Consumer Cooperatives Research Articles

What place for the cooperator in the last large consumer cooperative in France?

L’objectif de ce papier est de questionner la position singuliere de la partie prenante du cooperateur dans une cooperative de consommateur. Afin de traiter cette question en profondeur, choix a ete fait d’une etude de cas unique avec une methodologie qualitative hybride et une approche abductive. Le cadre de l’ubiquite a ete retenu pour sa capacite a evoquer les roles multiples des cooperateurs. Les resultats indiquent que cette partie prenante n’est pas homogene. Ceci se traduit dans la necessite de considerer des sous-categories autour de la cooperation, du salariat et de l’engagement des consommateurs dans l’organisation. De plus, en consequence, sont egalement observees des disparites circonstanciees en termes de repartition de valeur et une complexification de la gouvernance.

ОЦЕНКА ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ КРЕДИТНОГО КООПЕРАТИВА НА ОСНОВЕ МАТРИЦЫ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ

The aim of this research is to develop an optimal algorithm for evaluating the effectiveness of a credit cooperative and presenting information in the form of an internal report “Matrix of performance indicators of the cooperative”. The research is based on the study of credit consumer cooperatives and the characteristics of their development in the Russian Federation. The application of the methods of economic and statistical research (the method of selective observation and graphical method), analysis, systematicity and complexity made it possible to develop a matrix and an algorithm for its use, on the basis of which interested parties (organization management) can conduct a reliable assessment of performance indicators of a credit cooperative. In the process of work, specific features of the work of credit consumer cooperatives were studied, statistical data on the activities of the CPC in various regions of Russia were analyzed, the shortcomings of the existing system for analyzing the effectiveness of these organizations’ activities were identified. At the same time, the problem was identified - the lack of a unified internal report that details, ranks by degree of importance and evaluates the activities of a credit cooperative in terms of efficiency. As an alternative solution to the identified problem, the authors have developed and tested a matrix of performance indicators of a credit consumer cooperative as a form of internal reporting. The use of this matrix makes it possible to identify potentially problematic places with the apparently seemingly normal work of the organization and to pay attention to improving controlled indicators, which will improve the efficiency of the credit cooperative and its competitiveness.

УПРАВЛЕНИЕ БИЗНЕС-ПРОЦЕССАМИ ПОТРЕБИТЕЛЬСКИХ КООПЕРАТИВОВ В УСЛОВИЯХ «ЦИФРОВИЗАЦИИ» ЭКОНОМИКИ

The transition of society to the digital economy leads to the transformation of the management mechanism of consumer cooperation organizations to ensure their competitiveness in the current and long term. The use of the latest technologies, based on traditional cooperative values, opens up wide opportunities for the formation and active development of a new generation of cooperation.

Technology of microwave treatment of cameline seeds and its economic efficiency

The purpose of the paper is a feasibility study on the effective implementation of microwave treatment technology for oilseeds during pre-sowing treatment and oil pressing while improving the quality of vegetable oil, including rapeseed, camelina and mustard oil, and increase in its production. The objectives of the study are calculation of the volume of extra products received, ensured by the application of the proposed technology; defining the oil quality parameters; development of methods for calculating the economic efficiency of the project; adaptation of methods for assessing the economic efficiency of an economic entity to the specifics of processing agricultural enterprises. The paper substantiates the possibility of implementing a project for the processing oilseeds using microwave technology in accordance with the requirements of the State Program for the Development of Agriculture and the regulation of the market for agricultural products, raw materials and food for 2013-2020 and the possibility of implementing the project, taking into account the obtaining grants by agricultural processing consumer cooperatives for the development of the material and technical base. The authors determined the effective treatment regime for camelina, rapeseed and mustard seeds during pre-sowing treatment and oil press. The characteristics of the oil, the treatment regime are presented. The expected increase in production provided by the implementation of the developed microwave technology is calculated. A methodology for the economic feasibility of the project is proposed and basic economic indicators are calculated that prove the economic efficiency of the project. Calculations and recommendations can be used by processing enterprises in order to increase economic efficiency by increasing production, as well as increasing productivity due to pre-sowing seed microwave treatment.

