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The ICA Principles in Large Co-ops | Free Webinar

 

The ICA Principles in Large Co-ops:  "Just for show" or integral to success?

April 25
12:30 - 1:30pm

Through adherence to the seven ICA principles, small community-based co-operatives can enhance their members’ experiences of empowerment in running their business.  For example, according to Principle 2 – Democratic Member Control, each member should be active in setting the co-op’s policies, and making important decisions.    

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When a co-op becomes very large however, are these principles difficult to follow? For instance, what happens when a co-operative becomes so large that the vast majority of members don't exercise their voting rights? Is the principle of Democratic Member Control still relevant? 
 
In this webinar, Ghislain Paradis of IRECUS (s.coop/1fdz9), and formerly of Desjardins, argues that some ICA principles are based on idealism rather than realism; he suggests that large co-operatives cannot effectively adopt these principles in a way that would allow them to meet their needs in the global marketplace.
 
In response, we will hear from the MCDRN’s own Sonja Novkovic, of the Sobey of School Business at Saint Mary's Univeristy, whose research involves working with worker co-ops to improve their ability to operationalize the ICA principles and values.  Dr. Novkovic will argue that the ICA Principles remain just as valuable and relevant as co-ops grow.
 
After we hear from Ghislain and Sonja, two respondents will give their own input on the debate:
  • Carol Hunter from The Co-operators.
  • John Restakis on his research on large consumer co-ops in BC.
 
Note: All participants should be prepared to phone in as well as join online (for the visuals). Please prepare to join online 10-15 minutes before the webinar starts in order to allow the driver to load.

Measuring Co-operative Impact | Free Webinar

 

Measuring Co-operative Impact:
Methodologies for capturing the economic, social and environmental impact of co-ops. 

April 10, 2013
12:30 - 1:30pm

The webinar will provide an opportunity to understand the various ways to capture the impact of co-operatives. Many researchers have tried to measure impact in order to explain the full contribution of an economic activity and this webinar will provide a detailed overview of these various approaches. Co-op advocates have always championed the many layers of value that co-ops create in their communities, and with the proper research, there can be solid evidence to support these claims. 
 
George Karaphillis of Cape Breton University is currently undertaking a project measuring the economic impact of co-operatives in Nova Scotia. Nicoleta Uzea is a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Western Ontario and is undertaking a methodology scan of the various ways to capture economic, social and environmental impacts. Both of these projects are part of a larger research initiative within the Measuring the Co-operative Difference Research Network, the National Study on the Impact of Co-operatives. Dr. Fiona Duguid, Research Officer for the Canadian Co-operative Association will provide an overview of this new project. 

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Speakers:

George Karaphillis is an Associate Professor as well as Director of the MBA in CED Program. He received his MBA from Virginia Tech. and his B.Eng from McGill University. George has previously been involved with the Social Economy and Sustainability Research Network, leading a project on financing the social economy. He is currently a Project Lead with the Measuring the Co-operative Difference Research Network. 
 
Nicoleta Uzea is a post-doctoral research associate with the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. She holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Saskatchewan.

Photos and the Web

 

Photos have become common place. With cameras now in nearly every cellphone and cellphones in almost every pocket, quality photos are easy to get and taken readily. We will take a look at how to keep your photos looking great while reducing the size so they don't slow your website, discuss the difference between number of pixels, pixel density and image size and take a quick look at options for cameras and editing software.
 
The presentation will be Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 2:00pm in the GreenIt Classroom (links will be sent out via email prior to the presentation if you have signed up). It should be approximately 15 minutes in length.

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TECHtogether is an innovative cross-sectoral partnership that transforms how small non-profits use technology day-to-day to communicate ideas and share knowledge. The Canadian CED Network is a proud partner in this project.

 

WordPress: Making Things Easier - A TechTogether Webinar

 

Websites are getting more complex and more involved every day. Terms like HTML 5, Web 2.0, and PHP can be intimidating. As they become more complicated, web sites are also becoming even more important. When people want to find out more about something, often their first stop is the web. Google is hit with over 4.7 billion searches every day. You can't afford to be without a web presence but developing and maintaining a website can be incredibly expensive if you have to hire someone to do it. With WordPress, you can do most of the work yourself very easily without having to know much, if any, code and training others to use it is simple. We'll talk about how easily it can be learned and used without sacrificing any power or flexibility. 
 
The presentation will be Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 2:00pm in the GreenIt Classroom (links will be sent out via email prior to the presentation if you have signed up). It should be approximately 15 minutes in length.

[REGISTER HERE]

 

TECHtogether is an innovative cross-sectoral partnership that transforms how small non-profits use technology day-to-day to communicate ideas and share knowledge. The Canadian CED Network is a proud partner in this project.

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