This is a study to understand and interpret the governance structure of and the pattern of development followed by farmer co-operatives in China. China's farmer co-operatives have developed rapidly since the Farmers Co-operative Law came into force in 2007. Unlike their counterparts in western democratic capitalist systems, however, farmer co-operatives in China are owned and controlled by individuals and groups other than farmers -- the resulting structure is referred to as the Company+Household (C+H) co-operative. As a result, the small farmers who make up the majority of members have very little participation or control in these organizations. This thesis also uses the development of farmer co-operatives as a lens through which Chinese agriculture and rural development can be viewed and understood. The proposition examined in the thesis is that the pattern of co-operative development is the expected outcome given the challenges that China is facing in its agricultural sector, China's economic development goals, and the political economy of the country.<p> The thesis examines the governance structure -- i.e., the way in which business entities are structured and controlled -- of C+H cooperatives using political economy theories. This theory argues that corporate governance structures reflect public policy choices. These policy choices are fundamentally the result of political decisions, decisions that are heavily influenced by the preferences and power resources of different groups in a society, as well as by the existing political and economic institutions. China's political economy shapes ``a capitalism with Chinese characteristics.' All capitalist systems require mechanisms that coordinate decisions and expectations. Due to a lack of institutionalized trust (e.g., trust created by reliance on the rule of law and independent judiciaries), China relies on other mechanisms for this coordination. Meanwhile, minority shareholder protections (e.g., auditing and disclosure rules) are virtually absent. The outcome is an economic system in which a blockholder ownership pattern emerges as the most effective governance structure, with the state and large investors (both of which have close personal ties to other investors and other state officials) as the blockholders. Within this system, there is little room for the small investor. Consequently, China's political economy provides an environment in which farmer co-operatives that are owned and operated by small farmers, and in which the state and large private interests are largely absent, would be very unlikely to exist.<p> The thesis also uses industrial organization theory to analyze C+H co-operatives in the context of agricultural industrialization. The argument developed in this thesis suggests that C+H cooperatives have also emerged as the most likely organizational structure for reasons unique to the agricultural sector. Specifically, the industrialization that has occurred in agriculture around the world during the last two decades has created a need for much greater coordination within agricultural supply chains as companies within this chain attempt to provide a rapidly increasing range of products that must meet increasingly higher standards of consistency, quality and safety. Therefore, agro-processors increasingly specify the type and quality of product produced by farmers, who are often contractually required to buy inputs from and to sell output to a particular processor.<p> A key outcome of the research in this thesis is that the development of farmer co-operatives has to be seen as an endogenous response to the political and economic interests operating in China at the time the co-operative law was introduced. The beliefs and associated behaviours of those that benefit from the emergence of this particular policy helped to enforce and reinforce the emergence of new organizational forms that further perpetuate the power of those that initially benefitted. This self reinforcement (i.e., positive feedback) creates path dependency, which in turn explains the persistence of high modernism, capitalism with Chinese characteristics and patron-client structures, all of which contributed to formation of C+H cooperatives. The C+H co-operatives not only have a governance structure that fits into the political structure, but they provide a large degree of control by the company (i.e., the agro-processor) over the decisions made by farmers, which are crucial to meet the coordination needs of modern supply chain. The conclusion is that the political and economic institutions in China today do not provide an enabling environment for the establishment and the success of farmer self-help groups. As a consequence of both China's larger political economy and the conditions specific to agriculture, it is to be expected that the C+H model of a co-operative has emerged as the dominant organizational form for co-operatives in China.

