Co-operative businesses are a distinctive form of business organization which actively seek to involve the workforce in decision-making ang they are also likely to empahsize training and skill formation, possibly more so than conventional private businesses. This series of working papers presents the results of a research project as part of the ESRC Small Business Initiative comparing the performance of co-operative enterprises in a number of European countries (Italy, Portugal, Spain) where they are relatively well established. This volume presents an overview of the history, development and prospects of co-operative development in Italy, Portugal and Spain where the growth of this sector has accompanied processes of rapid industrialization and political transitions from dictatorship to democracy.