IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/agecon/v6y1991i1p15-29.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Size and industry effects in the performance of agricultural cooperatives

Author

Listed:
  • Zvi Lerman
  • Claudia Parliament

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine if there are important size and industry effects on financial performance of agricultural cooperatives. The performance of 43 dairy, food, grain, and farm supply cooperatives in the U.S. was analyzed over the period 1970‐1987 using financial ratios derived from accounting data. The analysis revealed significant size and industry effects. Large regional cooperatives are more efficient in utilizing their assets to generate sales, while small regional cooperatives have higher profitability. The findings suggest that the emphasis on growth may not always produce beneficial results among agricultural cooperatives. Among the four industries studied, the dairy regional cooperatives appear to be the strongest performers, while the food marketing cooperatives are characterized by the lowest performance measures. Since both dairy and food cooperatives engage in value‐added processing, this difference in performance makes it difficult to reach clear conclusions about possible advantages of disadvantages or vertical integration relative to traditional cooperative activities. Trend analysis indicates that the profitability of the agricultural cooperatives in all industry and size categories declined in response to the downturn in U.S. agriculture after 1980. While the decline in profitability was at similar rates for both large and small cooperatives, the variation of efficiency and leverage was in opposite directions. Large cooperatives may be expected to continue improving their asset utilization without relative improvement in profitability, and increasing the level of their debt in relation to equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Zvi Lerman & Claudia Parliament, 1991. "Size and industry effects in the performance of agricultural cooperatives," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 6(1), pages 15-29, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:6:y:1991:i:1:p:15-29
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-0862.1991.tb00168.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-0862.1991.tb00168.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1574-0862.1991.tb00168.x?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
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zvi Lerman & Claudia Parliament, 1990. "Comparative performance of cooperatives and investor-owned firms in US food industries," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 6(6), pages 527-540.
    2. Babb, Emerson M. & Lang, Mahlon G., 1985. "Implications of Comparative Performance of Cooperatives and Investor Owned Firms," North Central Region Archives 303324, North Central Region - North Central Cooperative Extension Association (NCCEA).
    3. Lerman, Zvi & Parliament, Claudia, 1990. "Comparative Performance of Food-Processing Cooperatives and Investor-Owned Firms in the U.S," Working Papers 232668, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Center for Agricultural Economic Research.
    4. Parliament, Claudia & Lerman, Zvi & Fulton, Joan R., 1990. "Performance of Cooperatives and Investor-Owned Firms in the Dairy Industry," Journal of Agricultural Cooperation, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, vol. 5, pages 1-16.
    5. Parliament, Claudia & Taitt, Jodi, 1989. "Mergers, Consolidations, Acquisitions: Effect On Performance Of Agricultural Cooperatives," Staff Papers 13384, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    6. Kwo-Shin Chen & Emerson M. Babb & Lee F. Schrader, 1985. "Growth of large cooperative and proprietary firms in the US food sector," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 1(2), pages 201-210.
    7. Lerman, Zvi & Parliament, Claudia, 1990. "Comparative Performance Of Food-Processing Cooperatives And Investor-Owned Firms," Staff Papers 13455, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    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. Isidoro Guzmán Raja & Narciso Arcas Lario & Domingo García Pérez de Lema, 2006. "La eficiencia técnica como medida de rendimiento de las cooperativas agrarias," CIRIEC-España, revista de economía pública, social y cooperativa, CIRIEC-España, issue 55, pages 289-311, August.
    2. Allan P. Bacho & Olga I. Murova, 2017. "Financial Performance Analysis of Corn-based Ethanol Enterprises in the U.S," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 7(1), pages 242-260, June.
    3. Isidoro GUZMÁN & Narciso ARCAS, 2008. "The Usefulness Of Accounting Information In The Measurement Of Technical Efficiency In Agricultural Cooperatives," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(1), pages 107-131, March.
