Cooperative Governance, Leadership and Innovation in Hybrid Enterprise

Four Days (32 Hours) In-Person in Davis, CA August 17–20 or 24–27, 2026 (TBD)

Cooperative Governance, Leadership and Innovation in Hybrid Enterprise

A person draws a tree diagram with the word "CUES" on a whiteboard while explaining to another person; a presentation is displayed on a screen in the background.

The Initiative for Cooperatives and Civic Innovation (ICCI), in collaboration with the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, presents a four-day executive education program focused on cultivating cooperative governance, leadership and innovation skills for hybrid enterprise.

Top performing cooperative businesses manage their resources and relationships in alternative ways to the traditional firm. They use different skills and principles to engage with their respective stakeholders, to innovative new products and services and to secure needed sources of capital. Executives, management staff and board members of cooperatives will benefit from cultivating their abilities as well as their social network, expanding their connections within and across sectors.

This program leverages and incorporates case studies, best practices and a comparative analysis of cooperatives to inform the curriculum, which includes topics on law, finance, innovation and board and member engagement. Participants in this curated experience will earn a digital certificate at the end of the four days.

Program Objectives

Build on the existing management skills of participants and advance capabilities in cooperative governance, leadership and innovation
Equip participants with best-in-class approaches for cooperative legal and finance strategies
Identify metrics that matter for tracking (and increasing) active participation among owners and members
Establish an inaugural cohort for this executive education program to help shape and refine the curriculum offerings, and build a network for ongoing cross-sector collaboration
Position participants to invigorate their respective organizations with leading-edge

Faculty

This program draws on the expertise of UC Davis Graduate School of Management faculty, including Andy Hargadon, Kim Elsbach, Michelle Higgins and Stephen Garcia. It also incorporates leadership in cooperative research from ICCI, including Professors Keith Taylor, Amelia Miazad, Anne Visser and Seth Frey, as well as consultants Adam Schwartz and Rich Morris. The program blends theoretical frameworks with practical tools and real-world case studies to help participants take their hybrid enterprises to the next level.