Dave Boyle

It’s all (gone wrong) at the Co-op

In 2014, I proposed a long-form piece on the crisis affecting the UK’s Co-operative Group for a review journal; they eventually passed on the piece after it was written, but it was too much work to leave lying around….

It’s democracy Jim, but not as we know it

There’s a big vote this weekend for The Co-operative on its new structures, implementing changes proposed by the Board in response to the almighty cock-up that saw the enterprise brought to its knees. One could write an awful lot about these changes, and…

More Myners Quibbles

One of the things Paul Myners made a point of in the presentation of his plans was that governance in co-operatives suffers from the lack of threat from hostile takeover as shareholders pissed off with the direction the business is going get out.

Myners Defeated

So, then farewell, Lord Myners. You were brought in to reform the Co-op and bring your political skills to bear, and then engaged in one of the most cack-handed processes to reform an organisation I’ve ever seen; less the action of a skilled operator and more a power grab in the manner of Senator…

Sutherland’s Clearance

Some random thoughts on Euan Sutherland’s departure…

Too Big to be a Co-op

There’s a review of nearly every aspect of the Co-operative Group in one form or another, but what isn’t under consideration is how the Group’s current size and…