For a European framework that fosters social innovation

Sandrino GRACEFFA Managing Director, SMart [vc_btn title= »Télécharger l’article » style= »outline » color= »primary » align= »right » i_icon_fontawesome= »fa fa-file-pdf-o » add_icon= »true » link= »url:http%3A%2F%2Fconfrontations.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F05%2FInterface-107-Sharing-economy.pdf||target:%20_blank| »] The concept of platform cooperativism is an attractive one, but there are a number of obstacles to its development. For a European framework that fosters social innovation Firstly, the cooperative model encompasses a very broad variety of situations, from small cooperatives in which workers share their tools (for example, potters sharing a kiln) to supermarket chains like Leclerc. Secondly, legal form is not a guarantee of virtue: some cooperatives adopt a collective (horizontal) governance structure, while others use a more “conventional” (vertical) decision-making process. In addition, producers’ cooperatives alter the role of workers, who have a dual status both as paid employees (subordinates) and coowners of the capital stock and/or the work tool (entrepreneurs). This blurs the lines between traditional categories and can either prompt fear or paint a romantic picture of small businesses where