In December, BCICS welcomed Klaus Fischer, Professor in Finance, from the School of Business at Laval University. He’s on a one-year sabbatical and will be with us for at least six months. The Anthill recently spoke with Klaus and discussed what he is working on and what he hopes to accomplish during his stay at the BCICS.

“Foremost, I am working on a book on networking in financial cooperatives,” Klaus explains. “Financial cooperatives are similar to many other co-ops, but often engage in networking arrangements more intensely than other co-ops. This helps them efficiently control uncertainties in the financial intermediation work.”

“The networking experience dates as far back as the end of the 19th century,” he continues. “Today, there exist some huge and very well organized networks of financial co-operatives in the world. The two best Canadian examples are Desjardins and the Fédération Acadienne des Caisses Populaires (much smaller and now part of the Desjardins Federation). But there are some looser networks arrangements that also exist, the BC Credit Union system being one example, and Credit Union Service Organisations (CUSO) another. One activity that will result from my being here at the BCICS is the execution of a case study of a CUSO that is working in northern BC and another failed experience from a few years ago, also in BC. The fact that Ian MacPherson is the head of the Institute is not just incidental, I came in good part because he is the head of the Institute.”

While here, Klaus intends to develop a closer working relationship with BCICS and he and Ian are exploring several ways to collaborate. Klaus is also exploring a collaboration with Ana Maria Peredo, a Professor at UVic’s School of Business and a close associate of the BCICS. While here, Klaus is teaching a course in Corporate Finance at the School of Business as well.

For further information on CUSOs, see Klaus’article Building Alliances: Credit Union Service Organisations, in this edition of the Anthill.