Do we need balance the power between women and men in co-operatives?

• This paper concerns women’s representation in co-operatives, identifies if women’s representation influences and contributes to co-operatives´ development and is based on secondary data and on interviews conducted with four women managers. The study carries forward the exploration of a link between representation of women and the character and structure of co-operatives. Relations between the members of co-operatives are meant to anchor cooperatives economic and social values in the political process. Legitimised actors interact in order to secure their view of reality. Women are considered to take into account social issues and want to get power without wishing to control others but influence a sustainable development. They are considered to have a holistic view and try to understand the consequences their decisions have on other people and the development. In order to increase the representation of women in cooperatives, the following arguments are given: the issue of democracy, the issue of resource use, and the issue of interest. The results illustrate that women’s representation is a matter of increasing democracy and widening the basis for decision-making possibilities. It is a means to raise new questions, like social, cultural and environmental issues, and new dimensions of thinking and to consider everyone’s interest economic and social. My observations on the issue indicate that women as en interest group manifest different value dimensions. It is argued, it is particularly important to consider women’s interests and representation in co-operatives and thus create conditions allowing women influence cooperatives successful development and bring cooperative issues into the public eye.   

Nyckelord

Women

Co-operatives

Representation

Relationship

Economic and Social Values

Sweden.

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