of the high content slides... The final version is posted here. <br />
<br />
Skip forward to 35:57 for cooperative messaging!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xRt-NV_1DY&feature=share&list=UUY2ab0SNVC4NIC35Hlw1rVw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xRt-NV_1DY&feature=share&list=UUY2ab0SNVC4NIC35Hlw1rVw</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a> wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-44574289277075731132013-01-19T10:02:00.003-08:002013-01-19T10:05:07.171-08:00Winning less important than playing fair...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuT1WNgKkN703CyEl0fZVmCg6-RXuQgHzN4k-QiLfCc1Tly2hGt-rKmyywJcG_7CYg66vvtVSVUzSH5QZgcFg8OaxbJogqnWW9Xtz7lG_VGHh8O5IM4_b-z7jHCrlxzRNGHS5Wr9eREza/s1600/o-FERNANDEZ-ANAYA-570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuT1WNgKkN703CyEl0fZVmCg6-RXuQgHzN4k-QiLfCc1Tly2hGt-rKmyywJcG_7CYg66vvtVSVUzSH5QZgcFg8OaxbJogqnWW9Xtz7lG_VGHh8O5IM4_b-z7jHCrlxzRNGHS5Wr9eREza/s320/o-FERNANDEZ-ANAYA-570.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
With the MAINSTREAM MEDIA focused this week on doping, the SOCIAL MEDIA needs to focus on this<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"> WONDERFUL story of </span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Basque athlete
Iván Fernández Anaya</span></span> (below) who put
himself second to push forward a Kenyan athlete who'd stopped too early... </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent">THIS IS RECIPROCITY. The push he gave the Kenyan was nothing more nor less than he would hope to receive himself if he was clearly the winner but shopped short in error. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent">Winning was simply less important than playing fair... </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"></span></span></span>The Basque region of Spain is home to <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=535418192&extragetparams=%7B%22group_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/vivamondragon?group_id=0">Mondragon</a>, arguably the world's most highly successful and fully integrated cooperative economies.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContent"> </span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContentSecondary fcg"> </span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContentSecondary fcg"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="userContentSecondary fcg">___________________</span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=456447927743095&set=a.326047560783133.83173.325981127456443&type=1&theater" target="_blank">Is winning all that counts? Are you absolutely sure about that? (</a></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=456447927743095&set=a.326047560783133.83173.325981127456443&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><i>from Facebook)</i></span></span></a></span></span><br /><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> <br />
Very little has been said about this…..On December 2, Basque athlete
Iván Fernández Anaya was competing in a cross-country race in Burlada,
Navarre. He was running second, some distance behind race leader Abel
Mutai - bronze medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the London
Olympics. As they entered the finishing straight, he sa<span class="text_exposed_show">w
the Kenyan runner - the certain winner of the race - mistakenly pull up
about 10 meters before the finish, thinking he had already crossed the
line.<br /> <br /> Fernández Anaya quickly caught up with him, but instead
of exploiting Mutai's mistake to speed past and claim an unlikely
victory, he stayed behind and, using gestures, guided the Kenyan to the
line and let him cross first.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
CLICK HERE FOR STORY: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/ivan-fernandez-anaya-hone_n_2505360.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/ivan-fernandez-anaya-hone_n_2505360.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
CLICK HERE FOR FB PAGE<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=456447927743095&set=a.326047560783133.83173.325981127456443&type=1&theater">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=456447927743095&set=a.326047560783133.83173.325981127456443&type=1&theater</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-57220260379595413902013-01-08T07:40:00.002-08:002013-01-08T07:45:03.088-08:00Thank you Pig in the City - Whoever u r...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNY4sw7Iqy74XOJkghg1azX_xnr-0A6J1yqRcCj-h1mYY9wAqV0acLokxhERshB9U5tf5s4SDfS7zFvac0p9buewxbieCeFQeOtWOCQ6oWmTcc_gzfI39MGXWD6cVyxRVuA_Vc7KkA6c/s1600/pig.in.the.city.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNY4sw7Iqy74XOJkghg1azX_xnr-0A6J1yqRcCj-h1mYY9wAqV0acLokxhERshB9U5tf5s4SDfS7zFvac0p9buewxbieCeFQeOtWOCQ6oWmTcc_gzfI39MGXWD6cVyxRVuA_Vc7KkA6c/s400/pig.in.the.city.jpg" title="" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://holmonstuff.blogspot.ca/2013/01/thank-you-pig-in-city-whoever-u-r.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Cross posted from Holm on Stuff, on <span style="font-size: small;">R</span>eciprocity... and Community</span></span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[57].[1][2][1]{comment474577512578949_88615967}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[57].[1][2][1]{comment474577512578949_88615967}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[57].[1][2][1]{comment474577512578949_88615967}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]">Is poverty invisible? Or are we are afraid it's catching...? </span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<div class="article-content entry-content" itemprop="articleBody">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Similar to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=522036821151834&set=pb.307551552600363.-2207520000.1357656540&type=3&theater">violinist playing Bach in a US subway</a>, this beautiful "pig in the city" was playing beautiful guitar in the oh-so-acoustic Berri Metro in Montreal last July.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Commuters
rushed by missing the moment, some tossing curious glances (but few
coins) as I stood - obviously transfixed - smiling at how this perfect
stranger had so perfectly lassoed a tiny portion of my too-busy-day and
filled it with a few moments of peaceful contemplation and spiritual
lift.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Brings
to mind Stefano Zamagni's theories on reciprocity. This little piggy
gave me music with no strings attached (beyond his own...). When I
reciprocated with my attention, my smile, and some bills in his guitar
case, I was rewarded by a graceful piggy-bow. </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thank you Pig in the City. Whoever u r...</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a></span></div>
wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-31717631138275427612012-12-24T11:36:00.001-08:002012-12-24T11:36:12.339-08:00Farmville-for-realville co-op!cross-posted from <a href="http://www.holmonfood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HolmOnFood</a><br />
<br />
A spiffy little "farmville for realville" idea from Italy would be an
excellent way for a farming coop (or ring of coops) to provide
