The role of individuals within
collective ownership initiatives
Presentation structure
1. Individualism and collectivism: adding horizontal
and vertical dimensions
2. How this relates to community-led housing
organisations
3. The implications for policy and funding
programmes
Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions
Inequality
Vertical
Individualism
Vertical
Collectivism
Interdependence
Independence
Horizontal
Individualism
Equality
Horizontal
Collectivism
Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions
Inequality
Vertical
Individualism
Vertical
Market
Democracy
Vertical Collectivism
Communalism
Individualism
Vertical
Collectivism
Member inequality
Independence
Member inequality
Inter-dependence
Independence
Horizontal
Individualism
Horizontal
Democratic
socialism
Horizontal
Collectivism –
Horizontal
Communal
Living
Member equality
Independence
Member equality
Inter-dependence
Individualism
Equality
Collectivism
Interdependence
Horizontal Collectivism
'It is non-hierarchical, consensus decisionmaking…pretty much everything you can
see that isn't in someone's room, is either
communal or you could be forgiven for
seeing it as communal…'
Housing Co-op Member
Horizontal Individualism
'Could the CLT own the freehold and
lease it back to you?'
'No, no, we want the freehold!'
Franklin CLT, Steering Group Meeting
Vertical Individualism
'…even in the cooperative movement, the
‘individual landlord’ has prevailed over
the ‘collective dweller’ type of tenure'
Birchall, 1992
Vertical Collectivism
‘Giroscope Limited has an Executive Committee
of 3 members…from a variety of backgrounds
relevant to the work of the charity…A scheme of
delegation is in place and day to day
responsibility for the provision of the services
rests with the Co-ordinator’
Giroscope, 2013
Discussion
• What does this tell us about the nature of
community-led housing?
• What type of collectivism is current policy
trying to engender?
• How does the dominant national tendency
structure and constrain local collectivism?
References
Birchall, J (1992) Housing Co-operatives in Britain Department of
Government, Working Papers No. 21, London: Brunel University
Giroscope Limited (2013) Annual Accounts 2012 [online]. Last accessed on
15 June 2013 at www.giroscope.co.uk
Home and Communities Agency (2011) Community-led Development
Eligibility Criteria [online]. Last accessed 24 June 2013 at
http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/community-led-development
Triandis, H. C. (1995) Individualism and Collectivism, Boulder, CO: Westview
Press
Singelis, T., Triandis, H.C., Bhawuk, D.P.S, Gelfand, M.J. (1995) Horizontal and
Vertical Dimensions of Individualism and Collectivism: A Theoretical and
Measurement Refinement, in Cross Cultural Research, 29 (3) pp. 240-275
Triandis, H. C, and Geland, M. J. (1998) Converging Measurement of
Horizontal and Vertical Individualism and Collectivism, in Journal of
Personality and Social Psyvhology, 74 (1) pp.118-128
Vertical
Individualism
Market Democracy
Vertical
Collectivism
Communalism
Horizontal
Individualism
Democratic
socialism
Horizontal
Collectivism –
Communal Living