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On the Nature of a Cooperative: A System of Attributes Perspective

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Listed:
  • Feng, L.
  • Hendrikse, G.W.J.

Abstract

In the 1950s and 1960s there was a debate about the nature of an agricultural cooperative: the cooperative as extension of the farm, the cooperative as vertical integration or the cooperative as a firm. We revisit this debate with various concepts from the theory of the firm that have been formulated since 1990. Two concepts shed light on this debate: the enterprise as a system of attributes and the delineation of a governance structure in terms of ownership rights, control rights and income rights. We argue that viewing the cooperative as a system of attributes integrates these three views. It emphasizes that a cooperative is a firm in itself, with many input suppliers as owners. The feature of many input suppliers as owners implies that the behavioral differences between a cooperative and an investor owned firm have to be addressed by highlighting the unique aspects of the stakeholder owning the enterprise.

Suggested Citation

  • Feng, L. & Hendrikse, G.W.J., 2007. "On the Nature of a Cooperative: A System of Attributes Perspective," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2007-093-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    • Handle: RePEc:ems:eureri:10886
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hendrikse, George W. J. & Veerman, Cees P., 2001. "Marketing cooperatives and financial structure: a transaction costs economics analysis," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 205-216, December.
    2. Galdeano-Gomez, Emilio & Cespedes-Lorente, Jose & Rodriguez, Manuel Rodriguez, 2005. "Productivity and Quality-Environmental Changes in Marketing Co-operatives: An Analysis on the Horticultural Sector," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24698, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Hendrikse, G.W.J. & Smit, R., 2007. "On the Evolution of Product Portfolio Coherence of Cooperatives versus Corporations: An Agent-Based Analysis of the Single Origin Constraint," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2007-055-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    4. Brickley, James A, 1999. "Incentive Conflicts and Contractual Restraints: Evidence from Franchising," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 42(2), pages 745-774, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Borgen, Svein Ole, 2011. "Product differentiation and cooperative governance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 327-333, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cooperative; extension of the farm; governance; vertical integration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
    • M - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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