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Changes in farm structure and increased competition have placed pressure on cooperatives' retail distribution system to meet their farmers changing needs in a profitable fashion. This research attempted to identify changes in regional profitability resulting from different consolidation alternatives for farm supply outlets. Cost and revenue coefficients were developed from available data in the Maryland region, including sales by zip code. Linear and integer programming were used to maximize profit across nine stores given those stores' 1983 gross margin percentages, operating costs, and asset capacities. The optimal solutions of several scenarios indicated that several stores could be closed with little effect on the region's total sales. Specialization through consolidation provided the most profitable venture, especially in product lines requiring processing such as bulk fertilizer and feed. / M.S.

Cooperatives are a means through which farmers may gain economic power by reducing unit transaction costs associated with production, marketing and distribution of products. In South Africa, cooperatives are promoted as a means of advancing economic development in rural areas through empowerment, development of income generating activities, improvement of human resource capacity, and increased savings and investment. The new Cooperatives Act 14 of 2005 was enacted in August 2005 to promote the role of cooperatives as organisations for pro-poor development in South Africa and to increase their chance of survival in the economy. This study uses a New Institutional Economics (NIE) framework to analyse the Cooperatives Act and its worth as a vehicle for promoting pro-poor development. A hypothetical cooperative, predicated by the new Act, was analysed using the NIE to identify institutional problems likely to constrain the collective efforts of small producers. A case study approach was then used to analyse three production cooperatives in KwaZulu-Natal that were registered post August 2005 and still operational in 2008. Interviews were conducted with individual members, directors and project managers (where applicable) between May and July 2008. Open-ended questions provided the flexibility needed to explore the institutional roots of problems identified by respondents. Free-rider, horizon, portfolio, control and influence problems were identified in the case studies. These problems, which stem from ill-defined voting and benefit rights, resulted in low equity investment, low investment in long term assets, a preference for current cash flows rather than future investment, and social conflict – all of which constrained the competitiveness and growth prospects of the cooperatives studied. In an attempt to mitigate these problems, two of the cooperatives shed their poorest members, a solution which is not consistent with the objective of pro-poor economic development. Additionally, two cooperatives opted to create their own rules to reward investors with capital gains - an institutional arrangement that is not permitted by the new Act. It is concluded that the new Act should be amended to give cooperatives greater flexibility in their institutional arrangements. In particular, cooperatives should be allowed to issue tradable equity shares that offer benefits proportional to shareholding. If these tradable equity shares carry voting rights and are offered to non-patron investors, aggregate voting rights conferred on these non-patron investors should be capped to prevent loss of control by patron members. It is further recommended that the same level of start-up support should be made available to all producer groups that formally register their business, regardless of the business model chosen, and that member empowerment should be an essential requirement for registration and public funding. Keywords: Agricultural Cooperatives, Cooperatives Act, New Institutional Economics, Case Study / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