    4. Zivkovic, Sanja & Hudson, Darren, 2015. "Impact of the relationship between managers and the board of directors on economic performance of agricultural cooperatives," 2015 Annual Meeting, January 31-February 3, 2015, Atlanta, Georgia 196888, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    5. Thembi Xaba & Nyankomo Marwa & Babita Mathur-Helm, 2018. "Efficiency and Profitability Analysis of Agricultural Cooperatives in Mpumalanga, South Africa," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 10(6), pages 1-10.
    6. MCarmen Martínez†Victoria & Narciso Arcas Lario & Mariluz Maté Sánchez Val, 2018. "Financial behavior of cooperatives and investor†owned firms: An empirical analysis of the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 456-471, March.
    7. Chiara Carini & Ericka Costa, 2013. "Exploring the performance of social cooperatives during the economic crisis: the Italian case," Euricse Working Papers 1359, Euricse (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises).
    8. Matyja, Małgorzata, 2017. "A Comparative Study of Profitability of Agricultural Cooperatives in Poland and Around the World," Problems of World Agriculture / Problemy Rolnictwa Światowego, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, vol. 17(32, Part ), December.
    9. Parliament, Claudia & Lerman, Zvi, 1993. "Risk and Equity in Agricultural Cooperatives," Journal of Agricultural Cooperation, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, vol. 8, pages 1-14.
    10. Theo Benos & Nikos Kalogeras & Martin Wetzels & Ko De Ruyter & Joost M. E. Pennings, 2018. "Harnessing a ‘Currency Matrix’ for Performance Measurement in Cooperatives: A Multi-Phased Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-38, December.
    11. Qiao Liang & Rongrong Bai & Zhi Jin & Linlin Fu, 2023. "Big and strong or small and beautiful: Effects of organization size on the performance of farmer cooperatives in China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(1), pages 196-213, January.
    12. Caetano Luiz Beber & Sebastian Lakner & Ioannis Skevas, 2021. "Organizational forms and technical efficiency of the dairy processing industry in Southern Brazil," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-22, December.
    13. Ericka Costa & Michele Andreaus & Chiara Carini & Maurizio Carpita, 2012. "Exploring the efficiency of Italian social cooperatives by descriptive and principal component analysis," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 6(1), pages 117-136, March.
    14. Grashuis, Jasper & Cook, Michael, 2016. "Capital, Ownership, and Governance: Analyzing the Structure of U.S. Farmer Cooperatives," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235677, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    15. A. M. Hind, 1994. "Cooperatives – Under Performers By Nature? An Exploratory Analysis Of Cooperative And Non‐Cooperative Companies In The Agri‐Business Sector," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 213-219, May.
    16. Chiara Carini & Ericka Costa & Maurizio Carpita & Michele Andreaus, 2012. "The Italian Social Cooperatives in 2008: A Portrait Using Descriptive and Principal Component Analysis," Euricse Working Papers 1235, Euricse (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises).
    17. Narciso Arcas Lario, 2002. "Contribución de las cooperativas agrarias de segundo grado a la orientación al mercado de sus cooperativas asociadas: efectos en el desempeño de la relación," CIRIEC-España, revista de economía pública, social y cooperativa, CIRIEC-España, issue 41, pages 139-161, August.
    18. Kakulia, Nino & Kochlamazashvili, Irakli & Mamardashvili, Mamardashvili, 2016. "Size and Sector Effects in the Performance of Agricultural Cooperatives: The Case of Georgia," Samarkand Conference 2016, November 2-4, Samarkand, Uzbekistan 249974, Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).
    19. 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.
    20. Carmen María Hernández‐Nicolás & Juan Francisco Martín‐Ugedo & Antonio Mínguez‐Vera, 2019. "The effect of gender diversity on the board of Spanish agricultural cooperatives on returns and debt: An empirical analysis," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(4), pages 639-656, October.
    21. Chen, Andrew & Hwang, Yuhchang & Shao, Benjamin, 2005. "Measurement and sources of overall and input inefficiencies: Evidences and implications in hospital services," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(2), pages 447-468, March.
