CO - OPERATION AND AGRICULTURE (TAAVON)
Year:2010 | Volume:21 | Issue:2|Papers Count:9

This functional-descriptive-correlative study was carried out in 2009 to study the effects of social capital elements on livestock and poultry cooperative in the city Mashhad. Statistical population was 550 members of Mashhad livestock and poultry cooperatives from which a number of 170 were selected by Cocheran formula and stratified random sampling with proportional assignment. The study used a questionnaire which its validity was confirmed in form and content according to related professors and authorities. Questionnaire reliability was obtained for each variable (above 70%) by alpha Cronbach. The findings of the study indicates that among the various calculated variables in regression analysis to determine the effective variables on cooperative functions, the independent variables of social participation, social reliability, social solidarity, social awareness, education and age of respondents were the most effective and determine 69.1% of effective factors of cooperative function variable. Among these variables, social participation and social reliability were respectively the most effective variables on cooperative function.

This descriptive-correlative research sought to study factors influencing the employability of agricultural students. The statistical population for this study was the senior agricultural students of public universities (Kordestan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Hamedan, and Lorestan) in west of Iran (N=979). 274 students were selected by stratified random sampling (Bartlett table) method. For descriptive analysis, mean and standard deviation and for inferential analysis t tests, variance analysis and path analysis were used.Based on findings, employability level of students were moderate. There was a significant difference among employability level of students with different agricultural disciplines & employability skills as separated by gender and location of birth. Path analysis revealed that level of employability skills, perception toward educational institutions, and educational expectations are respectively the most important factors that influence on perceived employability level.

Forming cooperative companies is an effective step for handwoven carpet producers to establish social and economical justice in the carpet industry and providing solutions. This descriptive-survey functional study prioritizes opportunities and threats facing the carpet cooperatives of Isfahan Province. After preparing the questionnaire and establishing its validity and reliability, the research findings were analyzed using SPSS software. The statistical population of this study included all of the carpet cooperatives of Isfahan province in 2009. From 25 urban cooperatives, 22 questionnaires were filled out and among 24 rural cooperatives, 20 questionnaires. From 170 carpet exporters, 29 questionnaires were filled in a simple random method. The results showed that advertisement, order orientation, observing market demands and cost management are effective in increasing exports, with order orientation and cost management respectively the least and the most influenced from social characteristic of the study’s respondents.

This descriptive-survey-functional study was carried out in 2008 in order to evaluate the satisfaction of cooperatives members of social and economical functions of their cooperatives in the city of Mashhad. The statistical population was all managers and some of the members of the active rural cooperative companies in the city of Mashhad which were respectively carried out as census of managers and stratified sampling of members. The study used two separate questionnaire which their validity were approve through logical validity in form and content and by consulting relative professors and authorities and their reliability was approved by Cronbach alpha coefficient. The findings of the study shows that there were direct and meaningful relation between manager’s personal characteristics such has age, education, management history and the member’s satisfaction of cooperative function. The manager’s method of decision making also affects the member’s satisfaction. On the other hand the amount of member’s satisfaction is increasing in rural cooperatives with improvement of social & economical indexes. The study also shows that in regard of economic indexes the members were mostly satisfied with financial and welfare facilities of the rural cooperatives and in case of social indexes they were pleased with the effect of cooperatives in developing cooperation indexes.

Developing identity for women, acquiring independence for them and active participation in different socio-economic affairs is an important factor in motivating of this huge human force in social production cycles. One of the most effective methods for developing personality and promoting intellectual and mental capabilities of women and therefore their active participation in group activities is involvement in cooperatives. Cooperatives can enhance women by promoting their knowledge and scientific capacities. Also they can provide an effective service through teaching the principals of cooperative development, team decision making methods and enhancing self-confidence. In this regard, this descriptive-survey-exploratory study was carried out to investigate factors affecting rural women participation in production cooperatives of southern Khorasan province. The statistical population of this research is 2491 rural women whom are members of production cooperatives. A number of 333 individuals were selected as sample through stratified sampling method and were studied. The results of correlation analysis showed that there is a significant and positive relation between socioeconomic and organizational-functional factors of cooperatives and participation level of rural women. Also a negative relation was observed between women of high dependence to their husbands and their level of participation in cooperatives. The result of t test showed with 99% reliability that there is significance deference between rural women whom are the supporter of their family and those under their family’s support.

This survey study was carried out in 2009-10 in order to examine the approaches to improve management in active entrepreneur cooperatives of Hamedan province. Using Cochran formula the sample size was determined and 110 questionnaires were filled out. The t statistic was used to study the factors influencing management skills. Factors influencing management success in mentioned companies were studied in regard of two main aspects: 1) Functional management and 2) Marketing management and minor internal aspects of these two. The findings showed that cooperative managers have weaknesses in programming, leadership and coordination (sub-indexes of functional management) and in compiling strategy, analyzing competition, marketing mix, determining target market, positioning and determining control trends (sub-indexes of marketing management). They were strong in organizing, control, macro environment study, market investigation, SWOT, budgeting and anticipating.According to the findings, in order to require cooperative companies to prepare and present executive programs, the effective approaches are to encourage implementation of standard management systems, create market research department in the Room of Cooperation in order to analysis market conditions for companies, pay subsidies to cooperatives observing quality, packaging and advertisement, introduce national and regional distributers to cooperatives and provide facilities for distribution contracts.

The objective of this study is to examine the factors affecting member’s participation in unions and consumers cooperatives considering the current status of consumer’s cooperatives in the country, the experience of cooperation specialists and that of other countries. For this purpose 2563 questionnaires was distributed among managers, experts and employess of cooperatives in six provinces (Tehran, Yazd, Guilan, Ardabil, Hamedan and Busheher) as selected by the Ministry of Cooperation in 2009. Analysis of the data shows that the ratio of men participation is more than women; members have a low awareness of cooperative issues; members’ participation (in terms of presence in annual general assemblies and offering ideas and suggestions) is low although the economical participation has an incremental trend. Members satisfaction with cooperative function (in terms of quality, price and variety of products offered by cooperatives) needs to be enhanced.

The current study was carried out in 2009 with the purpose of planning a syllabus to promote cooperation in secondary school. The general purposes of the syllabus in this study was compiled based on theoretical bases and performed studies and after being scrutinized through education and training and learning psychology, evolved to educational objectives. Considering this objective, the educational content, teaching-learning strategies and evaluation methods based on promotion of cooperation were determined. The study is theoretical and in descriptive-survey method. Therefore, specialized references and texts with the subject of cooperation and education (especially that of syllabuses) were obtained and along with performed researches and studies were used to constitute the main elements of a syllabus to promote cooperation in secondary school. To achieve the aforesaid framework, the first step was to study the theoretical bases of the syllabus. In the next step, descriptive-survey method of study was used to evaluate and accredit the said syllabus by education specialists and experts of the Ministry of Cooperation. For this purpose a questionnaire was complied and distributed among 20 of the said professionals. The findings showed that most of the education experts relatively approved of the education objective, content, teaching-learning strategies and evaluation methods of this study.