kooperativë

Kooperativë is a member-owned association organized to meet common economic, social, and cultural needs through shared ownership of a business. In practice, members participate in governance and share in the profits or surpluses. The cooperative model emphasizes democratic control, typically one vote per member, regardless of capital contribution, and limited distribution of earnings to avoid exploitation and build community resilience.

Kooperativët operate in many sectors: worker cooperatives (owned by employees), consumer cooperatives (owned by customers), producer or agricultural cooperatives (owned by farmers or producers), housing cooperatives, and financial cooperatives like credit unions. They aim to secure better terms, improve access to markets, stabilize prices, share risk, and reinvest profits back into the enterprise or community.

Governing bodies usually include a general assembly where members vote, a board of directors, and sometimes an audit or supervisory committee. The seven international cooperative principles, recognized by the International Cooperative Alliance, guide operation: voluntary and open membership; democratic control; economic participation; autonomy and independence; education and training; cooperation among cooperatives; and concern for the community. Profits are allocated to members according to use or invested in the cooperative's development.

Historically, the modern cooperative movement began in the 19th century with the Rochdale Pioneers in England. Today, national and regional federations coordinate standards, education, and statistics. In Albanian-speaking regions, kooperativë are used to organize farmers, artisans, and small enterprises, often with support from public programs to improve access to markets, credit, and technical assistance.