city-slickers with their nutro AND techno fix!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
LAPTOP FARMING: Remote farming: tailor-made, no-fuss vegetable gardens for city dwellers...<br />
<br />
Italians can reconnect with the origins of their food. Le Verdure Del Mio
Orto ('The Vegetables from my Garden')—lets anyone build an organic
garden right from their web browser.<br />
<br />
Users select a garden size based on the
number of people they'd like to feed; 30m2 is sufficient for 1–2 people and
costs EUR 850 per year.<br />
<br />
The virtual gardener can then choose from 40 different
types of vegetables, using a highly intuitive interface that includes
information on expected yields and harvest times.<br />
<br />
Optional extras include a
photo album of the garden's progress (EUR 49), herb and fruit beds (EUR 50/75),
and even a scarecrow with a picture of the customer's own face (EUR 39).<br />
<br />
Once
the garden has been designed and fees paid, planting begins on the farm, which
is located between Milan and Turin in northern Italy.<br />
<br />
As the organic produce
grows, it's picked and delivered to the customer's door within 24 hours.<br />
<br />
More
details on the Springwise website and Le Verdure Del Mio Orto
website. Springwise and its network of 8,000 spotters scan the
globe for smart new business ideas, delivering instant inspiration to
entrepreneurial minds. (Source: Locavore News) :)<br />
<br />
Check out their website: <a href="http://www.leverduredelmioorto.it/">http://www.leverduredelmioorto.it/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a> wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-39466394422301705662012-12-23T12:44:00.001-08:002012-12-23T12:45:55.106-08:00Dairyland: how this coop could have been saved...For those of you who have been following this, I received the last 3 years of Dairyland/Dairyworld/Agrifoods International financials and we completed the analysis in time for my presentation to the National Farmers Union Annual Meetings in Saskatoon in late November.<br />
A link to the pdf of my slide deck is posted below. My upcoming January column in Western Dairy Farmer presents the full analysisl.<br />
<br />
<ul style="color: #339999; font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">
<li>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6278360353237423158"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><img align="right" alt="Children looking to the future..." src="http://www.theholmteam.ca/Anticipation.jpg" style="border: 0px solid; height: 252px; width: 168px;" /></span></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6278360353237423158"></a><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/FINAL.NFU.Nov.OCFAID.pptx.pdf" target="_blank">TRANSPARENCY: Measuring the Financial Health of your CO-OP- Case Study Dairyland . OCFAID Analysis</a>. November 23, 2012. Coops - an Exercise in Democracy, National Farmers Union 43rd Convention, Saskatoon</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a><br />
<br />wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-52474834470220887152012-12-23T09:41:00.002-08:002012-12-23T09:41:24.546-08:00Taking the pulse of your cooperative... <a href="http://wendyholm.com/WDF.Col35.Pulse.pdf" target="_blank">Taking the pulse of your cooperative... </a><br /><br />Western Dairy Farmer<br />November-December 2012<br />Wendy Holm<br /><br /><i>...As a dairy farmer, you know accurate monitoring of animal health is critical to the success of your farm. Feed uptake, milk production, stool quality, somatic cell count, hoof condition - all are carefully watched so you can take corrective action taken if and when problems appear.<br /><br />Unfortunately, no easy way exists to accurately monitor the financial performance of those organizations upon which farmers depend for their livelihood; whether you're a shareholder or a member, evaluating financial health based on annual statements is often impossible. <br /><br />A sad example of this is Dairyland, a successful farmer cooperative begun in BC in the early 1900's that suddenly - at the beginning of this century - collapsed. According to one Alberta delegate, describing the fateful 2001 final meeting: “No-one knew what was going on... Delegates were not kept up to date by the Board; there was no transparency. Basically, they destroyed the co-op and Saputo stole it for 50 cents on the dollar…”<br /><br />How did it happen? Unsustainable debt. Why did it happen? Lack of transparency and loss of member control. Like mushrooms, farmers - and Board members - were kept in the dark and fed agricultural byproducts. Corrective actions were impossible. And when the chickens came home to roost, their co-op was gone... </i><br />
<br />
<br />
click <a href="http://wendyholm.com/WDF.Col35.Pulse.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> to read more... <a href="http://wendyholm.com/WDF.Col35.Pulse.pdf" target="_blank">http://wendyholm.com/WDF.Col35.Pulse.pdf</a><br /><br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">_____________________</a><br />
<br />
click here to return to wendyholm.comwendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-22269066007322585882012-12-21T09:11:00.003-08:002012-12-21T09:22:48.612-08:00Basel III raises costs, encourages mergers in credit union land...Cross-posted from <a href="http://www.holmongovernance.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HolmOnGovernance</a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>"...the Great Crisis had highlighted to the
public throughout Europe and beyond of the positive contribution coop banks
give to the stability of the whole banking system."</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>
</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>"...We
thus need to reassess bank regulation in a perspective that takes into account
the differences in the nature and governance of different types of bank
institutions to make the whole banking system resilient and to prevent the
recurrence of new crises in the future" </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> The Amazing Power of Cooperatives</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Texts Selecteted from the International Call for Paper Proposals,</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Quebec International Summit of Cooperatives </span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>
</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Decisions regarding structural change (mergers and acquisitions) must respond to member needs, not regulatory dictates. T</span>he
Mondragon model suggests coops do better when they remain small and
federate (cooperate) for scale. Large uni-coops face challenges to
engage members, spawning governance and agency problems. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Regulators
prove time and time again that they don't "get" coops. When the sector
being regulated is financial coops, all coops have an interest in
this. <u>Regulation
and the Viability of Cooperative Banks </u>discusses the implications of Basel III on credit unions and mutuals. Below an excerpt from their concluding remarks: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
span.MsoFootnoteReference
{mso-style-priority:99;
vertical-align:super;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
/* Page Definitions */
@page
{mso-footnote-separator:url("Macintosh HD:Users:powerbook12:Library:Caches:TemporaryItems:msoclip:0:clip_header.htm") fs;