Collective smallholder farming has been widely promoted as a vehicle for smallholder agricultural development in South Africa. As a result, agricultural co-operative registrations in South Africa are increasing. However, research suggests that South African co-operatives have generally not been effective, successful and functional. This study investigated the elements constituting an effective and functional primary agricultural co-operative among three smallholder agricultural co-operatives. It is expected that identification of these elements may enable institutions that offer support to co-operatives make better decisions to improve smallholder farming through primary agricultural co-operatives. Understanding of these elements could inform the efforts for members of co-operatives to achieve their set objectives and thus improve smallholder agriculture profitability. Three rural agricultural co-operatives in the Local Municipalities of Mooi-Mpofana, Mkhambathini, and Richmond in the Umgungundlovu District Municipality were purposively selected for the study because they were registered agricultural co-operatives. Inyamvubu Co-operative (from Mooi-Mpofana) was larger in membership, and well established compared to Umphumela (from Mkhambathini) and Ingwe-Mndeni (from Richmond). The sample included the purposively selected members and non-members of agricultural co-operatives to explore the differences and provide insight to the knowledge, opinions and perceptions of collective farming. A framework for analysing the effectiveness of agricultural co-operatives was developed using literature of objectives of agricultural co-operatives, success factors of smallholder agriculture and organisational effectiveness. This framework was used to analyse the effectiveness of the three co-operatives. Focus group discussions, Force Field Analysis and a survey were used for data collection. The study revealed that the three co-operatives have clearly defined group objectives aligned to those set out by the South African government. The main identified objectives of farming for the three co-operatives included; creation of employment and income generating activities, improving access to funding, strengthening market access and strengthening human and community development. Activities carried out by the three co-operatives took advantage of opportunities in the value chain including production, marketing, and transportation of produce to markets. However, farmers’ activities were hampered by a number of constraints. Production capability of the three co-operatives was hampered by resource constraints such as lack of access to land, machinery and equipment, finances and information relevant to production. Marketing, transportation and financial management capability of the three co-operatives was hampered by poor networking skills, poor infrastructure and low literacy levels. Management capability in the three co-operatives was challenged by complex group dynamics characterised by conflict of opinions and issues related to free-rider, horizon, and portfolio problems. Low capability of the three co-operatives to mobilise resources, use the limited resources available and low capability to manage institutional arrangements rendered the co-operatives ineffective in achieving their set objectives. The study recommends strategies for ensuring the effectiveness of agricultural co-operatives. These include strategies for addressing internal and external issues affecting the co-operatives. Direct intervention from government was recommended to improve production through revising land allocation systems, improving extension services and strict monitoring of effective use of government resources provided to farmers. Government should improve access and training to relevant technologies to improve the processing and packaging capabilities of co-operatives. Marketing and management activities should be supported through provision of improved infrastructure and relevant training. Farmers themselves should consider pooling resources for market rental of crop land, engage in value added activities, and develop informed marketing programs and cost-effective distributing mechanisms. Farmers should elect an effective board of members that will ensure enforcement of agreements and constitution. / Thesis (M.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

