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Coordination and Control in a Small Producer Cooperative: Dynamics and Dilemmas

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  • Nick Oliver

    (Cardiff Business School)

Abstract

This paper examines organizational structure and control in a small producer cooperative. The methods by which the cooperative meets its information-processing needs (Galbraith, 1974), the sites of authority in the cooperative, and the sources of member compliance are analysed. This analysis reveals that, although authority relations in the cooperative did not conform to those of a classical bureaucracy, the information-processing needs of the organization led to a greater bureaucratization along some dimensions than is typically found in comparable traditional businesses. It is argued that separating the information-processing aspects of coordination and control from issues of authority can provide a useful insight into the processes and dilemmas of cooperative organization.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Oliver, 1989. "Coordination and Control in a Small Producer Cooperative: Dynamics and Dilemmas," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 10(4), pages 447-465, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:10:y:1989:i:4:p:447-465
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X89104003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chris Cornforth, 1983. "Some Factors Affecting the Success or Failure of Worker Co-operatives: A Review of Empirical Research in the United Kingdom," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 4(2), pages 163-190, May.
    2. Carol Axtell Ray, 1986. "Corporate Culture: The Last Frontier Of Control?[1]," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 287-297, May.
    3. Jay R. Galbraith, 1974. "Organization Design: An Information Processing View," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 4(3), pages 28-36, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ronald Hartz & Markus Tümpel & Melanie Hühn & Irma Rybnikova, 2024. "Handling the organizing paradox: A multiple case study of German cooperatives," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 45(4), pages 1112-1136, November.
    2. Yohanan Stryjan, 1994. "The Formation of New Cooperatives: Theory and the Swedish Case," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 15(4), pages 565-594, November.

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