mso-footnote-continuation-separator:url("Macintosh HD:Users:powerbook12:Library:Caches:TemporaryItems:msoclip:0:clip_header.htm") fcs;
mso-endnote-separator:url("Macintosh HD:Users:powerbook12:Library:Caches:TemporaryItems:msoclip:0:clip_header.htm") es;
mso-endnote-continuation-separator:url("Macintosh HD:Users:powerbook12:Library:Caches:TemporaryItems:msoclip:0:clip_header.htm") ecs;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Regulation and
the Viability of Cooperative Banks</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Giovanni
FERRI1 and Giovanni PESCE2</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #231f20; position: relative; top: -3pt;">1<span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Chairma</span><span style="color: #231f20;">n<span style="letter-spacing: 1.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">o</span>f<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> <span>th</span></span><span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Departmen</span>t<span style="letter-spacing: -1.1pt;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">o</span>f<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> <span>E</span><span>c</span><span>o</span><span>n</span><span>o</span><span>m</span><span>i</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">c</span><span>s</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.75pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">a</span><span>t<span style="letter-spacing: -0.95pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">t</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;">h</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -1.3pt;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">U</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">n</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">v</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">s</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">t</span><span>y</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.75pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">o</span>f<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> <span>Bar</span></span><span>i<span style="letter-spacing: -0.65pt;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.1pt;">“</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">A</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">l</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">d</span>o <span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">Mo</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">”</span>,<span style="letter-spacing: 0.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">(</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">g</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">v</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">nn</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">.f<span>e</span><span>rr</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">@</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">un</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">b</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">.</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">i</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">t</span><span>)</span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #231f20; position: relative; top: -3pt;">2 <span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;">European <span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"><span> </span></span>Research<span style="letter-spacing: 2.1pt;"> </span><span>I</span><span>nsti</span><span>tute</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>on<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;">C</span><span>ooperative<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></span>and<span style="letter-spacing: 1.35pt;"> </span>Social<span style="letter-spacing: 0.85pt;">
</span>Enterprises <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2pt;"><span> </span></span>(Euricse),<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span>(g</span><span>.pesc</span><span>e@dse.uni</span><span>ba.i</span><span>t)</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Concluding
remarks:</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Great
Crisis highlighted the strengths of the “originate-to-hold” (OTH) model along
with the weaknesses of the “originate-to-distribute” (OTD) model. The banking
institutions based on the latter model proved to be weak during the crisis
while the banks based on the OTH model showed their strength and the huge
contribution they provided to the stability of the whole banking system.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6278360353237423158#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup><span></span></sup></a><sup><span>[1]</span></sup></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The crisis
has triggered a new wave of regulation, primarily but not exclusively, in the
banking system. Basel III is one cornerstone of the new banking regulation that
will apply to the entire banking system in the coming years. We have seen how
it introduces measures to correct and prevent the causes that triggered the
Great Crisis. However, some question marks remain on the stability of the
banking system, such as the problems arising from the unregulated shadow
banking system, the possibility of regulatory arbitrage, the type of (‘light
touch’ vs. ‘rigorous touch’), the extent of surveillance (‘scrutiny problem’)
and the skills of supervisory authorities (‘skills problem’). Last but not
least, the current regulatory approach ignores the benefits from the presence
of banking and financial institutions with different objectives and governance
methods. Coop banks, for example, were considered outdated and inefficient
institutions until a few years ago, but the Great Crisis had highlighted to the
public throughout Europe and beyond of the positive contribution coop banks
give to the stability of the whole banking system. However, the regulation in
its current framework does not recognize such a role. Instead, it creates
distortions that may push these banks into business and governance models
outside their nature, characterizing mainly big banks, primarily PLC banks.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We argued
that coop banks are urged to comply via the channel of regulatory compliance
costs. From an ad hoc survey of Italian coop banks, we found that compliance
costs–in terms of dedicated employees–had increased on average of 175% between
2000 and 2010–even before the enforcement of Basel III–with peaks of 500% for
some coop banks. In addition, in 2010, an average of 1.9% of these banks’ staff
was committed to regulatory compliance, with peaks above 4%. The costs of staff
dedicated to regulatory compliance–as a proportion of the total
staff–represents fixed costs for coop banks. After taking into account
differences among coop banks in terms of volume of business, geographic
location, workforce size and local networks, coop banks play a key role in
explaining the costs of staff devoted to regulatory compliance. “Increasing”
the total number of employees of coop banks significantly reduces their regulatory
compliance staff costs. In other words, this means that coop banks with a