陳煜禮. / 論文(哲學碩士)--香港中文大學, 1998. / 參考文獻: leaves 2-12 (3rd group) / 中英文摘要. / Chen Yuli. / Chapter 第一章 --- 综論 --- p.1-10 / Chapter 第一節 --- 緒論 --- p.1-4 / Chapter 第二節 --- 中國近代農村經濟合作運動研究概況 --- p.5-9 / Chapter 第三節 --- 研究目的及架構 --- p.10 / Chapter 第二章 --- 三十年代江蘇省傳統農村金融概況 --- p.11-38 / Chapter 第一節 --- 三十年代江蘇省農村經濟情況 --- p.11-20 / Chapter 第二節 --- 江蘇省三十年代農村資金短缺現象之分析 --- p.21-23 / Chapter 第三節 --- 江蘇農家融通資金一借貸來源之分析 --- p.24-38 / Chapter 甲、 --- 私人借貸 --- p.24-27 / Chapter 乙、 --- 商店借貸 --- p.28-30 / Chapter 丙、 --- 典當業 --- p.30-33 / Chapter 丁、 --- 合會組織 --- p.33-36 / Chapter 第三章 --- 江蘇省新式農村金融組織之出現一信用合作社 --- p.39-67 / Chapter 第一節 --- 合作理念在近代中的傳播與發展 --- p.39-46 / Chapter 甲、 --- 華洋義賑會經營的合作事業 --- p.41-44 / Chapter 乙、 --- 國民政府推進合作運動 --- p.45-46 / Chapter 第二節 --- 江蘇省農村信用合作的發展歷程 --- p.47-50 / Chapter 第三節 --- 江蘇省農村信用合作社組織架構及資金來源 --- p.51-67 / Chapter 甲、 --- 信用合作社之組織架構 --- p.52-53 / Chapter 乙、 --- 農村信用合作社的組織實體´ؤ「社員」 --- p.54-57 / Chapter 丙、 --- 信用合作社的資金來源 --- p.57-67 / Chapter 一、 --- 江蘇省農民銀行 --- p.58-63 / Chapter 二、 --- 上海商業儲蓄銀行 --- p.63-66 / Chapter 第四章 --- 蘇南丹陽縣、蘇北淮陰縣兩地信用合作社發展成敗之檢討 --- p.68-85 / Chapter 第一節 --- 蘇南丹陽縣之信用合作 --- p.68-76 / Chapter 第二節 --- 蘇北淮陰縣之信用合作 --- p.77-84 / Chapter 第五章 --- 總結一農村信用合作成效之評議 --- p.86-94

"2009年8月". / "2009 nian 8 yue". / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-125). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / 導論 --- p.1-3 / Chapter 第一章： --- 引言 --- p.4-18 / 前人硏究回顧 --- p.4 / 槪念解釋：「分權」、「中央」、「地方」 --- p.10 / 廣東順德縣案例的意義 --- p.13 / 包産到組制簡介 --- p.14 / 資料簡介 --- p.16 / Chapter 第二章： --- 1954-55年順德縣的農業合作化 --- p.19-44 / 1954至1955年中順德縣的建社情況 --- p.19 / 1955年中的農業合作化高潮 --- p.22 / 農村控制與農業合作化 --- p.26 / 1955年的天災與合作化發展 --- p.28 / 1954至1955年順德縣合作化的遺留問題 --- p.30 / 包工制的實行 --- p.34 / 包工包產制的引入 --- p.40 / 小結 --- p.44 / Chapter 第三章： --- 順德縣包產到組的興起及其原因 --- p.45-68 / 1956年農業生產困難槪況 --- p.45 / 「三包一獎」及工作定額制 --- p.46 / 小段計劃 --- p.54 / 「包產到組」的出現 --- p.56 / 退社風潮與順德縣包產到組的興起 --- p.61 / 小結 --- p.68 / Chapter 第四章： --- 以「包產到組」爲主的多種包產形式 --- p.69-91 / 1957年中央的農業生產分權策略 --- p.69 / 「包產到隊」的確立 --- p.71 / 以組爲主的多種包產形式 --- p.74 / 順德縣合作社制度的變遷 --- p.78 / 各級政府對包產到戶的限制 --- p.81 / 地方政府及社委對「包產到組」的維護 --- p.84 / 選擇以包產到組爲主的生產模式的原因 --- p.89 / 小結 --- p.91 / 結論 --- p.92-103 / 包產到組與合作化初期的嘗試 --- p.91 / 包產到組在日後的發展槪況 --- p.95 / 小農經濟理論的反思 --- p.100 / 對當下三農問題的啓示 --- p.101 / 附錄 --- p.104-114 / 附件一：小農經濟理論發展槪況 --- p.104 / 附件二：建國後1953至1957年中共順德縣委書記、副書記一覽表 --- p.107 / 附件三：順德縣行政區域劃分一覽表(1950至1957年) --- p.108 / 附圖一：順德縣政區圖 --- p.112 / 附圖二：順德縣政區圖放大 --- p.113 / 參考書目 --- p.115-125

This study focused on the technical and institutional constraints faced by the vegetable co-operatives with regard to the impact on productivity. Vegetable co-operatives have no access to markets due to their poor performance on productivity and poor quality produce resulting to low prices for the produce such that they cannot compete in a market economy. In this study, the data was drawn from a sample of thirty vegetable co-operatives in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) of the Eastern Cape; obtained through focus group discussions and interviews from each cooperative. The objectives of the study are to measure the productivity of vegetable co-operatives using Total factor productivity analysis (TFP) and profitability of vegetable co-operative using Gross Margin (GM). Followed by the descriptive statistics in identifying and assessing the socio-economic characteristics as well as coping strategies adopted by vegetable co-operatives in BCMM where percentages, means and tables are used looking at the highest frequency. The results show that the vegetable co-operatives in the BCMM are not productive and profitable due to major constraints experienced by co-operatives such as lack of market, information, trainings and business skills, capital, infrastructural facilities, effective extension services that all leads to poor produce quality. Co-operative is said to be profitable and viable if total revenue is greater than the total variable cost which makes the gross margin positive. In this case, the total gross margin is negative. The results showed that the production costs, maintenance (tractor hire, generator hire and servicing) and electricity costs were the major costs incurred in the production of vegetable by the co-operatives.

