This book sets out to understand the competitive advantages of co-operatives in general and co-operatives in Ireland in particular. It explores the values and strategies of several of the main co-operative sectors in Ireland, including credit unions, agricultural co-operatives, community co-operatives, workers’ co-operatives and other social enterprises. It provides the interested reader with an introduction to the concept of the co-operative, its relevance in the age of globalisation and its many applications. It also outlines, with examples, the key competitive advantages of co-operative in general and discusses some of the special management issues faced by co-ops. It is designed as a companion volume to Abstract Co-Operatives of Ireland