smaller total staff bear a cost of regulatory compliance–in terms of dedicated
staff–relatively higher than at larger coop banks.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All of this
compels coop banks to find solutions to reduce the costs of regulatory
compliance. One way is through mergers and acquisitions (M&As) among coop
banks; in fact, 85% of the responding coop banks said that Basel III increases
the probability of M&As, with 43% of respondents saying their own bank will
be affected directly by this event. We find also that the experience (and
success) gained in past M&A operations has a significant and positive
impact on the probability that coop banks expect to be involved in future
M&A operations for which the share of staff dedicated to regulatory
compliance is a driving force, through the existence of artificial economies of
scale, pushing coop banks to such measures in order to mitigate the effects of
Basel III.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We thus need
to reassess bank regulation in a perspective that takes into account the
differences in the nature and governance of different types of bank
institutions to make the whole banking system resilient and to prevent the
recurrence of new crises in the future. Possibly, enlightened legislators and
regulators will engage in applying some proportionality criterion to the
enforcement of these new rules. This is needed to preserve diversity within the
banking system, whose virtues were (re-) discovered with the Great Crisis of
2007-2009. Now, banking diversity demands practical measures of safeguarding
rather than simply lip service.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6278360353237423158#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span></span></span></span></a><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Furthermore, the OTD model was generally interpreted
in the strict sense that originating banks would give away the underlying risk
along with the securitized loan portfolio and this had the disastrous
consequences we all learnt. The collapse in some credit markets highlighted
that the presence of generalized OTD banks had dramatic results for the whole
system.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br clear="all" /></span>
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">click here to return to wendyholm.co</a></span>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-81827729326981865682012-12-19T08:49:00.003-08:002012-12-19T10:27:39.857-08:00Cuba and sustainable economicsThe below is cross-posted from <a href="http://www.holmoncuba.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">HolmOnCuba</a> blog <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
</h1>
<div class="article-content entry-content" itemprop="articleBody">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"If you were impressed with Cuba's leadership in
sustainable agriculture, <br />you'll be wowed by their leadership in
sustainable economics..."</i></div>
<br />
The above is my elevator speech on Cuba. As a result of the participation
of eight Cuban delegates in IMAGINE 2012 and QUEBEC SUMMIT ON
COOPERATIVES,* there is a growing (and happily impatient) interest in
understanding/supporting Cuba's journey to convert major sectors of her
economy from state \bureaucracies to worker co-operatives.<br />
<br />
I will be speaking with colleagues in Havana this February to discuss
the development of a program (workshops and field visits) to further the
<a href="http://www.theholmteam.ca/HAVAVA.WORKSHOPS.Dec.2011.pdf" target="_blank">dialogue begun in Havana in December 2011</a>and in <a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/Cuban.Deleg.IMAGINE.SUMMIT.pdf" target="_blank">Quebec City this fall.</a><br />
<br />
Watch this blog for further details...<br />
<br />
<br />
____________________________<br />
* Canada's two premier IYC 2012 events held in Quebec City October 6-12.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">Click here to return to wendyholm.com</a></div>
wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-41027355591901949282012-11-24T08:53:00.002-08:002012-11-24T09:26:19.667-08:00Taking the FINANCIAL PULSE of your CO-OPA presentation I just gave to the National Farmers' Union 43rd Convention in Saskatoon (theme: <u>Coops: An Exercise in Democracy) </u>on how coop members and directors can more readily assess - at a glance! - the financial health of their cooperative is posted at <a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/FINAL.NFU.Nov.OCFAID.pptx.pdf">http://www.wendyholm.com/FINAL.NFU.Nov.OCFAID.pptx.pdf</a>.<br />
<br />
click here to return to <a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">wendyholm.com </a><br />
<br />
<br />wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-38186917804824996632012-10-25T11:35:00.003-07:002012-10-25T11:38:44.091-07:00CO-OPS: The New Revolutionary Road...<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Traveling with Mavis on her 4 -stop speaking tour in British Columbia, I am enjoying the best of two worlds – reflecting on the wonderful discussions that occurred 2 weeks ago at IMAGINE 2012/QUEBEC SUMMIT, Canada's twin conferences to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives while at the same time delighting in the resonance Mavis' message - cooperatives deliver social justice and build a better world - is having at the community grass roots level. <br /><br />When post-WW2 Chicago School economists like Milton Friedman said greed drives the economy (innate self-interest pursues profits that fuel jobs that fuel growth), governments listened by getting out of the way of markets, releasing the dogs of capitalism that in 40 short years have driven us to the cliffs-edge. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Today, these economic myths are crumbling. As
over 2,800 delegates from 100 countries who were gathered in Quebec
City Oct 6-12 confirmed, it is cooperation that sustains communities. Are there greedy bullies? Sure. We all saw them on the playground. We feared them then because we knew what they were capable of and we fear them now because look what they have done to our world. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />It's time to say stop. Cooperation is the new revolutionary road.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
mso-themecolor:hyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a></span></span>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-22414048391389050692012-09-11T13:01:00.002-07:002012-09-11T21:35:34.258-07:00Imagine a revolution...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://holmonfood.blogspot.ca/2012/09/revolution-begins-in-mind-and-lives-in.html" target="_blank">cross-posted from HolmOnFood</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKOchjlgstgrLoJLt7JsLuwpndZvahEACKsTO6w9v_5VEAPSqUc04qzSUSRz87LhvWrSATUfZA29_GMiNBjZckfZpeRqLqWHuRDAxiijc2s_cjblxERgXv9HhBRQtYizvzcXVJyPm67s/s320/mavis.pointing.sm.jpg" width="239" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Revolution begins in the mind... And lives in the spirit...</i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>If you were impressed with Cuba's
global leadership in sustainable food production, just wait till you
see what they are doing to build a sustainable, people-centred
economy...</i></div>
<br />
My dear friend and Cuban colleague Mavis Dora Alvarez is coming to British Columbia in October.<br />
