The main focus of this thesis is on how cooperatives can minimize both democratic and agency costs. In particular, the thesis examines how differences in the level of heterogeneity and member participation amongst cooperatives affect their management of these costs. The thesis is one of the first studies to empirically examine how cooperatives manage their decision making costs. The relationships amongst the key variables of the study are examined in three studies. First, we develop a measurement of heterogeneity based on a \'grouping\' method, with the aim of showing the presence (absence) of a dominant group and the size of the minority group(s). Cooperatives are ranked from homogenous to more heterogeneous based on both cooperative and member characteristics. Five different types of cooperatives are identified. Based on these results, a model is developed that predicts a non-linear relation between heterogeneity and member participation. Second, we distinguish all conflicts of interests (horizontal, vertical and diagonal) which exist at the different levels of cooperative decision making. By doing so, we are able to obtain a more complete picture of the costs of cooperative decision making. We also examine a broader range of decision making costs than most studies, as both democratic and agency costs are considered. In the present thesis, we have contributed to the literature by developing the concept of democratic costs. We distinguish between both direct and opportunity costs for both types of decision making costs. In doing so, we draw attention to the fact that the mechanisms used to increase member participation are not without costs. Frequently, studies focus mainly on the benefits of increased member participation, thereby disregarding some of the costs associated with it. Moreover, the thesis indicates that there are differences in the relative importance of direct and opportunity agency costs: direct agency cost should be a smaller concern for cooperatives compared to exposure to high opportunity agency costs. With regard to opportunity costs, a further distinction is made between costs associated with over-and underrepresentation of member groups in the board of directors. We show that the relation between member participation in the board of directors and democratic costs is more complex than is often assumed in the literature. Compared to previous studies, we focus not only on board size, but also on board composition; i.e., which member groups the board represents. Finally, we show the difficulties cooperative face in minimizing (balancing) both democratic and agency costs. / O principal foco desta tese é sobre como cooperativas podem minimizar tanto custos de tomada de decisões democráticas quanto de agência. Em particular, a tese examina como diferenças nos níveis de heterogeneidade e de participação dos membros afetam estes custos e o controle dos mesmos. Esta tese é um dos primeiros estudos que se propõem a examinar empiricamente como as cooperativas controlam seus custos de tomada de decisões. Os relacionamentos entre as variáveis-chave da tese são examinados em três estudos. Primeiramente, nós desenvolvemos um modelo de mensuração de heterogeneidade baseado em categorização, o qual leva em consideração a presença (ausência) de um grupo dominante e o tamanho do(s) grupo(s) minoritário(s). O modelo classifica cooperativas desde homogêneas até mais heterogêneas, com base em características tanto dos membros quanto da cooperativa. Cinco níveis de heterogeneidade são identificados. Com base nestes resultados, nós desenvolvemos um modelo que prevê um relacionamento não-linear entre heterogeneidade e nível de participação dos membros no processo de tomada de decisões da cooperativa. Em segundo lugar, este trabalho distingue os conflitos de interesse que existem em todos os níveis (horizontais, diagonais e verticais) do processo de tomada de decisões da cooperativa. Isto possibilitou o entendimento de todos os custos advindos destes conflitos. Em relação a estudos anteriores sobre custos de tomada de decisões, nós examinamos uma gama maior de custos de tomada de decisões, a qual inclui tanto os custos de tomada de decisões democráticas quanto custos de agência. Além disso, a presente tese contribui com a literatura existente, quando desenvolve o conceito de custos democráticos. Este trabalho, ainda, distingue estes custos em termos de custos diretos e custos de oportunidade. Em fazer isto, nós demonstramos que o processo de fornecer incentivos para membros para participar na governança da cooperativa envolve substanciais custos. Freqüentemente, estudos neste assunto focam principalmente nos benefícios advindos da participação dos membros na governança, porém ignoram os custos associados ao processo de fornecer incentivos. Mais do que isto, nós demonstramos que custos diretos de agência e custos de oportunidade de agência têm, relativamente, diferente importância, sendo custos diretos provavelmente menos onerosos quando comparados com o risco de exposição a custos de oportunidade. Com relação a custos de oportunidade, nós os distinguimos, ainda, em relação à sub e super representação com relação à participação dos membros no conselho de administração. Nós demonstramos também que a relação entre participação dos membros no conselho de administração e custos democráticos é mais complexa do que a freqüentemente apontada pela literatura. Isto é possível uma vez que nós temos focado nosso estudo não somente no tamanho, mas também na composição (representatividade) do conselho. Finalmente, nós demonstramos as dificuldades que as cooperativas enfrentam em tentar minimizar custos de tomada de decisões (democráticos e de agência).

