The current study takes this approach a step further by examining in considerable depth and detail how the distinctive cooperative identity and purpose impact on human resource management (HRM) through the mobilization of all the cooperative's human resources including customers, employees, suppliers, elected leaders, general membership and other stakeholders. The author argues that in conventionally owned
companies the pressure of balancing customer quality requirements with investor expectations can leave company human resource strategies with demands that put the quality of employment relations into jeopardy and with it the strategic programme of the company. Traditional approaches to HRM, such as personnel management and the "hard" (Michigan) and "soft" (Harvard) approaches, may serve to either justify
exploitative and insecure employment or emphasize the stakeholder, developmental and cultural aspects. However sophisticated the techniques, if there is a mismatch between rhetoric at the strategic level and reality at the operational level there will be a failure to realize expectations.

The book employs a unique approach to the management of human resources based on a cooperative value-driven framework that seeks to avoid the pitfalls of traditional approaches to HRM that make no reference to the purpose or ownership of the business or at least assume an investor led model. Dr. Davis argues that whilst cooperatives do not eliminate conflict in the employment terrain, cooperative values and ownership structures do dilute the potential for employment/industrial relations to degenerate into adversarial cultures. Creating a community is both a means, through association, and an end, as a human good in itself. It is important to the strategic development of all cooperatives that they invest in developing the human capital that makes up the whole cooperative and its supporting communities and networks. The author takes the view that human capital led strategies to people management will become widespread throughout the cooperative and private sectors as knowledge based industries and approaches to the conduct of business grow in importance. Such an approach, however, has a unique synergy with cooperative purpose, ownership structure and values.