<br />
As
a young woman, Mavis was part of the revolutionary underground that had
the audacity (belief in themselves!) to overthrow a despicable dictator
and - for the first time since conquest - create in Cuba a socialist,
egalitarian society.<br />
<br />
But Cuba had a complex road to
walk. When local US refineries were asked by the Cuban government to
process Soviet crude, Washington forbid it. In response, Cuba
nationalized the properties of American oil refineries. In response,
Washington cut of Cuba's sugar quota. In response, Cuba nationalized US
interests in Cuba. Washington then imposed an economic blockade which
has endured for 50 years. <br />
<br />
For much of this time, Cuba
supplied sugar to the Soviet Union in exchange for food, fuel,
machinery, materials,and manufactured goods. In the mid 1980's, Cuba's
standard of living exceeded that of the US based on Latin American
indices. When the former Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba was thrown into
economic darknesss: the "Special Period" began.<br />
<br />
Cuba's
success in converting its monoculture, sugar-based economy to a
sustainable, diverse and healthy cooperative sector is a success story
for the world. And the world is watching. In 1999, Cuba won Sweden's
Right Livelihood Award for global excellence in organic urban
agriculture. Several years ago, the World Wildlife Fund recognized Cuba
as the only nation to achieve sustainability based on ecological
footprint and human development. It is why I have taught a UBC course
for Canadian students in Cuba every May since 2005.<br />
<br />
The
NEW news is that Cuba is taking bold steps to support the growth of
worker cooperatives as a way to deliver - within the socialist construct
- a truly people-centered economy. For more on Cuba's cooperative
path, read the report of the December 2011 Havana Workshops <a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/HAVANA.WORKSHOPS.Dec.2011.pdf">http://www.wendyholm.com/HAVANA.WORKSHOPS.Dec.2011.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<u>A leading member of the team of passionate Cubans that have together moved Cuba forward on ALL these fronts is Mavis Alvarez. </u><br />
<br />
While in BC, Mavis will speak on two topics.<br />
<br />
The first, <u>Sustainable Food + Sustainable Economics: Cuba's New Co-operative Path </u>(see
write up below), presented by
SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement, will be on October 29th
from 7 to 9 pm at the <span class="visible">Goldcorp Centre for the Arts</span><br />
<br />
The second <u>Women, Farming and Revolution - towards a sustainable food future</u>
will be a more informal dialogue with communities touching on much of
above and why communities need to support farmers and local food
networks. Mavis is presently scheduled to speak in Sooke (Oct 22),
Courtney (Oct 23) and UBC (Oct 24).<br />
<br />
Together with five
Cuban colleagues, Mavis was invited to Canada by Saint Mary's University
to participate in Imagine 2012/Quebec Summit, Canada's top conferences
celebrating the UN's 2012 International Year of Cooperatives (Quebec
City, Oct 5-11). Funding for the visit of the five Cubans was provided
by SMU, IDRC and several partners. Mavis Alvarez' visit was kindly
supported by Vancity.<br />
<br />
____________________________________________________________ <br />
<br />
Write up from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/463690753651048">http://www.facebook.com/events/463690753651048</a>/ <br />
<br />
<b>Sustainable Food + Sustainable Economics: Cuba's New Co-operative Path with Mavis Dora Alvarez</b><br />
Presented by SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement<br />
<br />
Cuba
today is immersed in a very intense process of perfecting its
agricultural production structures with the goal of making them more
efficient and sustainable in their economic administration and in their
social and environmental management.<br />
<br />
Agricultural
cooperatives in Cuba have the responsibility of producing on 73% of the
country's farmland. Their contributions are decisive to developing
agricultural production and to ensuring more and better food for the
population, in addition to reducing high levels of food imports.<br />
<br />
In
that context, a comprehensive strategy is being implemented to empower
co-operativism as a socioeconomic model in which technical skills and
management training is a priority issue.<br />
<br />
The experience
of applying new training and education concepts in cooperative
management is a theme that those of us who are specialists in this area
would like to share with our allies in the Canadian and global
co-operative movements.<br />
<br />
-----------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Mavis
Dora Alvarez is an agricultural engineer and educator who consults with
Cuban family farming and cooperatives. She is a member of the UNDP's
Palma Project, an advisor to the Canadian International Development
Agency on gender issues in the Canada-Cuba project 'Development of
Forestry in Cuba' and for forty years has been member of the national
leadership of the National Association of Small Farmers. She hold a
bachelors degree in agricultural engineering and a masters degree in
gender studies.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-52302299393764910022012-09-11T11:48:00.002-07:002012-09-11T11:48:49.551-07:00TOM TALKS: IMAGINE a better world...<br />
Here are two BEAUTIFULLY SHOT AND ELOQUENTLY POWERFUL videos by classmate and filmmaker Kevin Matthews featuring Tom Webb on Mondragon - why co-ops ARE tomorrow's solution to deliver a more people-centred economy.<br />
<br />
Take a moment to IMAGINE...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pBJkFSIkAM" target="_blank">Tom Talks - What's the bid deal about co-operatives Part 1</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pBJkFSIkAM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pBJkFSIkAM</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAo4CY3ebrg" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAo4CY3ebrg" target="_blank">Tom Talks - The secret of the Monragon Co-operatives - Part 2</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAo4CY3ebrg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAo4CY3ebrg</a><br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/" target="_blank">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-31649914257500836732012-09-08T09:58:00.003-07:002012-09-08T09:58:49.349-07:00IMAGINE A BETTER WORLD...<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">cross-posted from <a href="http://holmonpolicy.blogspot.ca/2012/09/imagine-summit-entirely-different.html" target="_blank">HolmOnPolicy</a> </span></span></i></h1>
Invitation to the Imagine 2012 – International Conference on Co-operative Economics<br />
6-8 October 2012 in Quebec City, Canada<br />
<br />
<i>The official opener to the International Summit of Co-operatives in Quebec City, Canada. </i><br />
<br />
Imagine 2012 is designed to bring together the leadership of the world’s
major co-operatives and leading economic thinkers from around the
world. Supported by the International Co-operative Alliance, Imagine
2012 will provide a forum in which co-operative leaders and world-class
economists can explore a new approach to economic analysis and thought
that offers people around the world renewed hope for an economy that