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Rural areas of South Africa are characterised by high levels of unemployment and poverty resulting from lack of economic infrastructure. This led to the initiation of the Comprehensive Rural Development (CRDP) in 2009 to address poverty and lack of development in rural areas. Infrastructure provision to rural communities was identified as one of the main priorities of government. It was piloted in Muyexe village of Limpopo Province due to its lack of basic infrastructural services. This study was undertaken to investigate the impact made to cooperatives through the utilization of the infrastructures in terms of income generation and poverty alleviation. It also aimed at determining how sustainable the programme will be in the long-term. The key research questions asked were to determine if infrastructure provision could contribute to poverty alleviation and to determine how sustainable such programmes may be. Again, the study had to evaluate how the programme was implemented, to identify challenges faced and the gaps. It also recommends the solutions for future implementation of the programme. The study used a quantitative survey questionnaire which was administered to 30 beneficiaries of the projects. The findings of the study revealed that infrastructure for farming, brick laying, arts and craft and cosmetics manufacturing were provided to the cooperatives depending on their needs. The infrastructure provision programme contributed to improving the working conditions of the cooperatives but the impact made in terms of job creation, income generation, improving livelihoods and poverty alleviation is limited to a number of households. The programme had loopholes during its implementation due to lack of integration between the spheres of government and also lack of proper consultation. Cooperatives are still faced with a high challenge of lack of infrastructure because the infrastructure supplied was insufficient. The study recommends that proper consultation must be done to ensure that there is maximum participation by all concerned stake holders including the community. Effective mechanisms for training, supervision and designing of monitoring tools must also be done. Due to time, a larger sample could not be done and future research needs to be undertaken on a lager sample and also on the management of infrastructure provided to ensure that there is accountability amongst cooperatives.

Thesis (MBA.) --University of Limpopo, 2016 / The Co-operatives and Small Medium Micro Enterprises (SMME) sector in general is known to be synonymous with job creation and economic growth. The cooperative movement is said to have a potential of aiding unemployment and poverty in South Africa. The present study aimed at identifying the role of primary-cooperatives in economic growth at Elim in Limpopo Province. The study sought to find out what were the potential growth factors and opportunities available for co-operatives. It is also to examine the effectiveness of primary cooperatives as drivers of economic growth. The study was carried out at Elim in Limpopo Province. The methods used were questionnaires and interviews with primary co-operative members. A purposive sampling method was used because the researcher intended to interview specific members of the cooperative. Data were collected using both self-administered questionnaire and interviews. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of these co-operatives are not growing, thus becoming unsustainable. They are also unable to drive the local economy and impact positively to such economies. Lack of access to markets and other resources has been identified in the study as a serious challenge opposed to the success to these enterprises. Subsequent to that are issues pertaining to shortage and lack of, in certain instances, business skills and education amongst members. Finally, the study provides recommendations on the impact of cooperatives on the growth of the economy and how these can be revitalized to benefit not only the local economy at the community level, but also the entire nation.

La presente tesis tiene la finalidad de investigar cuál es la situación actual de la oferta exportable del cacao en grano de la provincia de Leoncio Prado hacia la Unión Europea, determinando así cuáles son las barreras que imposibilitan su posicionamiento e incremento en las exportaciones, conocer la realidad por las que atraviesan los productores y cooperativas en la provincia de Leoncio Prado. El análisis está basado a partir del año 2013 (año de entrada en vigor del acuerdo comercial entre Perú y la Unión Europea) al 2019 (año presente de la investigación). En el primer capítulo, se presenta el estado de la situación del producto, con el fin de tener contextualizado la producción y oferta exportable de cacao a nivel nacional y mundial. Adicionalmente, se estudia a la Unión Europea como principal destino de las exportaciones de cacao en grano peruano. En el segundo capítulo, se plasma toda la metodología de investigación cualitativa, donde se indican los objetivos, problemas, hipótesis, así como las dimensiones y grupos de actores a entrevistar, con el fin de ahondar más el primer capítulo. El tercer capítulo, se describe de manera ordenada y según la relevancia de cada dimensión, toda la información obtenida de nuestros entrevistados. En el cuarto capítulo, ya con toda la información recolectada se analizan y detallan las observaciones o resultados encontrados. Por último, en el quinto capítulo, se indican todas las conclusiones y recomendaciones del presente estudio. / The present thesis has the purpose of investigating what is the current situation of the exportable supply of organic cocoa from the province of Leoncio Prado to the European Union, thus determining which are the barriers that make it impossible to position and increase exports, know the reality through which producers and cooperatives in the province of Leoncio Prado go through. The analysis is based on the year 2013 (year of entry into force of the trade agreement between Peru and the European Union) to 2019 (the present year of the investigation). In the first chapter, the status of the product situation is presented, in order to contextualize the production and exportable supply of cocoa nationally and worldwide, additionally, the European Union is studied as the main destination for Peruvian cocoa exports. In the second chapter, all the qualitative research methodology is defined, indicating the objectives, problems, hypothesis, as well as the dimensions and groups of actors to be interviewed, in order to deepen more the first chapter. The third chapter describes in an orderly manner and according to the relevance of each dimension, all the information obtained from our interviewees. In the fourth chapter, with all the information collected, the observations or results found are analysed and detailed. In addition, the barriers to research and information gaps that have been presented throughout the research time are indicated. Finally, in the fifth chapter, all the conclusions and recommendations of the present study are indicated. / Tesis

