Trans-disciplinary Research

This article details novel research methodology developed through a researcher-practitioner partnership and employed in a three-phase research effort that explored relationships between the co-operative model and sustainable development. Firstly, a basic understanding of the characteristics of the co-operative model was established using the co-operative principles as a framework, and their complementarity to sustainable development was examined by comparing them with sustainability theory, principles and best practices (defined through seminal journal articles on the topic). Secondly, relationships between sustainability theory and the ideas and operations of currently functioning co-operatives were investigated, namely, whether co-operatives had integrated sustainability into their organizations. Thirdly, an integrated analysis that examined the relationship between co-operatives, the co-operative principles and sustainability concepts was conducted, and output from this work was used to build a visualization (referred to as the ‘Co-operative Star’), specifically designed to communicate a synthesis of research findings to diverse audiences. This study specifically focused on co-operatives and sustainability; however, the analytical techniques developed and employed have applications for other research involving comparisons between concepts and large bodies of literature, and it is particularly useful for comparing theoretical works (such as academic literature) with texts that discuss operations and practices (such as website and reports).

Business · Complementarity (molecular biology) · Discipline · Engineering ethics · General partnership · Knowledge management · Management science · Social science · Sociology · Sustainability · Computer Science · Ecology · Engineering · Innovation and Socioeconomic Development · Sustainable Industrial Ecology · Sustainable Supply Chain Management

• How to read a paper

  Open Access•Trisha Greenhalgh, Rod Taylor et al.•BMJ•1997

  Incluir item

• Rethinking Community‐Based Conservation

  Open Access•F Berkes•Conservation Biology•2004

  Incluir item

• The Struggle to Govern the Commons

  Open Access•Thomas Dietz, Elinor Ostrom et al.•Science•2003

  Incluir item

• Emulation, Imitation, and Global Consumerism

  Open Access•R Wilk•Organization & Environment•1998

  Incluir item

• Theoretical Foundations for Social Justice Education

  Lee Anne Bell•Teaching for Diversity and Social…•2007

  Incluir item

• Managing complex adaptive systems — A co-evolutionary perspective on natural resource management

  Open Access•Christian Rammel, Sigrid Stagl et al.•Ecological Economics•2007

  Incluir item

• Evolutionary policies for sustainable development

  Open Access•Christian Rammel, J C J M Van Den Bergh•Ecological Economics•2003

  Incluir item

• The Nature of Cooperative Values and Principles

  Open Access•Jerker Nilsson•Annals of Public and Cooperative…•1996

  Incluir item

• Transdisciplinary research

  Open Access•F Wickson, A L Carew et al.•Futures•2006

  Incluir item

• Transdisciplinarity

  Open Access•A Wendy Russell, F Wickson et al.•Futures•2008

  Incluir item

• Prospects for transdisciplinarity

  Open Access•Julie Thompson Klein•Futures•2004

  Incluir item

• The social dimension of sustainable development

  Open Access•Nicola Dempsey, Glen Bramley et al.•Sustainable Development•2009

  Incluir item