Short supply food chains in rural development

The article presents the results of study of the possibilities and prerequisites for the development of rural territories based on the restructuring of the agri-food system at the local level. The inclusion of peasant farm enterprises, private subsidiary farms, agricultural consumer cooperatives and agricultural cooperative markets into short supply food chains has been observed. The study was conducted on the basis of Rosstat data across the subjects of the Russian Federation. The polling survey was carried out in Vologda, Leningrad and Novgorod regions. The methods of correlation and socio-economic analysis were used. Groups of regions with a high share (60-70%; 71-80%; > 80%) of peasant farms and private subsidiary farms in food production as territories with prerequisites for the formation of short supply food chains were identified. The tendencies of decreasing the number of agricultural consumer cooperatives and their localization in a limited number of regions have been established. In ten regions of Russia 52.6% of agricultural consumer cooperatives are concentrated and 49.2% of peasant farms as their members are located. Cooperatives in Russia as a whole cover only 5.2% of all peasant farms. Operating agricultural consumer cooperatives provide their services only to 4% of private subsidiary farms. Based on the correlation of Spearman's ranks, a moderate tightness of the direct relationship between the number of agricultural consumer cooperatives and the number of peasant farms - members of the agricultural consumer cooperatives (correlation coefficient is 0.56) and a weak relationship between the number of agricultural consumer cooperatives and the number of private subsidiary farms served by them (0.08) has been established. It is concluded that agricultural consumer cooperatives can have a significant impact on the formation of short supply food chains only in certain regions with a developed cooperative network. The results of the questionnaire of agricultural consumer cooperatives have revealed a number of interrelated problems concerning the sale of products, the need for the development of agricultural cooperative markets and other retail markets. It was proposed to manage markets and food chains in general on the basis of a corporate social responsibility model using rural web networks (Rural web).Conflict of interest: the authors stated that there was no conflict of interest.

Информационное обеспечение логистической деятельности в индустрии культуры

This paper substantiates the need for an innovative logistics approach through the formation of a multi-level system of information support of the cultural industry, contributing to the improvement of the overall organization of activities, increasing the relationship of individual units, improving manageability and growth of the overall economic effect. An option to improve the management of the promotion of informatization of the environment of functioning of business entities may be the creation of an Association. The main task of this Association should be to coordinate the activities of enterprises, organizations, authorities and management of information support of business entities. The main goal of the Association is to meet the demand for information necessary for business. The achievement of this goal will occur through the creation of a system of information support of entrepreneurial activities, creation of conditions for cooperation and coordination of sources and consumers of information, providing conditions for the concentration of participants of information exchange. The result of the functioning of the Association should be to contribute to the formation of the information market.

Lawful Access to Cannabis: Gains, Losses and Design Criteria

Legalisation does not specify a policy. Cannabis could be made available for use by adults under a wide variety of conditions: cheap or expensive, offered by for-profit enterprises, by not-for-profits (including consumer co-operatives), as a state monopoly (for production or sales or both), or even on a grow-your-own basis. It could be cheap (as it would be in a free market) or expensive (due to taxes or minimum pricing). Marketing efforts could be free or restrained. Users could be nudged toward temperate use - for example, through a system of user-set but enforceable periodic purchase limits - or left to their own devices. Policy-makers should keep in mind Pareto's Law, which applies to cannabis consumption: about four-fifths of consumption is accounted for by about one-fifth of consumers. That fact will drive the commercial strategies of for-profit producers and sellers, and should focus the attention of public agencies on the risks and harms to the heavy-using minority. Uncertainties abound, and consequently policies should be designed to allow the system to learn from experience. But it is possible to try to predict and evaluate – albeit imperfectly – the likely consequences of proposed policy changes and to use those predictions to choose systems of legal availability that would result in better, rather than worse, combinations of gain and loss from the change.

Co-operatives exhibit greater behavioral cooperation than comparable businesses: Experimental evidence

Abstract Cooperatives as can be presumed to rely on the economic cooperation of their members. However, game-theoretic and institutional models suggest that cooperatives may be inherently fragile due to the individual costs of cooperation. Because of this it is widely believed that organizations which rely less on cooperation may be more stable, while organizations that require cooperation may be at higher risk of folding. Therefore, if cooperatively owned or managed businesses do in fact require higher levels of prosocial and cooperative behavior than hierarchically managed firms, they must attract and maintain cooperation among participants in order to function. We hypothesized that successful consumer food cooperatives will exhibit greater generalized cooperation than conventional grocery stores. We employed an experimental dictator game to measure altruistic cooperation among consumers at a food cooperative and a comparable conventional grocery. Cooperative customers exhibit a higher base rate of cooperation than similar conventional shoppers, and this relationship holds even when taking demographic factors such as income, education, and age into account. We conclude that, when successful, consumer cooperatives exhibit greater levels of cooperation than comparable traditional businesses.

КОНКУРЕНТНЫЕ ПРЕИМУЩЕСТВА КАК ФАКТОР ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ПОТРЕБИТЕЛЬСКОЙ КООПЕРАЦИИ

The article considers the competitive advantages of consumer cooperation of economic and social nature in comparison with other economic structures and the use of these advantages as a factor in countering the existing external and internal threats to the economic security of cooperative organizations.