Com a competitividade no mercado globalizado, as organizações sentem a necessidade de unirem-se por meio da incorporação, que tem apresentado um crescimento continuado desde a década de 90. Desta forma a integração das empresas tem se tornado um grande desafio para a liderança, pelo fato de unir culturas organizacionais diferenciadas, que quando juntas podem gerar conflitos. Nesse sentido, torna-se necessário que os líderes utilizem suas habilidades para facilitar este processo de mudança. Assim o desenvolvimento e sobrevivência de uma organização são resultados da forma como está sendo conduzida ou por quem a conduz. Neste contexto, de tantas transformações a liderança é vista como um diferencial competitivo no mercado de produtos e serviços. Portanto os estilos de liderança podem agregar, influenciar e direcionar as pessoas para que juntas possam alcançar objetivos esperados pela organização. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo identificar e analisar os estilos de liderança adotados na visão dos gestores e associados da Cooperativa Vinícola em estudo. Como método de pesquisa foi realizado um estudo exploratório e descritivo de natureza quantitativa operacionalizada através de uma survey junto às quatro cooperativas incorporadas à Cooperativa Vinícola objeto de estudo desta pesquisa, localizada na Serra Gaúcha. Como instrumento de pesquisa, foi aplicado o MLQ-6S simplificado (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire). Os dados coletados foram tratados por meio de técnicas estatísticas e obteve-se os resultados através do Microsoft Excel e o Software SPSS 20.0. Dentre os principais resultados percebeu-se que com os diretores prevaleceu à liderança transformacional com destaque para os fatores: influência idealizada, estimulação intelectual e consideração pelos outros que obtiveram os índices das variáveis classificadas como elevado. Destacou-se a liderança transacional com índice moderado para os fatores: a gestão da recompensa, a gestão por exceção. Assim, de acordo com os resultados obtidos prevaleceu o estilo de liderança, na visão dos diretores, a liderança transformacional, com presença importante da liderança transacional. Pelas respostas dos associados o que prevalece foi à liderança transformacional, obtendo respostas de 82% dos associados. Para esta amostra foram destacados os fatores: influência idealizada, estimulação intelectual, consideração pelos outros, a partir da escala proposta por Northouse (2004). Diante das constatações, destaca-se relevância e aprimoramento das habilidades de liderança transformacional exercida na vinícola estudada. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2016-05-11T18:41:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Ariane Vanessa de Oliveira de Souza.pdf: 923673 bytes, checksum: 7f849c844c01f27525b49454896370de (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-11T18:41:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Ariane Vanessa de Oliveira de Souza.pdf: 923673 bytes, checksum: 7f849c844c01f27525b49454896370de (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES. / With competitiveness in the global market, the organizations feel the need of join through merger, which has shown a continued growth since the 90’s. This way, the integration of companies has become a major challenge for leadership by the fact of joining different organizational cultures, that when put together can lead to conflict. In this sense, it is necessary that leaders use their skills to facilitate this process of change. Thus, the development and survival of an organization are the result of the way it is being conducted or by whom it is being leaded. In this context, from many of the changes leadership is seen as a competitive advantage in the market of goods and services. Therefore, the leadership styles can aggregate, influence and direct people so that together they can achieve goals expected by the organization. This paper aimed to identify and analyze leadership styles adopted in the view of managers and associates of the Wine Cooperative in study. As research method an exploratory and descriptive study operationalized through a quantitative survey was performed with the four cooperatives incorporated to the Wine Cooperative studied in this research, located in Serra Gaúcha. As a research tool, the MLQ-6S simplified (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire) was applied. The collected data was processed by means of statistical techniques and the results were obtained through Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20.0 software. Among the main findings it was realized that with the heads prevailed the transformational leadership with emphasis on the factors: idealized influence, intellectual stimulation and consideration for others that obtained variables indices classified as high. Transactional leadership with moderate index stood out for the factors: the management of reward and management by exception. Thus, according to the results, the leadership style prevailed, in the view of the directors, transformational leadership, with significant presence of transactional leadership. By the answers of the members what prevailed was transformational leadership, obtaining 82% of the associated responses. For this sample the following factors were highlighted: idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, consideration for others, from the scale proposed by Northouse (2004). Facing the findings, it is stressed the relevance and improvement of transformational leadership skills exercised in the studied winery.

