TED: The case for co-ops, the invisible giant of the economy | Anu Puusa

The video discusses the cooperative movement, highlighting its history, global impact, and benefits. The speaker, a business professor from Finland, shares personal experiences and explains how cooperatives operate, emphasizing their dual roles in business and community welfare. Cooperatives are presented as a sustainable business model that balances economic, social, and environmental goals. The video concludes with a call to improve cooperative marketing to enhance their visibility and impact.

What is the main reason the speaker's students are frustrated with traditional business practices?

• High tuition fees

• Lack of job opportunities

• Environmental degradation and wealth inequality

• Limited access to technology

How do cooperatives differ from most traditional businesses in terms of ownership?

• They are owned by their members who are also customers

• They are owned by multinational corporations

• They are owned by the government

• They are owned by a single individual

What is the dual role of cooperatives in the economy?

• To focus solely on environmental issues

• To make money and achieve social and cultural goals

• To act as both a business and a charity

• To serve only the wealthy

What was the initial purpose of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers?

• To build a new city

• To create a new political party

• To open a store together to sell goods they couldn't afford alone

• To establish a new educational system

Who is considered the father of the Finnish cooperative movement?

• Harness Gephardt

• John Smith

• Karl Marx

• Ted Gephardt

In Finland, what is one of the benefits of being a member of a cooperative?

• Bonuses on purchases and additional discounts

• Free travel tickets

• Discounts on luxury items

• Free healthcare services

What is a key challenge cooperatives face in balancing their roles?

• Finding new members

• Competing with non-profit organizations

• Deciding on a single product to sell

• Choosing between profitability and member interests

What is one of the environmental goals of the S group in Finland?

• To eliminate all plastic use by 2025

• To achieve carbon negativity by 2025

• To plant a million trees by 2025

• To reduce water usage by 50% by 2025

How do cooperatives contribute to community energy?

• By exporting energy to other countries

• By investing in fossil fuels

• By building nuclear power plants

• By promoting community energy and energy democracy

What is a significant global impact of cooperatives?

• They employ fewer people than multinational companies

• They sell less than $1 trillion worth of goods

• They resonate with the values of regular people

• They focus only on local markets