Problems and prospects for the development of non-agricultural activities in rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan

This article actualizes the need to develop diversification, non-agricultural activities, alternative employment in rural areas. The development of tourism, small and medium-sized businesses in the field of ethno-economics, the formation of a network of production and consumer cooperatives are considered as key factors to increase the sustainability of the socio-economic development of rural areas, reduce unemployment and improve the quality of life of villagers. The categories “ethnic economy” and “ethnic entrepreneurship” are distinguished. The tendencies of development of ethno-entrepreneurial activity in various regions of the Russian Federation, including the Republic of Bashkortostan, are analyzed. As a result of the study, the feasibility of adjusting federal, regional and municipal programs for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, agricultural production and consumer cooperation and the inclusion of proposals for the development of ethnic entrepreneurship in them is substantiated. Prospects and mechanisms for stimulating the activation of specific areas of ethnic entrepreneurship and ethnic cooperation in the Republic of Bashkortostan are highlighted.

Main trends and prospects for the development of beef cattle breeding in the Urals federal district

The article presents the main tendencies and prospects of development of the meat cattle breeding industry in the Ural Federal District. It is shown that the industry plays an important role in the production of quality beef. Mentioned is the quantity of cattle of beef production direction in the regions of the Ural Federal District, breed composition of cattle, availability of breeding reproducers. The applied technologies of beef cattle breeding, availability of breeding programs for work with large cattle of beef productivity direction, interrelation between breeding reproducers, peasant-farming farms and fattening grounds are shown.On the basis of the received results prospects of development of branch of beef cattle breeding, necessity of development of the small enterprises on cultivation of breeds of beef cattle are developed, and also necessity of development of fattening pads is established.Along with creation of fattening enterprises, it is necessary to pay attention to breeding work with breeds of beef cattle. Each subject of the Ural Federal District needs its own program of tribal work with breeds of meat production. In order to ensure uninterrupted supply of young animals with fattening pads, it is necessary to develop peasant farms and private subsidiary farms. The existing pedigree factories and tribal loudspeakers will provide small forms of management of tribal youngsters. This will provide jobs and employment for the population of remote villages and villages, and will allow the efficient use of agricultural land. Consumer cooperatives and livestock associations can be a connecting link. These structures will coordinate technological and breeding issues, development of modern technologies.Performance of tasks on increase in production of high-quality beef is connected with effective use of breed resources of large cattle of a meat direction of productivity, realisation of their selection-genetichex potential, creation of optimum conditions for the maintenance of animals.

Theoretical foundations and modern trends in the development of russian cooperation

In the article, cooperation is regarded as a public institution, the essence of cooperation, its characteristics, principles and forms are mapped to different points of view of cooperators from different countries on the cooperation, revealed the coincidence and divergence of opinions of scientists of cooperative and individual authors for development cooperation, identified different theoretical approaches to consumer cooperation, examines the views of consumer cooperatives as nonprofits. the approaches of various authors to the development of consumer cooperation are analyzed in the light of theoretical aspects, taking into account the changes taking place in society and trends in the development of the national economy.

An Analysis of the Determinants Influencing Store Choice by Co–op Members Towards Consumer Cooperatives when Purchasing Rice in Japan

An Analysis of the Determinants Influencing Store Choice by Co–op Members Towards Consumer Cooperatives when Purchasing Rice in Japan

The most important stages in the formation of a consumer cooperation system

This article attempts to analyze the stages of the formation and development of the cooperative movement in Russia, one of the most important sectors of the economy in which the most important activities are carried out to meet the needs of the rural population. Consumer cooperation in Russia has a nearly two-century history. During this period of its diversified activity, both positive and negative trends are clearly visible. However, despite this, consumer cooperation has maintained its identity, regardless of the political and economic changes in the country. Currently, consumer cooperation in Russia is a diversified economic organization, integrated into a market economy, which does not exclude its fulfillment of a significant amount of social functions.

The place and role of consumer cooperation in the modern Russian economy

The relevance of the work lies in the justification of the need to pay attention to modern business on the development of consumer cooperation. The aim of the work is to describe the place and role of consumer cooperation in the modern Russian economy. Solving the work tasks carried out on the basis of application of scientific research methods within the comparative, logical and statistical analysis and through the analysis of the structure and dynamics of information. The result of this study was the proof of the need to revise the system of organization and financing of consumer cooperation in the modern Russian economy, including elements of public-cooperative partnership, leasing, franchising, outsourcing, raising funds of non-cooperative population, as well as the creation of a system of education of cooperative personnel.

