The Dr. Mauritz Bonow Young Researcher Award is a joint initiative of the ICA-AP and the ICA Domus Trust. The ICA Domus Trust was set up in recognition of the valuable contributions made by Dr. Mauritz Bonow.
A sub-committee was set up during the 14th ICA-AP Research Conference to review and adjudicate the best research papers. The first prize was awarded to Ms. Heira Hardiyanti, Researcher, Institute for Indonesian Cooperatives Development studies (LSP21), for her paper on “Worker Cooperative in Indonesia, The Invisible Cooperative.” The second prize was awarded to Ms. Jihyun Jeong, Researcher, Sungkonghoe University, Seoul for her paper on “How do local actors institutionalise global movement? The case study of Fair Trade in Korea.”
Ms. Heira Hardiyanti provided an insight about her research. Worker cooperatives in Indonesia have gone unrecognized for a long time. The understanding of worker cooperatives in the community are ‘cooperatives formed in a factory or an institution by the employees; providing goods and services, as well as savings and loans.’ The term ‘worker cooperative’ exists since the 1930s and I found at least 5 worker cooperatives in the past; some of which are still running till now. The Koperasi Sepatu Slamet with 30 members-workers-owners produced shoes and sandals in Tasikmalaya. The worker-members of Koperasi Produksi Perkebunan Karet Wangunwatie (KPPKW), have been working as rubber trappers since 1950. In 1983, the Koperasi Sopir Taksi (Kosti) Jaya was established with more than 3,600 taxi drivers, and the Koperasi Dharma Profesi was established in 1985 in Jakarta with 76 civil engineers/members running the business. Koperasi Karya Sejahtera Tenaga Kerja Bongkar Muat (KKSTKBM) established in 1990 with around 4500 members working as porters at various ports in Indonesia. Recently, awareness about the worker co-op model is rising amongst the Indonesian youth especially as digital start-up businesses such as Pedihelp.id, Purusha.id, Meridian.id etc. Unfortunately, cooperative regulation hasn't supported the structure and development of worker cooperatives. Cooperative research is expected to enrich the draft of the new cooperative law which has been submitted to the house of Representatives and is awaiting to be legalized.
I was pleasantly surprised and honoured to win the Mauritz Bonow Award. I am not a professional writer, researcher, or an academician. But I am an educator. I love research and cooperation is a way of life for me, and doing something we love is a blessing. I'm proud to be a co-operator!
(L-R) Ms. Jihyun Jeong and Ms. Heira Hardiyanti won the Mauritz Bonow Young Researchers Award 2019.