Com a competitividade no mercado globalizado, as organizações sentem a necessidade de unirem-se por meio da incorporação, que tem apresentado um crescimento continuado desde a década de 90. Desta forma a integração das empresas tem se tornado um grande desafio para a liderança, pelo fato de unir culturas organizacionais diferenciadas, que quando juntas podem gerar conflitos. Nesse sentido, torna-se necessário que os líderes utilizem suas habilidades para facilitar este processo de mudança. Assim o desenvolvimento e sobrevivência de uma organização são resultados da forma como está sendo conduzida ou por quem a conduz. Neste contexto, de tantas transformações a liderança é vista como um diferencial competitivo no mercado de produtos e serviços. Portanto os estilos de liderança podem agregar, influenciar e direcionar as pessoas para que juntas possam alcançar objetivos esperados pela organização. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo identificar e analisar os estilos de liderança adotados na visão dos gestores e associados da Cooperativa Vinícola em estudo. Como método de pesquisa foi realizado um estudo exploratório e descritivo de natureza quantitativa operacionalizada através de uma survey junto às quatro cooperativas incorporadas à Cooperativa Vinícola objeto de estudo desta pesquisa, localizada na Serra Gaúcha. Como instrumento de pesquisa, foi aplicado o MLQ-6S simplificado (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire). Os dados coletados foram tratados por meio de técnicas estatísticas e obteve-se os resultados através do Microsoft Excel e o Software SPSS 20.0. Dentre os principais resultados percebeu-se que com os diretores prevaleceu à liderança transformacional com destaque para os fatores: influência idealizada, estimulação intelectual e consideração pelos outros que obtiveram os índices das variáveis classificadas como elevado. Destacou-se a liderança transacional com índice moderado para os fatores: a gestão da recompensa, a gestão por exceção. Assim, de acordo com os resultados obtidos prevaleceu o estilo de liderança, na visão dos diretores, a liderança transformacional, com presença importante da liderança transacional. Pelas respostas dos associados o que prevalece foi à liderança transformacional, obtendo respostas de 82% dos associados. Para esta amostra foram destacados os fatores: influência idealizada, estimulação intelectual, consideração pelos outros, a partir da escala proposta por Northouse (2004). Diante das constatações, destaca-se relevância e aprimoramento das habilidades de liderança transformacional exercida na vinícola estudada. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES. / With competitiveness in the global market, the organizations feel the need of join through merger, which has shown a continued growth since the 90’s. This way, the integration of companies has become a major challenge for leadership by the fact of joining different organizational cultures, that when put together can lead to conflict. In this sense, it is necessary that leaders use their skills to facilitate this process of change. Thus, the development and survival of an organization are the result of the way it is being conducted or by whom it is being leaded. In this context, from many of the changes leadership is seen as a competitive advantage in the market of goods and services. Therefore, the leadership styles can aggregate, influence and direct people so that together they can achieve goals expected by the organization. This paper aimed to identify and analyze leadership styles adopted in the view of managers and associates of the Wine Cooperative in study. As research method an exploratory and descriptive study operationalized through a quantitative survey was performed with the four cooperatives incorporated to the Wine Cooperative studied in this research, located in Serra Gaúcha. As a research tool, the MLQ-6S simplified (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire) was applied. The collected data was processed by means of statistical techniques and the results were obtained through Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20.0 software. Among the main findings it was realized that with the heads prevailed the transformational leadership with emphasis on the factors: idealized influence, intellectual stimulation and consideration for others that obtained variables indices classified as high. Transactional leadership with moderate index stood out for the factors: the management of reward and management by exception. Thus, according to the results, the leadership style prevailed, in the view of the directors, transformational leadership, with significant presence of transactional leadership. By the answers of the members what prevailed was transformational leadership, obtaining 82% of the associated responses. For this sample the following factors were highlighted: idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, consideration for others, from the scale proposed by Northouse (2004). Facing the findings, it is stressed the relevance and improvement of transformational leadership skills exercised in the studied winery.

Incidences of cooperation in agricultural activity are widespread phenomena in low-income third world communities. Two forms of cooperative labour groupings are identified in Shixini, Transkei . These are the work party and the ploughing company. It is argued that different organisational principles operate in the different cooperative forms. Work parties are based on principles of neighbourhood whi Ie ploughing companies are organised around kinship relationships. Factors which determine the principle of organisation are social values; the wider South African economic system; ecology; reciprocity; the constitution and structure of the household; economic differentiation; and labour demand and supply. The dissertation is divided into five chapters. The first is an overview of the Shixini social, economic and political systems. This chapter discusses the influence of the wider South African politico-economic system on agricultural production; the Shixini!Transkei political context; kinship and its relation to social organisation; and the likely effects of an agricultural 'betterment' scheme on the area. The second chapter is an overview of agricultural production in Shixini. It is found that the most significant determinants of agricultural production is the structure and constitution of the household and the way in which stock is distributed in the community. The third and fourth chapters describe and analyse Xhosa work parties and ploughing companies . Argument is lead as to the reasons for the specific organisational principles operating in each case. The penultimate chapter is an analysis of sacred and secular ritual. It is argued that both ritual forms reveal cooperative principles of organisation. Secular ritual dramatises the organisation of work parties while sacred ritual dramatises kinship relationships and so, the organisation of ploughing companies. / KMBT_363