AEM 3260 - Cooperative Business Management

(CU-CEL)

Spring. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: at least one of the following: AEM 1200, AEM 2200, AEM 3020, ILRID 1700, or permission of instructor. Co-meets with AEM 5260.

T.M. Schmit.

An evaluation of the fundamental principles, structure, finance, management, and governance associated with cooperatively structured businesses, with an emphasis on agricultural cooperatives. Analyses of the cooperative business organization within the modern economy are emphasized through a mix of lectures, case study discussions, and engaged learning projects with cooperative industry clients.

Outcome 1: Identify and illustrate alternative economic justifications for cooperatives as a business entity relative to other forms of business.

Outcome 2: Distinguish the unique characteristics of the governance, finance, and management of cooperatives and hypothesize and evaluate how they support or hinder business performance.

Outcome 3: Appraise and critique contemporary issues facing cooperatives, with an emphasis on the challenges and opportunities facing cooperatives that compete with investor-owned firms.

Outcome 4: Cultivate business relationships with cooperative industry firms to appraise contemporary issues they face and to formulate, assemble, and recommend solutions and actions that address them.