ABSTRACT
This chapter positions cooperative organizations as complex adaptive systems (CAS), providing a configurational research framework composed of themes in complexity scholarship applied to cooperative organizations. The CAS approach recognizes the plurality and interdependence of conditions within cooperatives, enabling a precise and enriched analysis of how different elements interact and contribute to various outcomes. This contribution allows researchers to explore the untapped potential of complexity theorizing, which moves beyond the either/or qual/quant conundrum to embrace both in unfolding the configurations of actions, conditions, and structures that enable cooperative organizations to cope with tensions. The configurational approach deploys set-theoretical methods and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to provide nuanced insights into the conditions and interactions shaping cooperative structures, strategies, and outcomes, informing the development of innovative, adaptive, and resilient cooperative models. This chapter underscores the crucial role of adopting a CAS lens in understanding cooperatives, highlighting the implications and transformative potential of the CAS approach in devising strategies that amplify the societal and economic contributions of cooperatives. This exploration not only enriches theoretical paradigms but also offers pragmatic insights with implications for the sustainable development and operational efficacy of cooperatives in addressing contemporary global challenges.
