The CoopIndex is a tool developed within the worker co-operative sector - which may be used to diagnose 30 key areas of co-operative performance linked to co-operative values and principles. CoopIndex is a research methodology created in a collaborative process by co-operative members, co-operative consultants, and researchers of co-oprative movement. The purpose of the tool is to assess the health of the co-operative based on perceptions of its members and employees about the extent to which the valyes and principles of co-operation are operational.

1. CO-OP INDEX
Assisting Co-ops
in their development
Ryszard Stocki
cc by wonker at flickr
Part 1. Fundamentals

2. DEVELOPMENT, DECLINE AND FALL
OF ORGANIZATIONS
All organizations are subject to forces which lead to abandoning
their values and principles. If nothing is done they decline and
fall.
Time
Development (e.g. size)
Point of renewal
Area of possible !
change
Inevitable fall
Decline starts at the moment!
of the greatest prosperity
Initial!
adherence!
to values

3. HOWEVER,WE DO NOT
NOTICETHE CHANGES LIKE A
FROG IN A HOT POT UNTIL IT
IS BOILED
Only monitoring the organization, reflection and habitual
returning to the initial values can save the organization from
inevitable destruction.
cc Purple Slog at flickr.com

4. IN COOPINDEX
WE ASK ABOUT
DAILY PRACTICES
BUT WE DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE WEAKNESSES OF VALUES,
PRINCIPLES, SYSTEMS, CLIMATE,ATTITUDES AND OUTCOMES.
Practices
CO-OP INDEX
Co-opPrinciples
C
o-opValues
System
s
Climate
Attitudes
Outcomes
These results are meant
to evoke strategic
discussion.

5. OUR DIAGNOSIS IS BASED ONTWO
ORIGINAL ASSUMPTIONS
The two assumptions lead to abandoning the measurement of
any means by the tool. Frequencies are the main measures.
!
Participation like ability to
speak is a universal
element of human nature.
!
!
An individual view of the
organization has a contagious
character and may spread
like an epidemic

6. PARTICIPATION IS NOT POPULAR BECAUSE IT REQUIRES
MASTERY IN DEALING WITH APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS
Trust Truth
Be Have
Complexity Effectiveness
DeterminismFree will
Focus on people Focus on tasks
Self-justificationBlaming others
Variability Stability
Engagement Cynicism
! Individualism
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Common Good
Participation
Totalism
Diagnosis
Values
Expertise
Attention in relationships
Cyclicity
Organic sustainability
Independence

7. TPIM
DIAGNOSTIC
PROCESS
Ideal
Coops
Real
Co-ops
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT ANALOGICAL TO MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
Number of positive similarities x number of persons who experience them
The tool reflects the perception or
absence of ideal practices.The ideal is
based on the concept of total participation
and CoopValues and Principles
In medicine: Symptoms x Victims
Focus on positive aspects and not
pathologies is the main difference between
our and medical diagnosis.

8. CHANGE PROCESS IS DEFINED AS
A PROCESS OF ACHIEVING
HIGHER INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP
EXPERTISE IN UNDERSTANDING
VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
ORGANIZATIONAL COMPLEXITY
TPIM
Ideal
Co-op
Real
Co-op
Stage1
Time
Real Co-op
Stage 2
Real Co-op
Stage 3

9. WIDESPREAD UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEXITY
ISTHE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE AGENT.
Inspiration:
The structure of the economic
mechanisms is complex (...). Political and
economic development and progress is a
quantitative function of understanding of
the mechanisms. It is equivalent to the
relationship between the number of
people who understand the assumptions,
goals and methods, often distant in their
consequences and the number of people
who are driven by ad hoc or thoughtless
reflexes in a given society.
“The Outline of Economic History of the World” - 1947
EUGENIUSZ KWIATKOWSKI (1888-1974)

10. THETOOLS BASED ONTHESE ASSUMPTIONS HAVE A LONG
HISTORY WHICH STARTED IN 1999
1999, 2000, 2001
OpenIndex
2003 OpenIndex
2005-2007 NonProfit
Index
2009 Co-op Index
for Worker Co-ops
2010 NonProfit
OpenIndex
2000-2013
OpenIndex
“Solidarity” was looking for a tool to measure
adherence of a company to the statutory values
of the Union. They organized the competition:
“Firma Przychylna Ludziom” (People Oriented Company)
CXO - Managers’ Journal was looking for a tool measuring
social responsibility of Polish companies.
Batory Foundation used Non Profit Index to measure
the impact of a grant from American Freedom Foundation
on 17 large non-profits in Poland
CUN used the tool to measure organizational professionalization
of 10 non-profit organization.The tool was based on CoopIndex
SMU needed the tool to measure coops’ adherence to Cooperative
Values and Principles

11. THE FUTURE OF INDEXES ARE IN PREPARATION
2013-2015 Cuban
CoopIndex
2010 Co-op Index
for Producer Co-ops
2013 CoopIndex
Coop Banks
2014-2017
MyIndex
A team of coop developers started development of
a tool for producer coops.
A SMU team from Canada started development of the Cuban
version of CoopIndex for worker coops.
Wojtyla Institute developed a Polish version of CoopIndex to be used
in Polish co-operative banks in 2015.
The European Commission sponsors a three year fellowship
devoted to the study of cooperative isomorphism. Part of the study
is based on the individual expertise measurement tool - MyIndex.
So far CoopIndex was translated to: French, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Finnish.
It also has two English versions.

12. FOR MORE
INFORMATION
www.coopindex.coop
www.stocki.org
ryszard@stocki.org