No abstract

This study examines whether and how members’ perceptions of agency problems, in terms of the decision problem and the follow-up problem, shape their attitudes to agricultural cooperatives. The study is based on empirical data collected through a postal questionnaire sent to 2,250 Swedish farmers in 2013 (response rate ~40%). Exploratory factor analysis of a set of attitudinal measurement items was used to assess members’ attitudes to agricultural cooperatives. Seemingly unrelated regression analysis was used to identify the impact of members’ perceptions of agency problems on the attitude measures obtained from the exploratory factor analysis. The results suggest that perceived agency problems significantly explain members’ attitudes to their cooperatives. Therefore, working with these problems can be a way for directors of cooperatives to influence members’ attitudes and, in continuation, behaviors to these. This would be one way of developing more sustainable member-director relationships in these cooperatives.

This study assessed changes in farmers' attitudes to agricultural cooperatives by developing a behavioral framework based in psychological and psychometric theory for measuring attitude change. The assessment focused on a unique dataset that allowed attitude coverage and strength of evaluation derived from data collected in 1993 and in 2013 to be evaluated. Explorative factor analytical methods revealed the attitude construct to be two-dimensional in both datasets, covering the domains named "Commitment" and "Trust" in both cases. Thus, the coverage of the attitude construct seemed unchanged. However, the strength of evaluation of both attitude dimensions was significantly increased. These findings have clear policy implications for agricultural cooperatives, since understanding the nature of changes in attitudes to these organizations is important for their successful development.

This study explored the relations between the farmer‐members' social networks and their interest in cooperative governance, specifically their willingness to be elected representatives. Several researchers assert that member interest in cooperative governance is related to social factors. The empirical basis consists of surveys of random samples of Swedish farmers conducted in 1993, 2003, and 2013. The results indicate a strong relationship between the social networks and the farmers' propensity to participate in cooperative governance. This relationship has persisted even though the investigated 20‐year period was very turbulent for Swedish agriculture. Over time, members have become more willing to be elected when they receive backing from their social networks, with personal networks being more important than professional networks. The professional networks are related only to the level of aspiration and not actual participation in governance. [EconLit Citations: D73, P13, Q13].

No abstract