Major global problems, manifested by climate change and social inequality, reinforce the need for a societal shift towards sustainable practices. This transition requires new approaches in the future design of society. The current energy system, based on fossil fuels and centralized infrastructure is a key contributor to many of the socio-ecological issues related to the sustainability challenge. The intent of this research is to examine renewable energy cooperatives as an alternative to minimize the negative impacts of the current energy system. Using a Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) approach with a Resilience Attribute Framework, this research explored the presence of resilience attributes (Trust, Diversity, Learning and Self-organization) and sustainability behavior in renewable energy cooperatives. The research then explored, through interview and surveys, the perceived impacts that these cooperatives had on the resilience and sustainability behavior of the wider community. Findings showed that energy cooperatives displayed high levels of the resilience through the attributes of: - Trust: due to non-profit status, ownership structure, localisation and shared values - Diversity: due to member and service diversity - Learning: through collaboration, diverse member knowledge and participation - Self-organization: due to cooperative development, leadership and outcomes (infrastructure and energy knowledge). This study showed that renewable energy cooperatives have numerous impacts on their community however; there were no significant evidence to suggest energy cooperatives transferred their high levels of social resilience to the community.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The current view is of magnifying of operations of credit destined to physical persons. This growing justifies by the contract of financings and loans with larger terms of paying, increasing of income and job. Being thus, in the same way as if it expands the search for credit in the financial institutions, it occurs the increasing of the index of insolvency of these operations. With this, it appears the necessity of an efficient management and control of risk making that these institutions try to perfect the quantitative techniques used in its process of analyze of concession of credit and administration of risk. Thus, the objective of this research was to propose a model of risk of credit for to esteem the probability of insolvency in the segment of physical persons in a Credit Cooperative, located in Pelotas/RS. It was identified too the profile of the cooperated from information registered in cadastre that themselves relate to the institution, trying by means of them to verify what are the variables able to explain the suggested model of risk. It was developed a study of case, based on the period of December, 2010 and it was used for analyzing data the multivaried statistic technique of multiple logistic regression. It was obtained a sample of 400 cooperated and it was tested 29 co-varied of the respective bank of data of the Unicred Automation System (UAS). In this study, the variable dependent corresponds to the situation or no of the insolvency of the cooperated in the operations of credit. The results gotten from the adjusted model indicate that only two predatory variables were statistically significant (p<0,05) for esteeming the probability of the insolvency , that are: profession dentist (OR = 7,147) and if it has the monthly income over 10 thousand until 20 thousand Reals (OR = 4,339). / O panorama atual é de ampliação das operações de crédito destinadas às pessoas físicas. Este crescimento justifica-se pela contratação de financiamentos e empréstimos com maiores prazos de pagamentos, aumento da renda e de emprego. Sendo assim, da mesma forma como se expande a procura pelo crédito nas instituições financeiras, ocorre o aumento dos índices de inadimplência destas operações. Com isso, surge a necessidade de um eficaz gerenciamento e controle do risco, fazendo com que estas instituições busquem aperfeiçoar as técnicas quantitativas utilizadas em seu processo de análise de concessão de crédito e administração do risco. Assim, o objetivo desta investigação foi propor um modelo de risco de inadimplência para estimar se um cooperado pessoa física será inadimplente ou não em uma operação de crédito junto a uma Cooperativa de Crédito Mútuo, situada em Pelotas/RS. Também, identificou-se o perfil do cooperado, a partir das informações cadastrais que os mesmos informam à instituição, buscando, por meio dessas, verificar quais as variáveis capazes de explicar o modelo de risco sugerido. Desenvolveu-se um estudo de caso, tendo como base o período de dezembro de 2010 e, utilizou-se para análise dos dados a técnica estatística multivariada de regressão logística múltipla. Obteve-se uma amostra de 400 cooperados e foram testadas 29 covariáveis do respectivo banco de dados do Sistema de Automação Unicred (SAU). Neste estudo, a variável dependente corresponde à situação ou não da inadimplência dos cooperados nas operações de crédito. Os resultados obtidos no modelo ajustado indicam que somente duas variáveis preditoras foram estatisticamente significativas (p<0,05) para estimar a probabilidade da inadimplência, que são: profissão dentista (OR = 7,147) e se possui a renda mensal acima de 10 mil até 20 mil reais (OR = 4,339).