meets people’s needs.<br />
<i><br />“Imagine 2012 will explore practical and sorely needed
alternatives to current conventional economic models, theories, and
practices that threaten our children’s future. In a world that now seems
perpetually on the edge of an economic abyss, nothing could be more
important,” </i>says Presenter Thomas Homer-Dixon, author of The Upside of Down.<br />
<br />
________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
Imagine a Summit Entirely Different… <br />
<br />
It is with pleasure that we invite you to participate in Imagine 2012. <br />
<br />
“Co-operative leaders need to see the opportunities that will emerge out
of the growing economic uncertainty, and to value the amazing power of
the co-operative model to create a better world,” states Imagine 2012
organizer Tom Webb.<br />
<br />
“Imagine 2012 could not have come at a better time! For fifty years, the
African continent has been the guinea pig for various types of economic
models that have failed dismally…Co-operatives can simultaneously
promote wealth creation, poverty alleviation and more equitable
distribution of resources,” says Participating Cooperator Nelson Kuria,
CEO of CIC Insurance Group, Ltd., based in Nairobi, Kenya.<br />
<br />
Who will be there?<br />
<br />
Imagine 2012 will introduce participants to 15 internationally known,
cutting edge economic thinkers who will engage with a cohort of
cooperative leaders from around the world to begin hammering out a set
of concepts and analyses that can become the framework of a discipline
known as Co-operative Economics. It will prepare them to take active
roles in framing a declaration of global solidarity and action at the
Co-operative Summit that follows.<br />
<br />
A full program of speakers is available at <a href="http://www.imagine2012.coop/">www.imagine2012.coop </a><br />
<br />
Add to that, more than 500 co-operative, credit union and mutual leaders
were registered by midsummer, from every continent and dozens of
nations. Both our President, Dame Pauline Green, and I will be there and
it would be great to see as many of our fellow co-operators in
attendance.<br />
<br />
Registration<br />
<br />
For details on how to register visit <a href="http://www.imagine2012.coop/">www.imagine2012.coop </a><br />
<br />
Special discount for Summit delegates<br />
<br />
There are special discounts available to those already attending the
International Summit of Co-operatives in Quebec from the 6-11 October.<br />
<br />
Questions?<br />
<br />
Please direct any question on this event to the Imagine 2012 Organizer, Tom Webb at <a href="mailto:tom.webb@smu.ca">tom.webb@smu.ca</a><br />
<br />
We look forward to seeing you in Canada.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-62805252378975176752012-08-25T15:02:00.003-07:002012-08-25T15:04:12.685-07:00 Greed, community and the power of networks<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">cross-posted from <a href="http://www.holmongovernance.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HolmOnGovernance blog:</a> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In this age of globalism — where rivers of capital move silently through
borderless economies, sourcing at the lowest cost and charging back to society
its costly externalities – we are adrift on a raft of our own making. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Firms
today excel at what neo-classical economists and governments have been cheering
them on to do since the mid 30’s: make investors rich and the economy will be
better for it. </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Somewhere along the way, communities got left behind. Economic
bullies have captured the flag. The question now is: how do communities take it
back? </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Theory suggests that stakeholders, unfettered by hierarchical systems and
supported by a cooperative infrastructure, have a natural instinct to
cooperate. This fosters relationships that, in the presence of common
purpose, create networks. When networks are complex — bringing together
differing perspectives and resources — and when systems are democratic and
open-ended, the potential exists for unplanned adaptation, innovation and
entrepreneurship. </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Under these unique circumstances, innovation blooms like
wildflowers in a meadow - with unexpected bursts of colour and in unanticipated
places. </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And, like the wings of a butterfly, many small actions have resonance
on a much wider scale, creating the framework for an adaptive,
community-focused process that – properly harnessed – can deliver the dignity
and security of a sustainable future. <br />
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">___________________</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">New 2013 Presentation just posted on my <a href="http://nsb.com/speakers/view/wendy-holm" target="_blank">National Speakers Bureau Speakers Page </a>For more go to <a href="http://nsb.com/speakers/view/wendy-holm">http://nsb.com/speakers/view/wendy-holm</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-57740832841574618292012-08-16T09:39:00.001-07:002012-08-16T14:11:24.432-07:00The Paradox of Thrift and the Power of Coops...<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">cross-posted from <a href="http://holmonpolicy.blogspot.ca/2012/08/the-paradox-of-thrift.html">HolmOnPolicy blog: </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you CBC for another wonderful
Invisible Hand series: The Paradox of Thrift (and the world obsession with
austerity). <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/theinvisiblehand">http://www.cbc.ca/theinvisiblehand</a><br />
<br />In a nutshell, the paradox - presented by
economist Robert Shiller - is that fiscal austerity by government worsens
economic downturns. That government make-work projects are what got us
out of the Great Depression (when the economy doesn't offer jobs, government
must). And that budget cutbacks and layoffs in the public sector create a
fear mentality quickly echoed in the private sector. Fear drives
thrift, reducing demand. This erodes the economy, says Shiller, causing
people to rely on their savings to live, eroding wealth. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />Because of this, it is Shiller's
contention that the current popularity of government austerity measures will
inevitably deepen and lengthen economic recovery time, making life worse for
all of us. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">He uses the metaphor of the crop
farmer in
winter: During the growing season, mother nature creates and drives
farm
employment: prepare the soil, seed, weed, till, fertilize, nurture,
irrigate, harvest, grade, store/sell. When mother nature's jobs are
over, the farmer doesn't lock him/herself in the house and wait for the
sun to reappear but instead generates his/her own employment:
mend the fence, dig a well, fix the barn. Just because there are no
more "jobs" doesn't mean an end to work. Work has its own
value. And this value is vested in a better farm and a better farmer. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Shiller believes when the market stops
delivering jobs, it is time for government to step up and create them.