    22. Arcas-Lario, Narciso & Martín-Ugedo, Juan Francisco & Mínguez-Vera, Antonio, 2014. "Farmers’ Satisfaction with Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Spanish Cooperatives: An Explanation from Agency Theory," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 17(1), pages 1-20, February.

    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. Lerman, Zvi & Parliament, Claudia, 1990. "Performance of U.S. Agricultural Cooperatives: Size and Industry Effects," Working Papers 232667, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Center for Agricultural Economic Research.
    2. 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.
    3. Achilleas Kontogeorgos & Panagiota Sergaki & Anastasia Kosma & Vassiliki Semou, 2018. "Organizational Models for Agricultural Cooperatives: Empirical Evidence for their Performance," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(4), pages 1123-1137, December.
    4. repec:vuw:vuwscr:18942 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. 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.
    6. Theo Benos & Nikos Kalogeras & Martin Wetzels & Ko De Ruyter & Joost M. E. Pennings, 2018. "Harnessing a ‘Currency Matrix’ for Performance Measurement in Cooperatives: A Multi-Phased Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-38, December.
    7. Elena MELIA-MARTI & Ana Maria MARTINEZ-GARCIA, 2015. "Characterization And Analysis Of Cooperative Mergers And Their Results," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(3), pages 479-504, September.
    8. Josefina Fernandez-Guadaño & Manuel Lopez-Millan & Jesús Sarria-Pedroza, 2020. "Cooperative Entrepreneurship Model for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-11, July.
    9. 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.
    10. Zhu, Qianyu & Wachenheim, Cheryl J. & Ma, Zhiyao & Zhu, Cong, 2018. "Supply chain re-engineering: a case study of the Tonghui Agricultural Cooperative in Inner Mongolia," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 21(1).
    11. Elena MELIÁ MARTÍ & Ma Pía CARNICER ANDRÉS, 2015. "Organizational models for the major agri-food cooperative groups in the European Union," CIRIEC Working Papers 1506, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    12. MCarmen Martínez†Victoria & Narciso Arcas Lario & Mariluz Maté Sánchez Val, 2018. "Financial behavior of cooperatives and investor†owned firms: An empirical analysis of the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 456-471, March.
    13. Goutam Sutar & Rakesh Arrawatia & Krantiraditya Dhalmahapatra & Ashish Garg & Deepak Kumar, 2023. "Performance assessment of Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCSs): an AHP based composite index approach," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 326(2), pages 751-782, July.
    14. A. M. Hind, 1994. "Cooperatives – Under Performers By Nature? An Exploratory Analysis Of Cooperative And Non‐Cooperative Companies In The Agri‐Business Sector," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 213-219, May.
    15. Lerman, Zvi & Parliament, Claudia, 1990. "Comparative Performance Of Food-Processing Cooperatives And Investor-Owned Firms," Staff Papers 13455, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    16. Cadot, Julien & Féral, Arnaud, 2022. "Good Co-ops, Bad Co-ops : Financing Cooperatives in Asymmetric Information," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322550, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Cadot, Julien & Féral, Arnaud, 2023. "Cooperative Finance: Signaling Risk with Investment and Retained Earnings," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335976, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. Zivkovic, Sanja & Hudson, Darren & Johnson, Phillip & Park, John, 2016. "A Study in Attitudes Shaping Cooperative Leadership," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 229588, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    19. Marco Fazzini & Antonella Russo, 2014. "Profitability in the Italian Wine Sector: An Empirical Analysis of Cooperatives and Investor-Owned Firms," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 4(3), pages 130-137, July.
    20. Zvi Lerman & Claudia Parliament, 1993. "Financing Growth in Agricultural Cooperatives," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 15(3), pages 431-441.
    21. Li, Ziran & Jacobs, Keri L. & Artz, Georgeanne M., 2012. "The Relative Capital Structure of U.S. Agricultural Grain and Supply Cooperatives and Investor Owned Firms," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124755, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:bla:agecon:v:6:y:1991:i:1:p:15-29. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iaaeeea.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.