original_query: What is a cooperative and how does it operate?
query: What is a cooperative and how does it operate?
answer: A cooperative, or co-op, is an autonomous association of people who voluntarily work together for mutual benefit through a jointly owned and democratically run enterprise.  They can be non-profit community organizations or businesses managed by those who use their services (consumer co-ops) or by the employees (worker co-ops).  They're based on values like self-help, democracy, equality, and solidarity, and operate democratically with members having equal input.