IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/ifaamr/264193.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Members’ attitudes towards cooperatives and their perception of agency problems

Author

Listed:
  • Hakelius, Karin
  • Hansson, Helena

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Hakelius, Karin & Hansson, Helena, 2016. "Members’ attitudes towards cooperatives and their perception of agency problems," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 19(4), October.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ifaamr:264193
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.264193
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/264193/files/ifamr2015.0219.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/264193/files/ifamr2015.0219.pdf?subformat=pdfa
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.264193?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Happe, Kathrin & Balmann, Alfons & Kellermann, Konrad & Sahrbacher, Christoph, 2008. "Does structure matter? The impact of switching the agricultural policy regime on farm structures," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 431-444, August.
    2. Jos Bijman & Markus Hanisch & Ger Sangen, 2014. "Shifting Control? The Change of Internal Governance in Agricultural Cooperatives in the EU," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 85(4), pages 641-661, December.
    3. Valérie Barraud-Didier & Marie-Christine Henninger & Asâad El Akremi, 2012. "The Relationship Between Members' Trust and Participation in Governance of Cooperatives : The Role of Organizational Commitment," Post-Print halshs-00695926, HAL.
    4. Harvey S. James & Michael E. Sykuta, 2005. "Property Right and Organizational Characteristics of Producer‐owned Firms and Organizational Trust," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(4), pages 545-580, December.
    5. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    6. Nilsson, Jerker & Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard, 2011. "Free Riding or Trust? Why Members (do not) Monitor their Cooperatives," Journal of Rural Cooperation, Hebrew University, Center for Agricultural Economic Research, vol. 39(2), pages 1-20.
    7. Daniel Kahneman & Robert Sugden, 2005. "Experienced Utility as a Standard of Policy Evaluation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 32(1), pages 161-181, September.
    8. Michael L. Cook & Molly J. Burress, 2013. "The Impact of CEO Tenure on Cooperative Governance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(3-5), pages 218-229, April.
    9. Helena Hansson & Carl Johan Lagerkvist, 2012. "Measuring farmers' preferences for risk: a domain-specific risk preference scale," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(7), pages 737-753, August.
    10. Barraud-Didier, Valérie & Henninger, Marie-Christine & El Akremi, Assâad, 2012. "The Relationship Between Members’ Trust and Participation in the Governance of Cooperatives: The Role of Organizational Commitment," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, February.
    11. Fulton, Murray E. & Larson, Kathy A., 2009. "The Restructuring of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool: Overconfidence and Agency," Journal of Cooperatives, NCERA-210, vol. 23, pages 1-20.
    12. Hansen, Mark H. & Morrow, J.L., Jr. & Batista, Juan C., 2002. "The Impact Of Trust On Cooperative Membership Retention, Performance, And Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 5(1), pages 1-19.
    13. Novkovic, Sonja, 2008. "Defining the co-operative difference," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 2168-2177, December.
    14. Gray, Thomas W. & Kraenzle, Charles A., 1998. "Member Participation in Agricultural Cooperatives: A Regression and Scale Analysis," Research Reports 280009, United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development.
    15. Peter Österberg & Jerker Nilsson, 2009. "Members' perception of their participation in the governance of cooperatives: the key to trust and commitment in agricultural cooperatives," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 181-197.
    16. Jerker Nilsson & Gunnar L.H. Svendsen & Gert Tinggaard Svendsen, 2012. "Are Large and Complex Agricultural Cooperatives Losing Their Social Capital?," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(2), pages 187-204, March.
    17. Eliezer M. Fich & Anil Shivdasani, 2006. "Are Busy Boards Effective Monitors?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(2), pages 689-724, April.
    18. Richards, Timothy J. & Klein, Kurt K. & Walburger, Allan M., 1998. "Principal-Agent Relationships in Agricultural Cooperatives: An Empirical Analysis from Rural Alberta," Journal of Cooperatives, NCERA-210, vol. 13, pages 1-14.
    19. Jos Bijman & George Hendrikse & Aswin Oijen, 2013. "Accommodating Two Worlds in One Organisation: Changing Board Models in Agricultural Cooperatives," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(3-5), pages 204-217, April.
    20. Joost M.E. Pennings & Philip Garcia, 2001. "Measuring Producers' Risk Preferences: A Global Risk-Attitude Construct," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(4), pages 993-1009.
    21. Li Feng & George W. J. Hendrikse, 2012. "Chain interdependencies, measurement problems and efficient governance structure: cooperatives versus publicly listed firms," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 39(2), pages 241-255, April.
    22. Cook, Michael L., 1994. "The Role of Management Behavior in Agricultural Cooperatives," Journal of Agricultural Cooperation, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, vol. 9, pages 1-17.
    23. Murray Fulton & Konstantinos Giannakas, 2001. "Organizational Commitment in a Mixed Oligopoly: Agricultural Cooperatives and Investor-Owned Firms," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(5), pages 1258-1265.
