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Cooperative growth: Is it constrained?

Author

Listed:
  • Murray E. Fulton

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan)

  • Joan R. Fulton

    (Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University)

  • J. Stephen Clark

    (Nova Scotia Agricultural College)

  • Claudia Parliament

    (Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Minnesota)

Abstract

This article explores the issue of cooperative growth from both an empirical and theoretical perspective. Using total assets as the measure of cooperative size, we present long-term, time-series data from seven of the largest regional agricultural cooperatives in Canada and the United States. We then examine the issue of growth from a theoretical perspective, integrating the literature on investor-oriented firm growth with the literature on cooperative growth. The empirical analysis that follows from the theoretical analysis suggests it is not possible to reject Gibrat's Law for six of the seven cooperatives; that is, that a cooperative's long-term growth rate is independent of its size. The empirical results also suggest the growth rate for the cooperatives in the sample is low, perhaps even zero. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Suggested Citation

  • Murray E. Fulton & Joan R. Fulton & J. Stephen Clark & Claudia Parliament, 1995. "Cooperative growth: Is it constrained?," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(3), pages 245-261.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:agribz:v:11:y:1995:i:3:p:245-261
    DOI: 10.1002/1520-6297(199505/06)11:3<245::AID-AGR2720110306>3.0.CO;2-J
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dahl, Reynold P., 1991. "Structural Change and Performance of Grain Marketing Cooperatives," Journal of Agricultural Cooperation, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, vol. 6, pages 1-16.
    2. N/A, 1989. "Annual Report," Evaluation Review, , vol. 13(3), pages 320-320, June.
    3. Joan R. Fulton & Robert P. King, 1993. "Relationships among information expenditure, economic performance, and size in local grain marketing cooperatives in the upper midwest," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 9(2), pages 143-157.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Evans, Lewis & Meade, Richard, 2005. "The Role and Significance of Cooperatives in New Zealand Agriculture, A Comparative Institutional Analysis," Working Paper Series 3847, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    2. Chaddad, Fabio Ribas, 2006. "Investment Constraints in Agricultural Cooperatives: Theory, Evidence and Solutions," 44th Congress, July 23-27, 2006, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil 143259, Sociedade Brasileira de Economia, Administracao e Sociologia Rural (SOBER).
    3. Heath Henderson & Leonardo Corral & Eric Simning & Paul Winters, 2015. "Land Accumulation Dynamics in Developing Country Agriculture," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 743-761, June.
    4. Chaddad, Fabio Ribas & Heckelei, Thomas, 2003. "Access To Capital And Firm-Level Investment Behavior In Food Industries: A Comparison Of Cooperatives And Publicly Traded Firms," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22205, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    5. Meng-Fen Yen & Mario J. Miranda & Ani Katchova, 2020. "The effects of capital constraints on the growth of agricultural cooperatives," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 66(1), pages 27-33.
    6. Canarella, Giorgio & Miller, Stephen M., 2018. "The determinants of growth in the U.S. information and communication technology (ICT) industry: A firm-level analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 259-271.
    7. Nana Afranaa Kwapong, 2013. "Restructured agricultural cooperative marketing system in Uganda: study of the Tripartite Cooperative Model," Euricse Working Papers 1357, Euricse (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises).
    8. Chaddad, Fabio Ribas & Cook, Michael L., 2002. "An Ownership Rights Typology Of Cooperative Models," Working Papers 26032, University of Missouri Columbia, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    9. Huashu Wang & Zhenyi Li & H. Holly Wang, 2022. "Does Backward Integration Improve Food Safety of the Tea Industry in China in the Post-COVID-19 Era?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    10. Francisco Diaz Hermelo & Roberto Vassolo, 2007. "The Determinants Of Firm’S Growth: An Empirical Examination," Abante, Escuela de Administracion. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 10(1), pages 3-20.
    11. Evans, Lewis & Meade, Richard, 2005. "The Role and Significance of Cooperatives in New Zealand Agriculture, A Comparative Institutional Analysis," Working Paper Series 18942, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    12. Holstenkamp, Lars, 2019. "What do we know about cooperative sustainable electrification in the global South? A synthesis of the literature and refined social-ecological systems framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 307-320.
    13. Chaddad, Fabio Ribas & Cook, Michael L., 2001. "Testing For The Presence Of Financial Constraints In Agricultural Cooperatives," 2001 Annual meeting, August 5-8, Chicago, IL 20746, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    14. Heath Henderson & Leonardo Corral & Eric Simning & Paul Winters, 2015. "Land Accumulation Dynamics in Developing Country Agriculture," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 743-761, June.
    15. Fernández Olmos, Marta, 2010. "The performance implications of "grow or buy" decisions in the wine industry," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 256-264, June.
    16. Giannakas, Konstantinos & Fulton, Murray E., 2003. "Agricultural Cooperatives And Cost-Reducing R&D In The Agri-Food System," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22193, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    17. Chaddad, Fabio Ribas & Cook, Michael L., 2002. "Testing For The Presence Of Financial Constraints In U.S," Working Papers 26045, University of Missouri Columbia, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    18. Marie Bouchard & Damien Rousselière, 2018. "Does Gibrat's law hold among urban social economy enterprises? A research note on Montreal social economy," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(3), pages 1523-1540.
    19. Murmann Johann Peter & Korn Jenny & Worch Hagen, 2014. "How Fast Can Firms Grow?," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 234(2-3), pages 210-233, April.
    20. Fabio R. Chaddad & Michael L. Cook & Thomas Heckelei, 2005. "Testing for the Presence of Financial Constraints in US Agricultural Cooperatives: An Investment Behaviour Approach," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 385-397, December.
    21. Jan Falkowski & Pavel Ciaian, 2016. "Factors Supporting the Development of Producer Organizations and their Impacts in the Light of Ongoing Changes in Food Supply Chains: A Literature Review," JRC Research Reports JRC101617, Joint Research Centre.
    22. repec:vuw:vuwscr:18942 is not listed on IDEAS

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