Wholesale trade of consumer cooperation in the system of goods movement of the country

In the beginning of article the essence and value of process of commodity movement is considered, the role of trade in it, including trade of consumer cooperation is revealed. Further in the article the role of wholesale trade in the sphere of commodity circulation is considered. Their intermediary role between the spheres of material production and consumption of goods is emphasized. The theoretical essence of wholesale and retail trade in the process of commodity movement is revealed. Further the sequence of development of theoretical validity of these economic categories in various periods of formation of domestic science is considered. According to the author, wholesale trade is a type of entrepreneurial activity in the field of trade associated with the sale of goods by manufacturers or Resellers for further use in retail trade or for professional use. In the context of the study of wholesale trade in the system of consumer cooperation, we prefer the first part of this definition.

When People Identify Themselves as “Consumers”: The Position of the Consumer Cooperative Movement in Modern Japan

When People Identify Themselves as “Consumers”: The Position of the Consumer Cooperative Movement in Modern Japan

МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ПОДХОДЫ ПРИ ВЫБОРЕ ВИДА ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ДЛЯ КООПЕРАТИВОВ В СЕЛЬСКИХ ТЕРРИТОРИЯХ

The article defines the role and place of consumer societies of the Central Union of the Russian Federation in rural areas, considers methodological approaches in the choice of activities for cooperatives, cooperative organizations of consumer cooperation, consumer societies and unions, considers the evolution of the choice of activities for cooperatives in rural areas. Analyzed the multifaceted activities of consumer cooperation, characterized by areas of specialization of the work of cooperative enterprises, covering the area of procurement and processing of agricultural products, storage and marketing through their own cooperative trading network of retail shops. The prerequisites for improving the efficiency of consumer cooperation, cooperative enterprises and organizations, development and strengthening of the material and technical base of cooperative formations are analyzed. On the materials of consumer societies and unions of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Volga Federal district, the results of consumer cooperation are analyzed, methodological approaches are outlined, taking into account the analysis of practice in choosing the type of activity for cooperatives in rural areas. The ratio of the share of food and non-food, industrial goods in the system of retail cooperative trade of consumer societies is revealed. The development of various sectors of specialization in consumer societies of the Central Union of Russia is analyzed, the review of procurement activities of cooperative organizations is made. The directions of development of cooperation and integration in the field of procurement of agricultural products and raw materials are formulated.

State support development of agricultural consumer cooperation in the Krasnoyarsk Territory

In the article we considered the main directions of the state support of the cooperative relations. In total there are five main directions allocated, such as: legislative actions of support, actions of financial support, the organizational and information and consulting actions, actions directed to training, preparation and retraining of personnel and actions for the organization of sales channels and markets of products, and target indicators of implementation efficiency of actions package for agricultural cooperation development in the Krasnoyarsk Territory are also given for 2018 – 2021. The sociological research analysis conducted within the social and labor sphere monitoring of the rural areas is provided in article. Heads of administration of municipal districts, and rural communities, heads of agricultural cooperatives and heads of farms were included into the expert board. Experts estimated the development nature of the economic and social relations in the sphere of consumer cooperation, the reasons hindering agricultural consumer cooperation development, cost and social efficiency of various forms of economic management in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, ranged actions for ensuring sustainable dynamic development of consumer cooperation in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Experts estimated the development nature of the economic and social relations in the sphere of consumer cooperation, the reasons hindering agricultural consumer cooperation development, various forms cost and social efficiency of economic management in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, ranged actions for ensuring sustainable dynamic development of consumer cooperation in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. For the cooperative relations development in rural areas it is necessary to strengthen the state support. Creating favorable conditions for development of agricultural consumer cooperatives in the region is a task of the state.

A Study on the Strategies and Practices Adopted by Consumer Cooperative Store for Sustainable and Resilient Society: A Case of Bharati Madhyawarti Sahakari Grahak Bhander Ltd.

Historically, the Indian retail sector has been dominated by small independent players such as traditional, small grocery stores and others. Especially Consumer cooperatives played a vital role to safeguard the consumers from the charge of intermediaries and to provide quality goods to consumers in the desired quantity and at reasonable prices. Recently organized, multi-outlet retail concept has gained acceptance and has since then accelerated. Information Communication Technology has also transformed the consumer buying behavior. Indian cities are witnessing a paradigm shift from traditional forms of retailing into a modem organized sector. In spite of several obstacles, there are some consumer cooperatives which have withstood and recovered from difficult conditions to stay in competition and performing well. Bharati Madhyawarti Sahakari Grahak Bhander Ltd is one such Consumer Cooperative store which is battling with modern retail environment. This study brings out the strategies and practices of Bharati Consumer Cooperative store to be sustainable and resilient. The study also analyzes the customer’s perception towards the consumers’ cooperative store and identifies the Store Choice Behaviour among the Consumers.