The objective of this article is to formulate hypotheses as to cooperation tendencies and capabilities in family businesses. As a first step, the circumstances under which intercompany cooperation arrangements originate are presented on the basis of an analysis of the relevant literature. Then, these circumstances are compared to cooperation‐related characteristics of family businesses, thus identifying factors that hinder or encourage cooperation. This leads to the hypothesis that family businesses tend to be less willing to enter into cooperation arrangements as many characteristics of family businesses have a hindering effect on cooperation.

This article discusses the challenges of knowledge management within intrafamily succession against the background of the knowledge-based view. As a knowledge transfer is crucial for a successful business continuation, factors that promote the interpersonal knowledge transfer are identified. Since the quality of the relationship between successor and predecessor is considered a key determinant of knowledge transfer, the role of relational competence in the knowledge transfer process is analyzed. A laboratory experiment ( N = 107) was conducted to test the derived hypotheses. In its conclusion, the article presents the empirically confirmed strong relationship between relational competence and knowledge transfer within intrafamily succession.

In recent years, nonprofit scholars have increasingly studied the phenomenon of social enterprises which has become a generic term describing a wider reorientation among third sector organizations. The emergence of social enterprises has also led to a dynamic of hybridization and broadening in the cooperative sector, similar to an earlier dynamic of "economization", but this time on the other end of the organizational spectrum. This paper aims at developing a finegrained conceptual understanding of how this organizational dynamic is shaped in terms of member coordination, thus contributing to a more comprehensive theoretical understanding of different organizational forms of cooperatives. Specifically, to highlight the difference to traditional member-focused cooperatives, the paper introduces the term third-party-focused cooperatives for those social enterprises which emphasize economic goals as well as control and ownership by a particular community (typically place-based). The key result of the paper is that with the shift from member-to community-focus in cooperatives, the main coordination mechanism becomes one of norm-based trust on the basis of generalized reciprocity. In contrast to traditional maxim-based trust member coordination on the basis of relation-specific reciprocity, this enables third-party-focused cooperatives to mobilize bridging and linking social capital, facilitating collective action aimed towards the community interest. The findings suggest that this identity shift requires a mutual re-positioning between the cooperative and the nonprofit sector, in terms of umbrellas as well as regulatory and legislative bodies.

The article inquires into the role of the institutional context in explaining the governance of community co-operatives. These organizations do not solely focus on a member's advantage but act on behalf of some collective identity. To enhance our understanding of the nature of co-operative governance on the neighborhood level, we draw on theoretical concepts that are context-sensitive, helping us to catch the institutional conditions in a specific place which are enabling individuals and groups to act and organize collectively. Thus, we enrich the abstract concept of governance put forward by New Institutional Economics. Based on a systematic analysis of case studies, the paper shows that the governance of community co-operatives is based on place-bound values. However, the encounter of divergent imaginations of the neighborhood results in different co-operative practices: e.g., either a government-directed practice to ''discipline'' the community or a community-initiated practice of self-organization.Résumé L'article est une étude du rôle du contexte institutionnel pour expliquer la gouvernance des coopératives communautaires. Ces organisations n'ont pas pour seule priorité de bénéficier à un membre car elles agissent au nom d'une certaine identité collective. Afin d'optimiser notre compréhension de la nature de la gouvernance d'une coopérative au niveau d'un quartier, nous faisons appel à des concepts théoriques qui sont sensibles au contexte, pour nous aider à saisir les conditions institutionnelles dans un lieu spécifique qui permettent aux individus et aux groupes d'agir et de s'organiser collectivement. Nous venons ainsi enrichir le concept abstrait de gouvernance développé par la Nouvelle économie institutionnelle (New Institutional Economics). Se basant sur une analyse systématique d'études de cas, l'article démontre que la gouvernance des coopératives communautaires repose sur des valeurs attachées au lieu. Cependant, la confrontation d'imaginations divergentes issues du quartier résulte en différentes pratiques de la coopérative : par ex. une pratique instruite par le gouvernement afin de « discipliner » la communauté ou une pratique d'auto-organisation initiée par la communauté.Zusammenfassung Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Rolle des institutionellen Kontexts für die Erklärung der Governance von Community Co-operatives. Diese Organisationen konzentrieren sich nicht nur auf die Vorteile für ihre Mitglieder, sondern handeln im Namen einer kollektiven Identität. Zur Vertiefung unseres Verständnisses der typischen Merkmale der Governance einer Genossenschaft auf Nachbarschaftsebene stützen wir uns auf kontextbezogene Konzepte, die uns helfen, die institutionellen Bedingungen an einem bestimmten Ort zu erfassen, welche gemeinschaftliches Handeln und kollektive Organisation ermöglichen. Somit erweitern wir das abstrakte Governance-Konzept der Neuen Institutionenökonomie. Anhand einer systematischen Fallstudienanalyse zeigt der Beitrag, dass die Governance von Community Co-operatives auf ortsspezifischen Werte...

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The main challenge in innovation seems to be not a lack of ideas, but a deficit in the evaluation and transformation of ideas into new processes or products. Due to their specific characteristics and the fact that innovations of SMEs are application-oriented, SMEs depend on external know-how for fundamental research. They therefore need a support network that translates the knowledge necessary for successful innovation into their language. Technical feasibility studies provided by research and technology organizations (RTOs) are designed to promote this knowledge transformation and transfer to SMEs. In this paper, the authors examine whether or not technical feasibility studies can facilitate knowledge transfer between SMEs and RTOs. The results of a literature review and an empirical investigation of the Feasibility Studies Program of the Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund reveal evidence of a stimulating effect of technical feasibility studies on SMEs' innovative activities. They also identify prerequisites for SMEs to tap the full potential of their interaction with RTOs. First, there has to be a developed research scene that is willing and able to meet the needs of SMEs. Second, SMEs have to recognize the potential advantages of working together with RTOs in the innovation process and to overcome their common fear of contact with RTOs. The insights presented may enhance the quality of similar initiatives now and in the future.

The Muhammadiyah institution is not just a religious social institution, but it is the axis of civilization for Muslims. It become one of the hearts of important Muslim activities in Indonesia, not only as a religious social institution, but also as a centre of da'wah, schools and other important agendas related to the ummah. Along with the increasing understanding of Islamic society in Indonesia, the existence of Muhammdiyah institutions as an institution is needed for Muslims, because it not only focuses on religious activities, but also develops by intensifying social activities and economics such as elementary education institutions through to universities, hospitals, cooperatives and baitul maal wa tamwil. All of the activities of the programs will encourage the formation of social capital, which will assist in realising the brilliance of Islamic civilization and reaching falah. The research method used in this research study was a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study method. Based on the data and analysis that has been done, it can be concluded that the Muhammadiyah institution has an active role in developing the social capital surrounding communities. This is evident from the management efforts in applying said management, thus making Muhammadiyah as a solute institution when it comes to serving the community. One element of social capital that has begun to grow in the community is the formation of networks.