If worker co-ops obtain such great outcomes, why aren’t they the dominant way of doing business? Many factors explain their scarcity, from difficulty attracting capital to the simple fact that few know what a worker co-op is. As a result, these businesses control tiny fractions of the market.
On the other end of the spectrum, franchising represents one of the most powerful methods for scaling businesses on the planet. In the US, one in every seven businesses is a franchise, with over 800,000 franchise outlets nationally that employ over 7.6 million people. Critics decry franchises as exploitative entities, responsible for low wages and cultural homogenization, while proponents tout their positive impact on economic development.
The Center for Family Life (CFL) is a program of SCO Family of Services.1 The Center for Family Life, based in Brooklyn, provides social services—and, since 2006, has also become a developer of worker co-ops.
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