Just think of all the things our tax dollars could employ people to do!<br /><br />Instead of cutting funding to coops, Ottawa should instead be strongly supporting the growth of cooperatives (worker,
consumer, and service ) to create sustaining, dignified jobs in our communities
and enacting the legislation necessary to help them flourish.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In his 1705 poem The Grumbling Hive </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">(The Fable of the Bees</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">which
opened this segment, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bernard Mandeville suggests virtue ("every performance by which man,
contrary to the impulse of nature, should endeavour the benefit of others, or
the conquest of his own passions, out of a rational ambition of being
good") causes collapse of a mythical hive because it is human vices (i.e., the
self-regarding actions of men) which alone, by means of inventions and the
circulation of capital (economics) in connection with luxurious living,
stimulate society into action and progress. </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not wanting to pick a fight with a chap
that died 280 years ago, :) I have to say Bernie should have chosen another
animal for his metaphor. Bees are uber-cooperators. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Humans possess the cooperation gene also. It just needs to be turned on by good public policy.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">CLICK HERE</a> to return to <a href="http://wendyholm.com/">wendyholm.com</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-23798967207547376602012-08-06T14:37:00.002-07:002012-08-06T14:43:23.831-07:00Cuba: $100 million for new worker coops...<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://holmoncuba.blogspot.com/2012/07/cuba-puts-100-million-aside-to-support.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark">
<i><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">cross-posted from HolmOnCuba</span></i></a></h1>
<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name">
Cuba puts $100 million aside to support worker coops...
<span class="blog-admin"></span>
</h1>
THIS IS VERY EXCITING!<br />
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/cuba-plans-100-million-fund-to-aid-worker-run-businesses-1-.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/cuba-plans-100-million-fund-to-aid-worker-run-businesses-1-.html</a><br />
07/24/12. Bloomberg. <br />
<b><u>Cuba Plans $100 Million Fund to Aid Worker Run Businesses</u></b><br />
<br />
Cuba's communist government will set aside $100 million to help
establish private cooperatives as President [1]Raul Castro takes further
steps to boost economic growth on the island.<br />
<br />
Cooperatives with as many as five employees will be allowed to manage
their own operations by the end of the year, a policy meant to loosen
restrictions on basic services and increase productivity, Castro [2]told
the National Assembly yesterday. Agricultural cooperatives account for
about half the 200 businesses selected, Marino Murillo, deputy chairman
of the Council of<br />
Ministers, said.<br />
<br />
"We selected a group of business organizations to run an experiment with
sufficient autonomy and power," Castro, 81, said, according to a
transcript of the speech posted on the government website Cuba Debate.
"This experience will lift the brake that exists on the development of<br />
productive forces."<br />
<br />
Since his 85-year-old brother Fidel started handing over power in 2006,
Raul Castro has initiated measures to open the Caribbean island's
economy, including loosening of property laws and controls prohibiting
private enterprise such as taxi and mobile phone companies.<br />
<br />
More than 390,000 Cubans were self-employed at the end of June, up from
almost 233,000 in 2010, when the government vowed to "redesign" the
country's economy and cut 500,000 state workers. Transportation and food
services are the largest source of private employment, Murillo told
lawmakers.<br />
<br />
Abandoned Exploration<br />
<br />
The latest moves may help soften the blow from Repsol SA's decision
earlier this year to abandon oil exploration off the island's northern
coast after a test well came up dry. Falling prices for nickel, Cuba's
biggest export, have also undermined growth.<br />
<br />
Not all of Castro's measures have aided entrepreneurs. Earlier this
month, the government announced they would impose new taxes on imported
goods in September, adding to the costs for businesses that rely on
materials from abroad.<br />
<br />
Cuba's economy expanded 2.1 percent in the first half of the year, up
from 1.9 percent in the same period of 2011, Castro said yesterday.<br />
<br />
To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Sabo in Panama City at <a href="mailto:esabo1@bloomberg.net">esabo1@bloomberg.net</a><br />
<br />
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Joshua Goodman at <a href="mailto:jgoodman19@bloomberg.net">jgoodman19@bloomberg.net</a><br />
<br />
Original Source / Fuente Original:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1746095782">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/cuba-plans-100-million-fund-to-aid-</a><br />
<a href="http://worker-run-businesses-1-.html/">worker-run-businesses-1-.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">To return to wendyholm.com click here </a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-20927530877807682912012-08-04T10:37:00.002-07:002012-08-04T10:37:48.492-07:00Scorched Earth Economics... MonbiotCross-posted from HolmOnPolicy: <br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">http://holmonpolicy.blogspot.com/2012/08/scorched-earth-economics-monbiot.html</a><br />
<br />
From HolmOnFood: (<a href="http://holmonfood.blogspot.com/2012/07/if-adam-smith-were-here-today.html">If Adam Smith were here today...</a>),
Smith never contemplated a) the international mobility of capital and
labour and b) the failure of agency (elected governments) to maintain
fair competition in markets.<br />
<br />
According to George Monbiot (<a href="http://www.monbiot.com/2012/07/30/scorched-earth-economics/">Scorched Earth Economics)</a>: "...A program
that promised freedom and choice has instead produced something