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The biodiesel production chain in Rio Grande do Sul is based on the production of soybeans potential, traditional cultivation of family farmers. Agricultural cooperatives are important economic agents in the energy market. They hold about 30% of the receipt of the soybean crop, and are included in institutional actions foreseen by the National Plan for Production and Use of Biodiesel. Based on this reality, the objective of this research is to analyze the position taken by the agricultural cooperatives entered in the production chain of biodiesel soybean oil base in Rio Grande do Sul. Is employed multicases study method. The conceptual approach uses the SWOT and through the fuzzy sets, illustrating the positioning of the cooperative compared to production chain. The linguistic model was applied in five agricultural cooperatives, authorized by the Ministry of Agrarian Development to supply raw material to the biodiesel industry in the state. With the results of applying the SWOT-Fuzzy linguistic model, it was possible to explore the positioning of the cooperatives compered to the biodiesel production chain. Among the five analyzed cooperatives, the Coopermil has the boldest competitive positioning against the biodiesel chain, the internal environment is formed by intensity forces and the external environment predominance opportunity. The Cotrirosa has an internal organization with structured forces that allows positioning unobtrusively and capturing the opportunities in their favor and deflecting threats. The Cotribá and Cotrisal have an internal scenario classified as neutral, as the external environment is rooted in the development of potential opportunities with this characterization cooperatives adapt their forces and reduce their threats according to the opportunities that biodiesel chain offers. The cooperative with more discreet competitive positioning ahead the chain is Cotrijal that shapes their strengths and mitigates weaknesses in order to capture the biodiesel chain opportunity and divert the threat, the cooperative is positioned directly as the right time to market. / A cadeia produtiva do biodiesel no Rio Grande do Sul está pautada no potencial produtivo do grão soja, tradicional cultivo dos agricultores familiares da região. Por deterem aproximadamente 30% do recebimento da safra de soja, e por serem contempladas em ações institucionais previstas pelo Plano Nacional de Produção e Uso do Biodiesel, as cooperativas agrícolas são importantes agentes econômicos atuantes nesse mercado energético. Partindo dessa realidade, o objetivo da presente pesquisa é analisar o posicionamento assumido pelas cooperativas agropecuárias inseridas na cadeia produtiva do biodiesel a base do óleo de soja no Rio Grande do Sul. Para tanto, emprega-se o método de estudo multicasos. Utiliza-se a abordagem conceitual da matriz SWOT e através dos conjuntos fuzzy, ilustra-se o posicionamento das cooperativas frente à supracitada cadeia produtiva. O modelo linguístico foi aplicado em cinco cooperativas agropecuárias, habilitadas pelo Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário ao fornecimento de matéria-prima a indústria de biodiesel no estado. Com os resultados da aplicação do modelo linguístico SWOT-Fuzzy, foi possível explorar o posicionamento das cooperativas gaúchas frente à cadeia produtiva do biodiesel. Entre as cinco cooperativas analisadas, a Coopermil possui o posicionamento competitivo mais arrojado frente à cadeia do biodiesel, o ambiente interno é formado por intensidade de forças e o ambiente externo de predominância de oportunidade. A Cotrirosa tem uma organização interna com forças estruturadas que permite se posicionar de forma discreta e captar as oportunidades ao seu favor e desviar das ameaças. A Cotribá e Cotrisal possuem um cenário interno classificado como neutro, já o ambiente externo é alicerçado no desenvolvimento de potenciais oportunidades, com essa caracterização as cooperativas adaptam suas forças e reduzem suas ameaças de acordo com as oportunidades que cadeia do biodiesel oferece. A cooperativa com posicionamento competitivo mais discreto frente a cadeia é a Cotrijal, que molda as suas forças e ameniza suas fraquezas no objetivo de captar as oportunidade da cadeia do biodiesel e desviar das ameaça, a cooperativa se posiciona diretamente conforme o momento certo de mercado.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / Historically, the poor have always been socially, politically and economically marginalized in society. The South African Government’s Cooperative Act 2005 presents a promising step in the right direction towards addressing poverty and unemployment in rural areas. The research looks at two case studies and site relevant findings. This study gives a brief introductory account of cooperatives with regard to their history and existence, particularly in South Africa. The research report focuses on two case studies, where the organisational structures and business operations will be examined and compared. Finally the report will draw lessons to indicate the possible social and economic viability of these cooperatives and their place in rural development. Based on the findings and conclusions, a number of recommendations are made on cooperatives in the rural sector. The research utilizes secondary data, such as documents, records, the internet, books and literature on the subject of cooperatives and related aspects of unemployment and poverty, forming a background of cooperatives in the South African rural sector. Primary data takes the form of structured (personal one on one) and semi-structured (group discussion) interviews. The primary and secondary data present the basis for the report findings and conclusions. Where possible, the relevant recommendations are made.

