2011 Volume 34 Issue 3 Pages 80-89
Nowadays, various rural areas are in remarkable decline. Toward the comprehensive rejuvenation of the rural areas, innovative, creative, pluralistic approaches are demanded. The purpose of this study is to attract attention to the possibility that social businesses of the CO-OP Union may be possible to approach regional rural problems from the stand point of consumers. Via the case study of the Coop Shizenha Consumer's Cooperative, the mechanisms of social business to create economic and social effects, organizational frameworks, the style of network were considered. Results of this study showed the importance of various factors including (1) Organizational frameworks with characteristics of a cooperative involving economy and sociality, (2) Vast Area-Wide Network coupled with combining power and flexibility, (3) Hybrid characteristics of social enterprise, (4) Emergent mechanisms that encourage social innovation by competition and learning, (5) Each element working together as a driving force.
