What the study found
The study found that Gran Alpin, a cereal producer cooperative in Switzerland, initially strongly embodied cooperative commoning, but this was later challenged by internal and external pressures. Over time, the cooperative maintained some core shared values while also changing in response to market and policy conditions.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that sustaining cooperative principles and values requires ongoing institutional adaptation. They suggest that this involves selective engagement with market mechanisms and public policy processes, and they frame their case as showing both the contradictions and possibilities of pursuing cooperative commoning within capitalist agri-food systems.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used an in-depth qualitative case study of Gran Alpin in the mountain region of Grisons, Switzerland. They analyzed how cooperative ideals were established, maintained, and transformed over time using the idea of cooperative commoning and institutional bricolage, meaning the piecing together and reshaping of institutions through practices such as articulation, alteration, aggregation, and re-articulation.
What worked and what didn't
Early on, the cooperative's practices and institutions strongly reflected cooperative commoning, shaped by weak state support, market exclusion, ecological risks, economic vulnerability, cultural references, and strong social ties. Later, that founding model was challenged, and the cooperative strategically hybridized its approach by adding market logics and altering public policies, while also trying to re-articulate collective identity and responsibility. The abstract says managerial leadership and profitability concerns became more prominent, but ongoing efforts helped partially renew cooperative commoning.
What to keep in mind
This is a single case study, so the findings are specific to Gran Alpin and its context. The abstract does not provide quantitative measures or compare this cooperative with others in a systematic way.
Key points
- Gran Alpin began with a strong form of cooperative commoning.
- Later internal dynamics and external pressures challenged the original cooperative model.
- The cooperative selectively adopted market logics to maintain legitimacy.
- It also worked to shape public policies supporting ecological and cultural values.
- Managerial leadership and profitability concerns became more prominent over time.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Gran Alpin balanced cooperative ideals with market pressures over time
- Authors:
- Sarah Steinegger, Jean‐David Gerber
- Institutions:
- University of Bern, University of Bern
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-01
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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