Orientador: Bruno Coraucci Filho / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T11:21:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Buda_JoseFrancisco_D.pdf: 7168261 bytes, checksum: b9f15e39a51e5f756266765a99ec4830 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A Política Nacional de Resíduos (PNRS), instituída pela Lei nº 12305 de 02 de agosto de 2010 e regulamentada pelo Decreto n° 7.404 de 23 de dezembro de 2010, apresenta a importância do tripé entre Poder Público, Empresas e Sociedade na gestão dos resíduos sólidos, incentivando a participação das cooperativas de catadores de material reciclável no processo de recebimento/coleta, triagem, enfardamento e comercialização dos materiais, como também pode-se destacar a importância que estas desempenham na inclusão social e geração de renda. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar efeitos causados pela PNRS, nas condições e no ambiente de trabalho das cooperativas, as mudanças ocorridas nas relações com as empresas e sociedade quanto ao volume e qualidade dos resíduos recebidos, e com os órgãos municipais. Foram pesquisadas as cooperativas conveniadas com a Prefeitura do Município de São Paulo, onde estas responderam um formulário que levantou as variáveis: ambientais e sanitárias, econômicas, institucionais, infraestrutura e de saúde e segurança no trabalho. Foram entrevistados os presidentes das cooperativas, pois estes são os cooperados mais antigos e alguns até participarão na redação da lei. Foi possível assim retratar as condições das cooperativas e também conclui-se assim que a PNRS se configura como modeladora de novos paradigmas sociais, dentre os quais se destacam os princípios de responsabilidade social compartilhada e que as mudanças comportamentais pretendidas pelo documento legal não deverão ser obtidas de forma rápida, mas sim de forma gradual em avanços sucessivos. A aceleração deste processo somente será dada com o incremento da fiscalização e do apoio do poder público à questão da reciclagem, o que garantirá a efetividade da lei / Abstract: The National Waste Policy (PNRS), established by Law No. 12305 of August 2, 2010 and regulated by Decree No. 7,404 of December 23, 2010, shows the importance of the tripod between Government, the Companies and Society in waste management solid, encouraging the participation of waste pickers cooperatives in the receiving process / collection, sorting, baling and marketing of materials, but also can highlight the importance they play in the social inclusion and income generation. This research aimed to evaluate effects caused by PNRS under the conditions and in the work environment of cooperatives, changes in relationships with business and society about the size and quality of the waste received, and municipal agencies. The cooperatives were surveyed with the city of São Paulo City Hall, where they answered a form that lifted the variables: environmental, sanitary, economic, institutional, infrastructure, health and safety at work. We interviewed the presidents of cooperatives, as these are the oldest cooperative and some even participate in drafting the law. It was this possible to portray the conditions of cooperatives and concluded as soon as the PNRS is configured as shaping of new social paradigms, among which stand out the principle of shared social responsibility, required behavioral changes by the legal document should not be obtained quickly, but gradually in successive advances. The acceleration of this process will only be given to increasing the supervision and government support to the issue of recycling, which will ensure the effectiveness of the law / Doutorado / Saneamento e Ambiente / Doutor em Engenharia Civil

博士（社会学） / 133p / 一橋大学

Les réseaux de commerce coopératif et associé sont des groupes de détaillants, propriétaires de leur(s) point(s) de vente, qui mettent en commun leurs moyens (achat, marketing, communication, financement, logistique, etc.) et développent des politiques communes. L'objectif de cette recherche est de démontrer comment des réseaux de commerce coopératif et associé, avec le double statut de leurs membres, c’est-à-dire clients et copropriétaires des structures centrales, peuvent générer des synergies aussi efficaces que celles des réseaux mixtes (coexistence de succursales et de franchises dans le même réseau) afin de faire face au défi de l'uniformité du concept, nécessaire à la survie et au développement de tout réseau de points de vente. Le maintien de l'uniformité consiste à respecter les éléments clefs du concept. Une étude de quatre cas a été menée. Les résultats de la recherche qualitative mettent en évidence l'existence de différents processus qui émergent de manière centralisée (contrats, incitations et persuasion), décentralisée (confiance, implication organisationnelle et contrôle informel) et mixte (solidarité, mimétisme et enculturation). Tous ces processus ont été opérationnalisés et testés empiriquement avec un échantillon de 245 commerçants coopérateurs ou associés, issus de 53 réseaux différents, représentant tous les secteurs d'activité définis par