Credit Unions : A Theoretical and Empirical Overview

Summary of the international history of the credit union, its functions, and how it operates. Covers the credit union's birth, growth, popularization around the world, and its continuing structural development. Makes mention of the significance of the Quebec and New England "caisse populaire."

Contains the following sections:
Introduction
Historical Development
Classification and Statistical Overview
Modeling the Objective Function
Structure and Conduct
Regulatory Environment
Demutualization
Concluding Comments
References

From the author: "In 2009 there were over 49,330 credit unions across 98 countries with more than 184 million members and approximately $1,354 billion in assets. There is a great diversity within the credit union movement across these countries. This reflects the various economic, historic and cultural contexts within which credit unions operate. This paper traces the evolution of the credit union movement...."