resembling a totalitarianism capitalism, in which no one may dissent
from the will of the market and in which the market has become a
euphemism for big business..."<br />
<br />
Here is the link to the full article: <a href="http://www.monbiot.com/2012/07/30/scorched-earth-economics/">http://www.monbiot.com/2012/07/30/scorched-earth-economics/</a><br />
<br /><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">Click here to return to wendyholm.com </a><br />
<br />wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-26727260367344574462012-07-29T10:56:00.002-07:002012-07-29T10:58:19.332-07:00It's time to all hold hands and cooperate. :)<h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Further to article by economist Joseph Stiglitz just profiled on <a href="http://www.holmonpolicy.blogspot.com/">HolmOnPolicy</a>, Stiglitz's economic <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">rent-taking can't occur in a competitive market; this was Adam Smith's
point. </span></span></h1>
<h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">But as we have seen - and Smith couldn't anticipate - absent good
governance, the invisible hand nudges towards its own self interest:
market imperfections move toward oligopsony/oligopoly. </span></span></h1>
<h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Both structural forms feed almost exclusively on economic rents. </span></span></h1>
<h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Capitalism has played its hand. It's time to
all hold hands and cooperate. :)</span></span></h1>
<h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/"> click here to return to wendyholm.com</a> </span></span></h1>
<h1>
</h1>
<br />wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-32020852191826256782012-07-28T15:10:00.001-07:002012-07-28T15:10:13.040-07:00IMAGINE 2012The TOP economic thinkers of our time will be presenting at IMAGINE 2012 in Quebec City October 5-7. <a href="http://www.imagine2012.coop/presenters/">http://www.imagine2012.coop/presenters/</a><b> </b><br />
<br />
Designed to bring together the
leadership of the world’s major co-operatives and leading economic
thinkers from around the world, Imagine 2012 will provide a forum in
which co-operative leaders and world-class economists can explore a new
approach to economic analysis and thought that offers people around the
world renewed hope for an economy that meets people’s needs.. <br />
<br />
IMAGINE is followed by The Quebec 2012 International Summit on Cooperatives on Oct 8-11. <br />
<br />
Shouldn't YOU be THERE? :) IMAGINE.... <a href="http://www.imagine2012.coop/">http://www.imagine2012</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">Click here to return to wendyholm.com</a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278360353237423158.post-14636226964098971212012-07-26T07:23:00.001-07:002012-07-26T07:25:42.152-07:00Cuba puts $100 million aside to support worker coops...THIS IS VERY EXCITING!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1746095782">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/cuba-plans-100-million-fund-to-aid-</a><br />
<a href="http://worker-run-businesses-1-.html/">worker-run-businesses-1-.html</a><br />
<br />
07/24/12. Bloomberg. <br />
<b><u>Cuba Plans $100 Million Fund to Aid Worker Run Businesses</u></b><br />
<br />
Cuba's communist government will set aside $100 million to help establish<br />
private cooperatives as President [1]Raul Castro takes further steps to<br />
boost economic growth on the island.<br />
<br />
Cooperatives with as many as five employees will be allowed to manage their<br />
own operations by the end of the year, a policy meant to loosen restrictions<br />
on basic services and increase productivity, Castro [2]told the National<br />
Assembly yesterday. Agricultural cooperatives account for about half the 200<br />
businesses selected, Marino Murillo, deputy chairman of the Council of<br />
Ministers, said.<br />
<br />
"We selected a group of business organizations to run an experiment with<br />
sufficient autonomy and power," Castro, 81, said, according to a transcript<br />
of the speech posted on the government website Cuba Debate.<br />
"This experience will lift the brake that exists on the development of<br />
productive forces."<br />
<br />
Since his 85-year-old brother Fidel started handing over power in 2006, Raul<br />
Castro has initiated measures to open the Caribbean island's economy,<br />
including loosening of property laws and controls prohibiting private<br />
enterprise such as taxi and mobile phone companies.<br />
<br />
More than 390,000 Cubans were self-employed at the end of June, up from<br />
almost 233,000 in 2010, when the government vowed to "redesign" the<br />
country's economy and cut 500,000 state workers. Transportation and food<br />
services are the largest source of private employment, Murillo told<br />
lawmakers.<br />
<br />
Abandoned Exploration<br />
<br />
The latest moves may help soften the blow from Repsol SA's decision earlier<br />
this year to abandon oil exploration off the island's northern coast after a<br />
test well came up dry. Falling prices for nickel, Cuba's biggest export,<br />
have also undermined growth.<br />
<br />
Not all of Castro's measures have aided entrepreneurs. Earlier this month,<br />
the government announced they would impose new taxes on imported goods in<br />
September, adding to the costs for businesses that rely on materials from<br />
abroad.<br />
<br />
Cuba's economy expanded 2.1 percent in the first half of the year, up from<br />
1.9 percent in the same period of 2011, Castro said yesterday.<br />
<br />
To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Sabo in Panama City at<br />
esabo1@bloomberg.net<br />
<br />
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Joshua Goodman at<br />
jgoodman19@bloomberg.net<br />
<br />
<br />
Original Source / Fuente Original:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1746095782">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/cuba-plans-100-million-fund-to-aid-</a><br />
<a href="http://worker-run-businesses-1-.html/">worker-run-businesses-1-.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wendyholm.com/">To return to wendyholm.com click here </a>wendyholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266724853650098243noreply@blogger.com0