Malaysian Farmers' Organisations (FOs) strive to achieve both social and economic objectives. However, the achievement of economic objectives are often emphasised in appraising their performance. Thus, many FOs tend to be categorised as poor-performing. To identify factors influencing farmers' behaviour towards FOs, and factors affecting FO financial performance, solvency and self-financing potential, this study utilised data from a survey conducted on 418 farmers, statistical reports of the Farmers' Organisation Authority, and the 1985 and 1986 Auditor's Reports on 149 FOs in Peninsular Malaysia. Two logit models indicated that members' familiarity with FO officials is the most significant variable influencing positively farmers' decisions to join and subsequently to support FOs. One way to attract many non-members who indicated their willingness to join FOs is by easing the procedure for membership. Although total FO assets had increased markedly since 1973, members' paid-up share capital only financed about 11 per cent at the end of 1986. Accumulated profits and statutory reserves had contributed significantly to the growth of FO equity capital. However, the poor collectability of accounts receivable had an adverse effect on FO liquidity positions. A log-linear regression model indicated that stock turnover, assets per share, business diversification, per member administrative expense and the ratio of cash to current liabilities significantly affected FO financial performance. A semilog regression model indicated that FOs solvency positions were positively affected by sales per member, and negatively by the ratio of operating expense to operating income, percentage of bad debts, stock turnover and the ratio of current assets to paid-up shares. The total incomes of most FOs in 1986 were lower than their estimated break-even volume of business, mainly due to low gross margin rates resulting from high rates of operating expense and/or low mark-up. Thus, about 12 per cent of FOs have the potential to become self-financing.

"Filles de la misère", les coopératives agricoles ont accompagné les agriculteurs à travers les changements économiques, politiques et sociétaux depuis le début du XXème siècle. Outil économiques au service du développement de leurs adhérents et de leurs territoires, elles n'ont cessé de prouver leurs capacités d'adaptation face aux transformations de l'agriculture, à la création de l'Union européenne ou à la mondialisation des échanges. Cependant, leur modèle associant les membres au processus décisionnel de l'entreprise a pu souffrir de ces évolutions impliquant une diversification de l'activité, la création de filiales,l'ouverture à des partenaires non-coopérateurs. La place des adhérents est donc à nouveau à considérer, leur loyauté étant un atout indéniable pour les coopératives agricoles.Cette étude se fonde sur l'analyse des procès-verbaux des assemblées générales de cinq coopératives agricoles. Elle propose de faire de l'histoire une force dans la gestion des adhérents : construisant des connaissances, elle peut alimenter une communication éclairée à destination des membres. Enfin, il est proposé de réaliser ce travail de recherche et de valorisation de manière coopérative, afin de mutualiser les moyens nécessaires. / Born out of misery, agricultural co-operatives have been walking hand in hand with farrners through economie, political and societal changes since the beginning of the 20th century.. Economie tool designed tofulfill the development of their members and their territories, they never stopped proving their capacities to adapt. However, their political model involving members to the decision-making process had suffered from changes such as diversification, the establishment of subsidiaries, the opening to non-co-operative partners.The place of members has to be reassessed, their loyalty being an undeniable asset for the co-op.This study is based upon the analysis of the minutes of the general assemblies of five agricultural coops.It aims at making history an asset in the management of the members: by building knowledge, history can feed communication towards members. Finally, it is proposed to carry out this research in a co-operative way so as to pool resources.

L’évolution du secteur agricole a demandé l’adaptation des coopératives dans un contexte de mondialisation. L’émergence des groupes coopératifs formés par des sociétés à statut coopératif, en amont de la production, et des sociétés de droit privé, en aval des filières, provoquent une crise identitaire, résultat de la rupture du lien avec les adhérents. Cette thèse aborde le rôle du conseil agricole dans le renforcement du lien coopérative-adhérent pour résoudre la crise identitaire inhérente des groupes coopératifs agricoles. Une méthode qualitative basée sur la réalisation d’études de cas auprès de cinq groupes coopératifs agricoles français nous a permis d’étudier l’interaction de communautés de nature différente à travers un nouveau mode de gestion des connaissances caractérisé par l’interaction des groupes fonctionnels et de communautés de pratique: le Mode 3. Nous montrons que les conseillers agricoles sont au centre du dispositif de conseil et jouent le rôle de traducteurs entre les deux communautés cognitives. Nos résultats mettent en lumière quelques voies d’amélioration et des possibilités d’intervention de la profession, en répondant à la demande de Coop de France. Ces résultats peuvent être mobilisés de manière plus large dans le champ de l’Economie Sociale et Solidaire afin d’explorer les processus de gestion des connaissances de ce type particulier d’entreprises. / The evolution of the farming sector has required co-operatives to adapt to globalisation. The combination of the emergence of co-operative groups created by companies with a co-operative status, upstream production, and private companies, downstream, resulted in the rupture of their relationship with their members. This thesis addresses the role of the agricultural extension in strengthening the co-operatives/members’ relation in order to resolve the inherent identity crisis of such groups. A qualitative method based on the case study of five French groups allowed us to study the interactions between communities with different profiles through a new mode of knowledge management characterised by the interaction between functional groups and communities of practice: the Mode 3. We show that agricultural advisors are central to the extension system and act as translators between the two cognitive communities. Our results highlight some areas for improvement and potential measures the agricultural extension could take, answering Coop de France’s request. These results can be broadly extrapolated to the field of Social and Solidarity Economy in order to explore the knowledge management in these specific companies’ type.

MSCAGR (Agricutural Economics) / Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness / See the attached abstract below

The agricultural sector plays an important role in the South African economy through job creation and earning foreign exchange. The role of agricultural co-operatives increased substantially over the last few decades. The research focuses firstly on the identification of derivative instruments in the market and their applicability to mitigate financial risks co-operatives experience. Secondly, research is conducted about the extent to which co-operatives use these derivatives to hedge financial risks. The research shows that most co-operatives are exposed to financial risks through different activities. It is, however, evident that although the derivative instruments are available, not all co-operatives make use of these instruments. Recommendations for further research include the development of a risk management framework and determining the different economic factors that have an influence on the use of derivatives by South African agricultural co-operatives. / Business Management / M.Comm.

The agricultural sector plays an important role in the South African economy through job creation and earning foreign exchange. The role of agricultural co-operatives increased substantially over the last few decades. The research focuses firstly on the identification of derivative instruments in the market and their applicability to mitigate financial risks co-operatives experience. Secondly, research is conducted about the extent to which co-operatives use these derivatives to hedge financial risks. The research shows that most co-operatives are exposed to financial risks through different activities. It is, however, evident that although the derivative instruments are available, not all co-operatives make use of these instruments. Recommendations for further research include the development of a risk management framework and determining the different economic factors that have an influence on the use of derivatives by South African agricultural co-operatives. / Business Management / M.Comm.