la FCA (Fédération du Commerce coopératif et Associé). L'analyse s’est fondée sur une modélisation par équations structurelles de type PLS. Un modèle de management du défi de l'uniformité du concept des réseaux de commerce coopératif et associé est proposé. Ce sujet est crucial pour cette forme de réseaux. Le respect de l'uniformité du concept peut contribuer à renforcer l'image de marque en servant d’identifiant et de garantie pour les consommateurs et les candidats susceptibles de devenir coopérateurs, de garder un concept distinctif des concurrents, de réaliser des économies d'échelle et d’éviter les comportements opportunistes qui peuvent nuire à la performance globale du réseau. / Retail cooperatives and independent associated retail networks are groups of retailers, owners of retail and service stores that pool their means (in terms of purchasing, marketing, communication, funding, logistics, etc.) and develop common policies. The objective of this research is to demonstrate how retail cooperatives and independent associated networks, whose cooperators with their double status, as both customers and co-owners of the cooperative, can generate synergies as efficiently as in plural form networks (coexistence of company and franchise units in the same network) in order to face the challenge of network uniformity and thus both grow and survive as does every other kind of network. In this research, we will focus on network uniformity. Maintaining uniformity means respecting the core components of the network concept. A four-case study has been conducted and the findings of our qualitative research highlight the existence of different processes which emerge from a centralized top- down approach (Contracts, Incentives and Persuasion), a decentralized bottom-up, or horizontal approach (Trust, Organizational commitment and Informal control) and from a mixed approach (Solidarity, Mimesis and Enculturation). All of these processes were operationalized and tested empirically with a sample of 245 cooperators or independent associated retailers from 53 different networks, representing all the sectors of activity defined by the FCA (French Federation of Retail Cooperatives and Retail Independent Associations). The analysis was based on PLS structural equation modeling. This research suggests a model of management to face the challenge of concept uniformity at the heart of retail cooperatives and independent associated networks. This subject is of great interest to all retail cooperative networks. Maintaining uniformity can help to reinforce a network’s image as an indicator and guarantee for consumers and cooperative candidates. It will differentiate them from their competitors, contribute to improving better purchasing conditions and thus achieving important cost reductions, as well as avoiding opportunistic behaviors that can harm a network’s performance.

Community energy is an umbrella term encompassing various forms of renewable energy initiatives involving citizens and communities. These initiatives have been highlighted as a strategy for more sustainable and just energy systems. While community energy is a marginal phenomenon in Sweden, there are still around 140 active community energy initiatives of which the majority are wind power cooperatives. An overview of both active and discontinued wind power cooperatives gives evidence of different types and levels of collaborations with municipal energy companies, pointing to the vital role these play in the emergence and development of wind power cooperatives in Sweden. Still, there is a lack of research engaging with wind power cooperatives on the local level. With this thesis, I address this research gap by conducting a qualitative case study of four wind power cooperatives in Sweden exhibiting different types and levels of collaborations with municipal energy companies. The aim is to explore ways to conceptualise these collaboration structures and create a better understanding of the implications they have on the emergence and development of energy cooperatives in general. To this end, I use the concept of modes of governance as an analytical tool to discern, describe, and conceptualise the various ways in which wind energy cooperatives and municipal energy companies collaborate. The findings indicate both differences and similarities between the various cases in terms of how and why wind power cooperatives and municipal energy companies collaborate. The results suggest that a productive and supportive collaboration structure between energy cooperatives and energy companies is characterised by principles of co-production such as mutual interests and benefits. In turn, the conditions for such a collaboration depend on internal and external factors such as personal ties, individual engagement, and institutional aspects like policies and tax rules. Further, the study indicates that while cooperative ownership still has a role to play in the expansion of renewable energy in Sweden, it will likely remain a niche phenomenon whose emergence and survival is dependent on facilitation and guidance by governments.