Ce travail de these se situe dans le cadre du projet Guide dont le but est la conception et la realisation dun systeme reparti fournissant un support d'objets partages persistants. Dans une premiere partie, cette these etudie les problemes poses par la conception d'un tel systeme, les differentes approches rencontrees dans les systemes existants illustrant cette etude. La seconde partie est consacree a la presentation du travail realise dans le cadre du projet Guide. Un noyau de systeme appele Eliott a ete realise sur le micro-noyau Mach 3.0 et fournit le support necessaire aux langages orientes-objets utilises pour la programmation dapplications reparties. Le noyau Eliott gere a la fois la persistance des objets et le partage des objets entre les structures d'execution. Les objets sont regroupes en grappes, ce qui permet de les gerer plus efficacement dans le systeme ; ils peuvent etre deplaces entre les grappes. Les structures d'execution sont des espaces dadressage repartis partages par plusieurs flots dexecution ; les objets sont lies dynamiquement dans ces espaces d'adressage. Pour assurer un niveau de protection minimum, le systeme isole les objets afin d'eviter qu'une erreur dans un programme puisse perturber d'autres objets. Un schema dadressage a la Multics a ete defini afin deviter une interpretation systematique des appels de methode. Des mecanismes de controle des droits d'acces fondes sur des listes dacces sont integres a ce schema d'adressage et permettent la construction de sous-systemes proteges mutuellement mefiants. La realisation de ces mecanismes a ete effectuee sans degrader l'efficacite de l'appel de methode. La verification de la protection genere un cout supplementaire lors du premier appel qui est interprete, mais aucun cout pour les appels suivants.

Housing problem had firstly emerged in Ankara after the establishment of Turkish Republic and increased after the 2nd World War. With the population increases in the cities, due to the migration from rural to urban areas, the housing need have increased also as well as the other requirements. Housing Cooperatives that had first developed at 1934 represent a new type of licensed residence. Some precautions such as financial support were taken by the governments to solve this continuously rising housing problem. Therefore, the housing cooperatives had been supported effectively by the governments especially after 1960&rsquo / s. In 1980&rsquo / s, the housing necessity caused different searches in governmental level. Then, a clear resurgence observed in the housing sector with the means of Mass Housing laws accepted. The housing efforts in Adana had been accelerated with the establishments of housing cooperatives after 1960&rsquo / s and the constructions had performed great leaps nearly in every decade. This thesis analyzes the effects of housing cooperatives on the urban development of Adana city.

This thesis examines the concept of water cooperatives as an alternative model to create access, supply and manage water services in poor urban and peri urban areas. Two case studies from the Municipality of Moreno, Buenos Aires are presented in this thesis in order to account for the feasibility of the model. The primary data for this research is derived from participant observation, key informant interviews, household questionnaire-based interviews and archival research. The significance of researching water cooperatives is that they have traditionally been dismissed in regard to their potential of being a practical alternative to large water concessions and public run water services in the Global South. Research on alternatives such as water cooperatives is key, particularly in the face of growing de-privatization in the water sector in the province of Buenos Aires. The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area is an important case study for research on water governance because it was intended to be the World Banks model for which other countries would strive to emulate when reforming and improving water services by means of private concessions. The first part of the thesis examines the political and social history of water cooperatives in Argentina and the effects of privatization on the cooperative model. The second part outlines the theoretical advantages and disadvantages of the governance model and positions these theories against the realities of an existing water cooperative and a poor peri-urban community that has a strong affinity for implementing the model in their community. The two case studies presented in this thesis help to elucidate why the water governance model is able to serve poor peri-urban communities that otherwise remain unserviced by the traditional public or private water governance models. This is significant if we are earnest about providing water and sanitation services to all.