    24. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    25. Sanjib Bhuyan, 2007. "The “People” Factor in Cooperatives: An Analysis of Members' Attitudes and Behavior," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 55(3), pages 275-298, September.
    26. Mary Clare Ahearn & Jet Yee & Penni Korb, 2005. "Effects of Differing Farm Policies on Farm Structure and Dynamics," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(5), pages 1182-1189.
    27. Nilsson, Jerker & Kihlen, Anna & Norell, Lennart, 2009. "Are Traditional Cooperatives an Endangered species? About Shrinking Satisfaction, Involvement and Trust," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, November.
    28. Borgen, Svein Ole, 2004. "Rethinking incentive problems in cooperative organizations," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 383-393, September.
    29. Svein Ole Borgen, 2001. "Identification as a Trust-Generating Mechanism in Cooperatives," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 209-228, June.
    30. Chris Cornforth, 2004. "The Governance of cooperatives and mutual associations: a paradox perspective," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(1), pages 11-32, March.
    31. Nilsson, Jerker, 2001. "Organisational principles for co-operative firms," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 329-356, September.
    32. Fabio Chaddad & Constantine Iliopoulos, 2013. "Control Rights, Governance, and the Costs of Ownership in Agricultural Cooperatives," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 3-22, January.
    33. Fama, Eugene F, 1980. "Agency Problems and the Theory of the Firm," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(2), pages 288-307, April.
    34. Joost M.E. Pennings & Raymond M. Leuthold, 2000. "The Role of Farmers' Behavioral Attitudes and Heterogeneity in Futures Contracts Usage," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(4), pages 908-919.
    35. Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 2003. "Boards of directors as an endogenously determined institution: a survey of the economic literature," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 9(Apr), pages 7-26.
    36. George Hendrikse, 2007. "Two Vignettes Regarding Boards in Cooperatives Versus Corporations," Springer Books, in: Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies, chapter 0, pages 137-150, Springer.
    37. Harvey S. James Jr. & Michael E. Sykuta, 2006. "Farmer trust in producer- and investor-owned firms: Evidence from Missouri corn and soybean producers," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(1), pages 135-153.
    38. Michael L. Cook, 1995. "The Future of U.S. Agricultural Cooperatives: A Neo-Institutional Approach," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 77(5), pages 1153-1159.
    39. Jarvis, Cheryl Burke & MacKenzie, Scott B & Podsakoff, Philip M, 2003. "A Critical Review of Construct Indicators and Measurement Model Misspecification in Marketing and Consumer Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 30(2), pages 199-218, September.
    40. Fulton, Joan R. & Adamowicz, Wiktor L., 1993. "Factors That Influence the Commitment of Members to Their Cooperative Organization," Journal of Agricultural Cooperation, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, vol. 8, pages 1-15.
    41. Ky–sti Pietola & Minna V”re & Alfons Oude Lansink, 2003. "Timing and type of exit from farming: farmers' early retirement programmes in Finland," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 30(1), pages 99-116, March.
    42. Andrei Cechin & Jos Bijman & Stefano Pascucci & Onno Omta, 2013. "Decomposing the Member Relationship in Agricultural Cooperatives: Implications for Commitment," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 39-61, January.
    43. Karin Hakelius & Helena Hansson, 2016. "Measuring Changes in Farmers’ Attitudes to Agricultural Cooperatives: Evidence from Swedish Agriculture 1993–2013," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 531-546, November.
    44. Murray Fulton & Konstantinos Giannakas, 2007. "Agency and Leadership in Cooperatives," Springer Books, in: Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies, chapter 0, pages 93-113, Springer.
    45. Qiao Liang & George Hendrikse, 2013. "Cooperative CEO Identity and Efficient Governance: Member or Outside CEO?," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 23-38, January.
    46. Kostas Karantininis & Jerker Nilsson, 2007. "Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-1-4020-5543-0, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Breuning Senta, 2019. "Wahrnehmung, Reputation und Image von Genossenschaften aus Sicht der deutschen Bevölkerung," Zeitschrift für das gesamte Genossenschaftswesen, De Gruyter, vol. 69(4), pages 249-270, December.
    2. Chrysoula Morfi & Jerker Nilsson & Karin Hakelius & Kostas Karantininis, 2021. "Social networks and member participation in cooperative governance," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(2), pages 264-285, April.
    3. Bertrand Valiorgue & Xavier Hollandts, 2020. "La contribution des administrateurs à la fabrique de la gouvernance dans les coopératives agricoles, le cas Limagrain," Post-Print hal-03041029, HAL.
    4. Constantine Iliopoulos & Vladislav Valentinov, 2018. "Member Heterogeneity in Agricultural Cooperatives: A Systems-Theoretic Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, April.
    5. Konstantina Ragazou & Evgenia Anastasiou & George Theodossiou & Konstantinos Koutsogeorgos, 2021. "Democratic Administration and Commitment of Members of Agricultural Cooperatives: A Case Study from a Prefecture in Greece," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-12, September.
