Käyttöosuus

Käyttöosuus is a Finnish term that translates to "usage share" or "participation share" in English. It is a concept used primarily in the context of cooperatives and member-owned organizations. Essentially, käyttöosuus refers to the proportion of a member's business or activity with the cooperative relative to the total business or activity of that member, or sometimes relative to the total business of the cooperative itself.

In a cooperative setting, members often have an obligation to conduct a certain amount of their business through the cooperative to maintain their membership or to be eligible for benefits such as patronage refunds or dividends. The käyttöosuus measures how well a member is meeting this obligation. For example, if a farmer is a member of a dairy cooperative, their käyttöosuus might be calculated based on the percentage of their milk production that they sell to the cooperative compared to their total milk production.

This metric is important for cooperatives as it helps them understand member engagement and loyalty. A high käyttöosuus generally indicates a strong commitment from the member to the cooperative's success. It can also influence how patronage refunds or other financial benefits are distributed among members, with those demonstrating a higher käyttöosuus potentially receiving a larger share. The specific definition and calculation of käyttöosuus can vary depending on the rules and bylaws of individual cooperatives.