The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool went from being the largest grain handler in western Canada in the mid 1990s to undertaking a $405 million debt restructuring in January 2003. Provincial grain handling market share had been over 60 percent for two decades prior to the Pool becoming publicly traded in 1996. With the share conversion, the Pool began a capital expenditure program in an effort to adapt to industry deregulation and to compete with the multinationals that were entering western Canada. This program was not successful. SWPs long-term debt increased five fold over the period 19961999 and consecutive multi-million dollar net losses were incurred followed by the debt restructuring.<p>This thesis uses dominant logic theory and the principal-agent problem to analyze what went wrong at SWP. Theory suggests organizations faced with major industry change may have difficulty revising their dominant logic, which leads to organizational failure. Not only is there a tendency to hold on to established beliefs, but the creation of new beliefs is prone to error because of bounded rationality. The existence of a principal-agent problem can worsen an organizations ability to revise its dominant logic. Information asymmetry and the principals trust of the agent can lead to inaccurate beliefs and ineffective strategies being approved. <p>The results of personal interviews with twenty-one past management and elected Saskatchewan Wheat Pool personnel and grain industry affiliates are presented and analyzed in a case study format. The results suggest that deregulation of the grain handling industry and the anticipated arrival of multinational competitors pressured the Pool to respond quickly to major industry change. The Pool had difficulty revising its dominant logic; it retained outdated beliefs and accepted inaccurate new beliefs. Interviewees described how some investments were built on erroneous beliefs and lacked complete due diligence. Evidence suggests the principal-agent problem was also at play. The need for confidentiality after the share conversion increased information asymmetry, and management took advantage of the boards lack of experience as investments extended beyond the farm gate. The principal-agent problem in conjunction with an inaccurate revised dominant logic is a reasonable explanation for the Pools failure.

The microfinance revolution of the 1980s acclaimed micro-credit as a tool that would improve the lives of economically active people trapped in poverty. The 2006 Nobel prize awarded to Mohammed Yunus and Grameen Bank confirmed for the industry’s advocates that microfinance was a panacea, and billions of dollars have been channeled to financial services for the poor. However, a series of high-profile scandals in 2010 shook development agencies’ faith in micro lending, and support has waned in light of evidence that microfinance alone cannot change structural inequalities and end poverty. I show that politics operate throughout the industry, reproducing inequalities within the process of micro lending. In my political ethnographic study of 460 people in three countries, I find that race and class politics is entrenched in all three countries, yet there are different outcomes related to attitudes of microfinance managers. In Jamaica and Guyana, micro lenders demonstrate that historically rooted racial and class biases go beyond gender to determine the allocation of micro loan resources. Ingrained biases interfere with the allocation of loans to the urban poor because discriminatory practices reinforce pre-existing social divisions. The Haiti case is hopeful: lenders, particularly the caisses populaires (credit unions), are made up of socially conscious people who recognize the country’s exclusionary politics. Managers and staff have class origins similar to the clients they serve and view micro loans as a tool to contest class and race-based oppressions. Haiti’s case suggests that collective systems such as those found in the caisses populaires and informal banks are effective because they relate to people’s history; and managers influenced by the masses, organize financial programs that are responsive to their clients and remain free from elite capture. This bottom-up approach in microfinance determines a greater level of social transformation for the urban poor.

Especially recently, cooperatives occupy the global agenda as efficient organizations that contribute to mainstream development goals. However, cooperatives, which may also emerge as grassroots organizations, could create an alternative through empowering women socially, economically and politically. In this respect, this study investigates the impact of women&rsquo / s cooperatives on women&rsquo / s empowerment in urban Turkey. Empowerment Approach composes the theoretical framework of this study. Primarily, the mainstream development approach, Women in Development approach and Gender and Development approach are analyzed critically which are the precursors of Empowerment Approach. Later, Empowerment Approach is analyzed, and benefiting from postmodern approaches that emphasize the importance of local ways of knowing and doing, empowerment is defined as a process that fulfills practical and strategic gender needs through power within, power with and power to, which are generative forms of power. Through field research conducted in Istanbul and its periphery, I concluded that: 1) Women&rsquo / s conceptualization of empowerment overlapped with my conceptualization of power with and power within. However women did not mention power to as power or empowerment. 2) Rather than practical or strategic gender needs, women mostly fulfill psychological and social needs through cooperative involvement. This category emerged as a third category that should be added to practical and strategic gender needs framework. 3) Women&rsquo / s cooperatives empower women through power within and power with, which in turn mostly fulfill social, psychological and practical gender needs. Power to is not revealed through cooperative membership which is in fact a sin qua non aspect of empowerment.