CO - OPERATION AND AGRICULTURE (TAAVON)
Year:2009 | Volume:20 | Issue:206-207|Papers Count:10

Cooperatives in various countries have often been regarded as an effective instrument for poverty reduction and job creation in the process of development. In this paper, the experience of some selected countries of both developed and developing ones have been studied as far as the role of cooperatives is accordingly concerned. Results of the study revealed that in developed countries, cooperatives in most cases have succeeded in establishing powerful enterprises to improve welfare of low-income groups. Among developing countries, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh - known as countries with wide-spread poverty- have gained success in alleviating poverty in rural areas through formation of agricultural cooperatives. Meanwhile, job creation for rural women through extending credit has been considerable. Results of the study also suggest that success of cooperatives in this respect depends on careful planning based on economic, social and cultural conditions, member loyalty and competent management.

It is in view of the undisputed status of consultancy services in policy-making that advisory cooperatives are hypothesized to play a crucial role in generating fine know-how for cooperatives. The current research, which was conducted in 2006 to verify this, was a field work on 138 cooperative societies in Khorasan-e-Razavi Province to study the feasibility of setting up advisory cooperatives through probing into global experiences to know further about their management structures and workings. The societies under study comprised 76 farming and animal husbandry, as well as 62 industrial and mining cooperatives.The results suggested that there are potentials in the province for setting up cooperative advisory centers not only for producers' cooperatives, but also for cooperatives of technical, financial, marketing, legal, and educational services. As for management structure, involvement of university graduates and pundits as advisory centers under the supervision of the Ministry of Cooperatives (without jeopardizing their managerial independence) would yield significant efficiency and effectiveness in rendering advisory service to cooperatives.

Because cooperatives chronically face limited financial resources, state support is considered as a main policy of boosting the Cooperative Sector in national economy. This research, as a survey, is an attempt to find out about the current status of state supports to cooperatives in Kohgiloyeh & Boirahmad province and to discover potentials which could be realized for the improvement of those supports. Questionnaire was used as the data gathering instrument. Cronbach Alpha Coefficient turned out to be 0.74 which indicated a high reliability. Sample volume was calculated based on Cochran Formula. The sampling method was stratified random sampling. Statistical data were analyzed through both descriptive and inferential methods under spss.The findings showed that state supports through banking credits and incentives rendered to cooperatives according to such particulars of coop members and managers as educational level, expertise and experience and size of membership have yielded satisfactory results in establishing and developing cooperative societies. Also, Friedman Test revealed that from the coop managers' viewpoint, the proportion of the rendered banking credit to the size of membership is the most significant incentive in coops creation and development.

According to the statistics of the Ministry of Cooperatives around twenty percent of cooperatives nationwide are halted or inactive. This percentage even further mounts to 30 percent of total cooperative societies in Zanjan city as for the end of the year 2006, leaving about 14 thousand people dismembered.This research suggests a variety of factors like financial problems, poor state support, members' employment outside the cooperative, lack of start-up incentives, discrepancies among members, market saturation, and low demand and low profits thereof. The study further recommends that a workgroup should be set up to diagnose the possible drawbacks and to work out mechanism to get them back on their feet. The study concludes by recommending a minimum standard of related expertise and experience for a cooperative set-up beside exchanging experience among successful and halted cooperatives and conducting training courses.

In various countries, modern public administration is serving as a typical procedure for restructuring modifications. In Iran also, modern public administration is being applied for the purpose of downsizing the government through privatization, as stipulated in the Constitutional Law.This writing is an attempt to illustrate Modern Public Administration preparing grounds for enhanced cooperative activities by emphasizing values like social justice, and citizens' participation in cooperative affairs. It further shows that cooperatives can better function to serve their purposes in a competitive market within an administration framework which boosts these values. With government's role as a main modern facilitator, cooperatives can significantly contribute to sustainable development in developing countries.

As abrupt changes in business environment are a focal point of risk management, financial managers and investors need to consider risk factor so seriously if they wish to enhance their enterprises.In view of the significant status of poultry-farming industry in job creation and non-oil exports, the current research aims to study financial risks involved in poultry- farming in Ramhormoz Township. The statistical population consisted of functional poultry farms in the township as for the year 2005, out of which a sample of 40 farms (13 cooperatives and 27 private businesses) was taken. Questionnaire and documentary data gathering were the techniques and methods employed.Also, Z test was for data analysis. The results indicate high financial risks involved in the industry which were found to be due to drastic fluctuations in marginal price and demand rate as well as inability to pay both short - and long-term debts.

Considering the momentous status of the Cooperative Sector in creating opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it seems that the Sector would be able to promote creative entrepreneurship across the nation through cooperative education and training and extending teamwork and cooperation. The present research, accomplished in three phases, aims to study the role of Cooperative Administration in East Azarbaijan in 2007. Related data was gathered through both documentary and questionnaire techniques. Statistical population consisted of 3 categories i.e. professors and entrepreneurial pundits, cooperative officers in provincial Cooperative Administration, and officers of functional cooperative societies across the province. A sample was taken based on Cochran sampling formula.Results show that any of the three categories evaluated five external indices, which included 33 factors, as highly influential in the promotion of entrepreneurship. However, two categories i.e. the officers of cooperative societies and cooperative officers in provincial Cooperative Administration, evaluated the performance of the Cooperative Sector (the status quo) according to the above five indices as lower-medium. It was also revealed that two indices namely "policymaking & planning" and "credit & non-credit facilities" were given the highest weight.Internal determinant indices, which were measured in the form of 29 factors, were rated as upper-medium by the officers of cooperative societies.Also, a review of the activities of the provincial Cooperative Administration within a five-year period (2003-2007) returned a satisfactory result in view of creating around 20, 000 jobs and raising 323.4 million Rls to establish 24100 cooperative societies.

Cooperatives have become proper means for socio-economic development enhancing the interests of local communities through mutual aid. Social Economy includes institutions, cooperatives, mutual entities, unions and associations whose businesses have socio-economic nature. In view of the nature of cooperative societies it may be acknowledged that cooperatives are an example of socio-economic business. Any cooperative society includes as its purpose serving common needs of the members of the society. The needs might vary from accommodation and health services to production, employment and permanent income (with the last one, being typical to Canadian rural area).This essay, through a social economy approach, touches the popular methods of participation in Canadian cooperatives to delve into solutions innovated to tackle social problems. Meanwhile, the significant potential of cooperative strategy for innovation and growth is to be displayed.The cooperatives mentioned here are those which involve in businesses of mainly social nature, many of which have demonstrated that they follow an economical servicing system in collaboration with the Governmental authorities regarding accommodation, health and childcare.Findings and conclusion suggest that cooperative form of business in Canada, being as old as one hundred years, has succeeded in proving itself as a means for innovation in social, economic and technological areas. Canadian cooperatives having some ten million in membership are well-known and reliable enterprises for people.