The Swedish government has set a long-term goal which implies that Sweden's electrical production should be based on one hundred percent of renewable energy until the year of 2040, which among other things include solar cells. To involve more people into this process The Swedish Energy Agency has evaluated which different investment motivations there is. They mention that the motivations for housing cooperatives and various companies with the main purpose to produce solar energy for their own use, are hard to define. The main purpose of this thesis is to evaluate what the different motivations for investing in solar plants, for the housing cooperatives and various companies, might be. More specifically it will focus on companies and housing cooperatives as an empiric example of actors who invest in medium sized solar plants. The main purpose of the thesis leads to two different query formulations which is what are the different motivations for housing cooperatives and companies for investing in medium sized solar plants? And what might be an obstruction for housing cooperatives and companies for investing in medium sized solar plants? This thesis contributes to further evaluation of the different motivations and the obstructions there might be by interviewing companies which have installed one or more solar plants and a survey to various companies and housing cooperatives to gather the thoughts of a possible future investor. From the interviews and survey, we got the conclusion that the most important motivations are economy, technology interest and environmental awareness. Furthermore, we got to the conclusion that the time of the payback of the investment, which is a big part of the economical motivation, might be an obstruction because of the unclear preconditions for calculating the investment. Many of the involved respondents implies that this is caused by the lack of competence from the potential investors and uncertainty of the government's incentives. / Till år 2040 har regeringen satt upp ett mål som säger att Sveriges elproduktion ska vara hundra procent baserad på förnybara källor vilket bland annat innefattar solceller. För att få fler att investera har man från Energimyndighetens sida undersökt vilka drivkrafter som finns för att investera i en solcellsanläggning. De nämner att drivkrafterna hos bostadsrättsföreningar och företag med huvudsyfte att producera solenergi för egen användning är spretiga. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att utreda vilka underliggande drivkrafter företagen och bostadsrättsföreningarna har kring investering i solcellsanläggningar. Mer specifikt kommer detta arbete fokusera på företag och bostadsrättsföreningar som ett empiriskt exempel av aktörer som anlägger medelstora solcellsanläggningar. Syftet leder till två frågeformuleringar som rapporten utgår ifrån och dessa är vilka underliggande drivkrafter har företag och bostadsrättsföreningar i investering av medelstora solcellsanläggningar? Samt vilka eventuella hinder har företag och bostadsrättsföreningar i investering av medelstora solcellsanläggningar? Rapporten bidrar till att vidare undersöka drivkrafterna och eventuella hinder genom intervjuer av företag med en eller flera solcellsanläggningar installerade och en enkätundersökning till företag och bostadsrättsföreningar som eventuella framtida investerare. Dessa intervjuer och enkätfrågor har resulterat i att de största drivkrafterna verkar vara ekonomi, teknikintresse och miljömedvetenhet. Vidare tyder resultaten på att payback-tiden, som är en stor del av den ekonomiska drivkraften, kan vara ett hinder för att investera då förutsättningar för kalkylen inte är helt självklara. Många av de tillfrågade menar att det dels beror på kompetensbristen hos eventuella investerare samt otydligheter kring de politiska styrmedel som finns.

The purpose of this study was basically fivefold: 1) to examine the historical development and significance of the retail mix as a retail management concept; 2) to identify the nature and structure of the independent variables which make up a retail management mix; 3) to distinguish the nature and significance of each variable within the structure of the retail management mix; 4) to propose and develop an interrelated set of propositions in the form of a retail management mix for retail grocery establishments belonging to a retailer-cooperative in the state of Texas; and 5) to relate the retail management mix theory to dependent variables gross profit margin, net profit margin, gross profit return on inventory, and net profit return on inventory. The major thrust of this study was to propose and research a retail management mix theory for retail grocery establishments belonging to a retailer-cooperative in the state of Texas.