This is a study to understand and interpret the governance structure of and the pattern of development followed by farmer co-operatives in China. China's farmer co-operatives have developed rapidly since the Farmers Co-operative Law came into force in 2007. Unlike their counterparts in western democratic capitalist systems, however, farmer co-operatives in China are owned and controlled by individuals and groups other than farmers -- the resulting structure is referred to as the Company+Household (C+H) co-operative. As a result, the small farmers who make up the majority of members have very little participation or control in these organizations. This thesis also uses the development of farmer co-operatives as a lens through which Chinese agriculture and rural development can be viewed and understood. The proposition examined in the thesis is that the pattern of co-operative development is the expected outcome given the challenges that China is facing in its agricultural sector, China's economic development goals, and the political economy of the country.<p> The thesis examines the governance structure -- i.e., the way in which business entities are structured and controlled -- of C+H cooperatives using political economy theories. This theory argues that corporate governance structures reflect public policy choices. These policy choices are fundamentally the result of political decisions, decisions that are heavily influenced by the preferences and power resources of different groups in a society, as well as by the existing political and economic institutions. China's political economy shapes ``a capitalism with Chinese characteristics.' All capitalist systems require mechanisms that coordinate decisions and expectations. Due to a lack of institutionalized trust (e.g., trust created by reliance on the rule of law and independent judiciaries), China relies on other mechanisms for this coordination. Meanwhile, minority shareholder protections (e.g., auditing and disclosure rules) are virtually absent. The outcome is an economic system in which a blockholder ownership pattern emerges as the most effective governance structure, with the state and large investors (both of which have close personal ties to other investors and other state officials) as the blockholders. Within this system, there is little room for the small investor. Consequently, China's political economy provides an environment in which farmer co-operatives that are owned and operated by small farmers, and in which the state and large private interests are largely absent, would be very unlikely to exist.<p> The thesis also uses industrial organization theory to analyze C+H co-operatives in the context of agricultural industrialization. The argument developed in this thesis suggests that C+H cooperatives have also emerged as the most likely organizational structure for reasons unique to the agricultural sector. Specifically, the industrialization that has occurred in agriculture around the world during the last two decades has created a need for much greater coordination within agricultural supply chains as companies within this chain attempt to provide a rapidly increasing range of products that must meet increasingly higher standards of consistency, quality and safety. Therefore, agro-processors increasingly specify the type and quality of product produced by farmers, who are often contractually required to buy inputs from and to sell output to a particular processor.<p> A key outcome of the research in this thesis is that the development of farmer co-operatives has to be seen as an endogenous response to the political and economic interests operating in China at the time the co-operative law was introduced. The beliefs and associated behaviours of those that benefit from the emergence of this particular policy helped to enforce and reinforce the emergence of new organizational forms that further perpetuate the power of those that initially benefitted. This self reinforcement (i.e., positive feedback) creates path dependency, which in turn explains the persistence of high modernism, capitalism with Chinese characteristics and patron-client structures, all of which contributed to formation of C+H cooperatives. The C+H co-operatives not only have a governance structure that fits into the political structure, but they provide a large degree of control by the company (i.e., the agro-processor) over the decisions made by farmers, which are crucial to meet the coordination needs of modern supply chain. The conclusion is that the political and economic institutions in China today do not provide an enabling environment for the establishment and the success of farmer self-help groups. As a consequence of both China's larger political economy and the conditions specific to agriculture, it is to be expected that the C+H model of a co-operative has emerged as the dominant organizational form for co-operatives in China.

A number of international research studies have explored the benefits and challenges for post-secondary students who have experienced an international co-operative education assignment (e.g., Bentley & Broons, 1998; Coll & Chapman, 2000; Coll, Pinyonatthagarn & Pramoolsook, 2003; Ward & Laslett, 2004; Wong & Coll, 2001). A small number of studies in this field have suggested that a well organized program includes pre-departure planning, focused orientation programs, and opportunities for reflection (Bentley & Broons, 1998; Ward & Laslett, 2004). Mentoring relationships have also been shown to support the success of workplace opportunities (Collins, 1993; Thuynsma, 1997; Van Gyn & Ricks, 1998). However, the results of the research that highlight the development of various traits during the international experience do not distinguish between pre-placement and post-placement student characteristics that contributed to the students’ success in the international experiences. Therefore more research is required. The purpose of this study was to understand and report on specific factors that contribute to successful international co-operative education experiences from the perspective of college students and the program co-ordinator. The students and co-ordinator were all associated with a work integrated learning opportunity in an international business college program that requires students to complete an international co-operative experience. Three fundamental questions I set out to answer were: (a) What role does the pre-placement program play in students’ success in the international co-operative experience? (b) What characteristics of students and workplace supervisors as perceived by the students contribute to successful international co-operative education experiences? (c) What role, if any, does mentoring by a workplace supervisor play in students’ successful international co-operative education experience? The study findings emphasized the importance of understanding the characteristics that support a successful experience and discuss the implementation of goals for program design and delivery. The findings within the first theme focused on What Helped Students Succeed in the International Placement, the second theme highlighted What Impeded Students’ Success in the International Placement and the final theme outlined Goals Achieved. Most of the categories within the themes were anticipated in the research questions but what was surprising was there was little data on mentoring. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-01-25 17:23:11.267

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Educational Psychology at the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, South Africa, 1998. / This study investigated the relationship between anxiety and co-operative behaviour, anxiety and gender, gender and co-operative behaviour and anxiety, cooperative behaviour and performance among students in tertiary institutions. The sample consisted of 137 males and 193 females. A standardized IPAT Anxiety Scale was used to achieve the objectives of the first and second aims of the study. The researcher constructed his own Co-operative Behaviour Scale to achieve the objectives of aim four. Research assistants helped with the construction of the Academic Performance Scale. The findings according to the first aim of the study, that is, the relationship between anxiety and co-operative behaviour revealed that there is a weak positive relationship between anxiety and cooperative behaviour. The findings based on aim number two, that is, the relationship between v gender and anxiety showed that while more men appear anxious, more women are willing to co-operate than men. The findings based on aim number three, that is, "the effect of induced anxiety among people, showed that increased anxiety level leads to more co-operative tendencies , up to an optimal point, after which cooperative behaviour decreases as long as anxiety increases. The findings according to the fourth aim of the study, that is, the relationship between anxiety and academic performance, show that poor performers as well as above average performers are less co-operative; whereas average performers are more cooperative. This is due to the effects of either low or high anxiety on academic performance, this is, low or high anxiety levels leads to poor academic performance.