    6. Iliopoulos, Constantine & Valentinov, Vladislav, 2018. "Member heterogeneity in agricultural cooperatives: A systems-theoretic perspective," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22.
    7. Karin Hakelius & Jerker Nilsson, 2020. "The Logic behind the Internal Governance of Sweden’s Largest Agricultural Cooperatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, October.
    8. Miguel Hernández‐Espallardo & Narciso Arcas‐Lario & Jorge L. Sánchez‐Navarro & Gustavo Marcos‐Matás, 2022. "Curbing members' opportunism in first‐tier and federated agricultural marketing cooperatives," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(1), pages 195-219, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Karin Hakelius & Helena Hansson, 2016. "Measuring Changes in Farmers’ Attitudes to Agricultural Cooperatives: Evidence from Swedish Agriculture 1993–2013," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 531-546, November.
    2. Wendong Deng & George Hendrikse & Qiao Liang, 2021. "Internal social capital and the life cycle of agricultural cooperatives," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 301-323, January.
    3. Smaïl Amghrous & Damien Rousselière, 2019. "L’implication des agriculteurs dans les coopératives dans un pays en transition vers une économie de marché : Une application aux coopératives agricoles de services algériennes," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(4), pages 724-749, September.
    4. Nilsson, Jerker & Helgesson, Matilda & Rommel, Jens & Svensson, Ellinor, 2020. "Forest-owner support for their cooperative's provision of public goods," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    5. Peter Österberg & Jerker Nilsson, 2009. "Members' perception of their participation in the governance of cooperatives: the key to trust and commitment in agricultural cooperatives," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 181-197.
    6. Karin Hakelius & Jerker Nilsson, 2020. "The Logic behind the Internal Governance of Sweden’s Largest Agricultural Cooperatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, October.
    7. Hao, J., 2018. "Cooperative member commitment, trust and social pressure -- the role of members’ participation in the decision-making," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 275881, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Valérie Barraud-Didier & Marie-Christine Henninger & Pierre Triboulet, 2014. "La Participation des Adhérents Dans Leurs Coopératives Agricoles: Une Étude Exploratoire du Secteur Céréalier Français," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 62(1), pages 125-148, March.
    9. Chrysoula Morfi & Jerker Nilsson & Karin Hakelius & Kostas Karantininis, 2021. "Social networks and member participation in cooperative governance," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(2), pages 264-285, April.
    10. Li Feng & Anna Friis & Jerker Nilsson, 2016. "Social Capital among Members in Grain Marketing Cooperatives of Different Sizes," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 113-126, January.
    11. Valérie Barraud-Didier & Marie-Christine Henninger & Asâad El Akremi, 2012. "The Relationship Between Members' Trust and Participation in Governance of Cooperatives : The Role of Organizational Commitment," Post-Print halshs-00695926, HAL.
    12. François Bareille & Florence Bonnet-Beaugrand & Sabine Duvaleix-Tréguer, 2017. "Objectives’alignment between membersand agricultural cooperatives," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, INRA Department of Economics, vol. 98(1-2), pages 75-91.
    13. Julia HÖHLER & Rainer KÜHL, 2018. "Dimensions Of Member Heterogeneity In Cooperatives And Their Impact On Organization – A Literature Review," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(4), pages 697-712, December.
    14. Barraud-Didier, Valérie & Henninger, Marie-Christine & El Akremi, Assâad, 2012. "The Relationship Between Members’ Trust and Participation in the Governance of Cooperatives: The Role of Organizational Commitment," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, February.
    15. Viergutz, Tim & Zubek, Nana & Schulze-Ehlers, Birgit, 2016. "How Spatial Pricing Affects Cooperative Members’ Switching Decisions," 149th Seminar, October 27-28, 2016, Rennes, France 244772, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Grashuis, Jasper & Cook, Michael, 2016. "Governance and Performance in the U.S. Agri-Food Industry: A Comparative Study of Firms and Cooperatives," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235676, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Constantine Iliopoulos & Vladislav Valentinov, 2018. "Member Heterogeneity in Agricultural Cooperatives: A Systems-Theoretic Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, April.
    18. Iliopoulos, Constantine & Valentinov, Vladislav, 2018. "Member heterogeneity in agricultural cooperatives: A systems-theoretic perspective," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22.
    19. Marie-Christine Henninger & Valérie Barraud-Didier, 2013. "Complexity of the link between members and cooperatives : a market relation based on social interactions [La complexité du lien adhérent-coopérative. La complexité du lien adhérent-coopérative : un," Post-Print halshs-01377049, HAL.
    20. Theo Benos & Nikos Kalogeras & Frans J.H.M. Verhees & Panagiota Sergaki & Joost M.E. Pennings, 2016. "Cooperatives’ Organizational Restructuring, Strategic Attributes, and Performance: The Case of Agribusiness Cooperatives in Greece," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 127-150, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:ifaamr:264193. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ifamaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.