Sectoral Strategies in CED: Critical factors in the success of CHCA & Childspace

Abstract

Scale and markets notwithstanding, Cooperative Home Care Associates (New York City) and Childspace Day Care Centers (Philadelphia) have plenty to teach Canada's co-operators and other CED activists. Kreiner challenges CED practitioners to move beyond creating business just within ‘their’ territory; they are often poor, thus possess weak markets and often have a hard time attracting entrepreneurial and professional management. He asserts one can be often more strategic and get better results through focusing on sectors where the quality of service provided is a competitive advantage. The twin benefit of better jobs (within the sectors targeted) and higher quality service (through workers also being owners) is backed up by the evidence presented in these two cases. Interestingly, the cases he presents both are both ‘human services’. Later in this volume, John Restakis writes about the Emilian model in northern Italy, where social care co-operatives have rapidly expanded into a wide range of social and health services that now dominate the region (57). His conclusion is similar to Kreiner; where social ownership and participation in management exists higher quality services result and a competitive advantage in the market is achieved.