<p> The purpose of this research paper is to examine the factors that are involved in providing a sense of community to the members of co-operative housing. Also, this investigation attempts to determine which factors influence the successful development of a sense of community within cooperative homes. The research hypothesis for this paper is to show that co-operative housing projects do provide its residents with a sense of community. The study was conducted by using data collected from two co-operative housing units in Hamilton: Apple Garth and Corktown Co-operative Homes. Information on residents' attitudes was collected by using a questionnaire through personal interviews. In order to test the hypothesis two statistical methods were utilized: chi-square and frequency tables. The results showed that co-op as a place to live' and neighbour' factors are most significant when investigating the attitudes' of residents in terms of a sense of community. Therefore, the conclusion is that the residents of Apple Garth and Corktown Co-operative Homes do experience a sense of community. The results have practical significance because researchers are encouraged to conduct studies of small groups (ie. the household) within cooperative housing. This is critical since little is known about the motivations, expectations, likes and dislikes of the members of non-profit housing.</p> / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy

Joint-nesting species experience complex and diverse social environments which can influence individual reproductive success. When social groups are formed by non- relatives, competition for representation in incubated clutches can be intense and result in substantial reproductive losses. Because conflicts of this nature have direct impli- cations on fitness, resolutions and outcomes of such are of particular interest to evolu- tionary research. For this reason, I explored patterns of reproductive competition and skew in joint-nesting Smooth-billed Anis (Crotophaga ani). In chapter I, I show marked differences in multivariate bill and body size between sexes of Smooth-billed Anis (Cro- tophaga ani) despite reportedly reduced sexual dimorphism in co-operative breeders. I also show that multivariate bill size in males correlates with annual reproductive success and individual contribution to clutches from multiple parents. A similar trend is not observed in females, suggesting potential for sexual selection on male bill size. Together, these data provide evidence for morphological influences on reproductive fitness in joint- nesting species. In chapter II, I show that relative parental effort is positively correlated with reproductive fitness in social groups of Smooth-billed Anis. Nocturnal incubation is risky and is biased toward a single male - akin to Groove-billed (Crotophaga sulcirostris) and Greater Ani (Crotophaga major). I report heightened reproductive contribution by nocturnally incubating males when compared to other males within social groups. In chapter III, I tested whether social group size is correlated with endocrine markers of stress in adult male and female Anis. Using a novel enzyme linked immunosorbent as- say, I show that corticosterone (the primary glucocorticoid in birds) deposited in feathers is highest in birds from atypically large social groups. While the direct consequences of elevated corticosterone on reproductive fitness in Anis is yet unknown, these results suggest that breeding in large social settings is likely to be physiologically expensive. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

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Thesis (M.Dev) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The aim of this study was to assess the performance of co-operative enterprises that have benefited from the Co-operative Incentive Scheme (CIS). Matabane Co-operative in the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality in Sekhukhune District was used as a case study. Both primary and secondary data were used to analyse the performance of this co-operative. The primary data were collected through a pre-tested questionnaire, while electronic and non-electronic media were used to collect secondary data. Purposive sampling was used to select respondents and because the number of beneficiaries of the co-operative was too small (i.e., 36) all were selected for this purpose. Only tables were used to analyse data in this study. The results obtained showed that the level of participation of females and youth in co-operatives is minimal. With regard to the level of education, the study found that all beneficiaries were literate. Of the total membership, 31% had passed secondary education, 22% had tertiary qualifications, while those who had passed primary education constituted 47%. The study also found that the co-operative had generated 36 jobs. Of this number, 14% were awarded to females as compared to 86% among their male counterparts. The youth constituted only 8% of the co-operative membership as compared to the 92% of the adults and the elderly combined. With regard to income, the study found that the co-operative has managed to generate about R1,5 million, the majority of which comes from the sale of livestock and maize, namely 44% and 28% respectively. The following challenges were established by this study: lack of access to markets, lack of sufficient land space for production, lack of support from government, lack of access to water, shortage of proper skills, and the high cost of electricity. The following recommendations are therefore made to policymakers: · A budget for the payment of stipends to beneficiaries should be made available. The budget for the Community Work Programme (CWP) should be used for this purpose. · The municipality should provide a subsidy for electricity to the co-operative. · The Provincial Departments of Agriculture should provide the co-operative with adequate infrastructure. · LIBSA and other government agencies should ensure the provision of ongoing training in technical, project management, recordkeeping and financial management skills to the beneficiaries of the co-operative. · LIBSA should assist the co-operatives in identifying markets and in ensuring that their produce meets the required quality standards. The assurance is hereby given by this study that the productivity of co-operatives would be enhanced if these policies were implemented successfully.