Taking the case of a successful Indian cooperative- Amul, this paper examines the role of organisational legitimacy in the sustainability of cooperatives. Adopting a rigorous methodological approach of pattern matching, thematic analysis and text mining of various primary and secondary sources, we showcase how Amul achieved sustained success and legitimacy through the alignment of its goals and objectives with those of its key stakeholders. We focused majorly on three major stakeholders that contributed heavily to Amul’s attainment of sustained competitive advantage—customers, farmers & cooperative members, and the government. Customers are integral to organisational legitimacy, focusing on the quality and reliability of products. Farmers and cooperative members contribute significantly towards organisational legitimacy as they prioritise fair practices and equitable benefits. The role of farmers and cooperative members is also seen through the theoretical lens of Common Good HRM (CGHRM). As for the role of government, we have analysed how Amul's strategic decisions and operations were closely aligned with the Indian government’s objectives, which helped them achieve long-term stability and success. The analysis further underscores the philosophy of trusteeship as a pivotal psychosocial foundation underpinning Amul’s success. Finally, the paper concludes that the synergy achieved by the interaction of the three critical stakeholders is the key to Amul’s sustained competitive advantage.
