Social capital and the financing performance of farmer cooperatives in Fujian Province, China

Although social capital has been regarded as valuable for organizations, some scholars have noticed that the effect of social capital on economic performance is nonlinear and depends on formal governance. This article examines the role of social capital and the interaction of social capital and formal governance in influencing the economic performance of farmer cooperatives. An empirical exploratory study is conducted based on a data set of 147 farmer cooperatives in China, and an ordinary least squares regression model is used to estimate the results. The results show that the stock of social capital can enhance the economic performance of farmer cooperatives and that social capital has a larger impact when there is stronger formal governance with regard to income distribution. Social capital and formal governance are therefore complementary. An improvement in some aspects of formal governance is favorable to the outcome of social capital. Cooperative practitioners need to consider the creation of both social capital and formal governance.

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Farmers' reactions to the internationalisation of cooperatives

Agricultural and Food Science ◽

10.23986/afsci.45222 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 291-306 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Petri Ollila ◽

Jerker Nilsson ◽

Sebastian Hess

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Regression Models ◽

International Investment ◽

Foreign Investments ◽

Limited Dependent Variable ◽

Farmer Cooperatives ◽

Opt Out ◽

The Social ◽

Individual Farm ◽

Farm Types

Abstract: This study examined the extent to which farmer cooperatives enjoy social capital within their memberships as they become internationalised. The empirical basis was a survey of farmers in Finland. Findings from limited dependent variable regression models suggest that one group of farmers is loyal to the cooperative and opposes its foreign investments. A second and a third group have lower levels of social capital and switch membership status between multiple cooperatives or opt out of cooperatives. These farmers welcome international investment. This finding was more significant for individual farm types than the social capital-linked opposition to internationalisation. A general conclusion is that the internationalization of cooperatives seems affect the members’ trust in the cooperative differently. The increasing heterogeneity within the memberships may give rise to governance problems.

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Benefits and pitfalls of social capital for farmer cooperatives: evidence from China

International Food and Agribusiness Management Review ◽

10.22434/ifamr2018.0024 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 1137-1152 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Yining Xu ◽

Qiao Liang ◽

Zuhui Huang

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Social Performance ◽

Negative Influence ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Bonding Social Capital ◽

Bridging Social Capital ◽

Farmer Cooperatives ◽

Bonding And Bridging

This paper conducts an exploratory analysis on the role of social capital in influencing both economic and social performance of farmer cooperatives based on a sample of 156 farmers from 54 vegetable cooperatives in China’s Hebei and Zhejiang provinces. Social capital is distinguished into bonding and bridging dimensions, with the former referring to the internal aspect of social capital and the latter the external “Guanxi” (meaning relationship) possessed by core members. The statistical results display that specific dimensions of social capital may not deliver the benefits expected by cooperative practitioners and academics. Both positive and negative effects of social capital on performances of farmer cooperatives are observed. To be specific, bonding social capital is positively associated with common members’ economic benefits. Bridging social capital generates beneficial outcomes for the financial and social performances of cooperatives, while exhibiting negative influence on common members’ income increase because of member heterogeneity.

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Director-Generals’ Human and Social Capital, and Management Performance of Farmers’ Cooperatives: Evidence from China’s Fujian

International Journal of Management and Economics ◽

10.2478/ijme-2018-0014 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 149-165 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bin Liu ◽

Zhongbin Li

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Organizational Performance ◽

Policy Support ◽

Fujian Province ◽

Four Dimensions ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Social Capitals ◽

Human And Social Capital ◽

Commercial Organizations ◽

The Impact

Abstract Purpose – This study aimed to assess the impact of director-generals’ human and social capitals on the organizational performance of farmers’ cooperatives in Fujian Province. Design/Methodology/Approach – Questionnaire survey data of 303 standard cooperatives in nine cities of Fujian Province were statistically analyzed. Findings – We identified that director-generals’ human and social capitals affect all four dimensions of cooperative performance, through the mediating role of management effectiveness. Practical Implications – We offer suggestions and measures for improving cooperatives’ performance by enhancing the human and social capitals of director-generals. Based on China’s national conditions, we propose measures to improve director-generals’ human and social capitals by the Internal trust, Government policy support, and Business network (IGB) model, which emphasizes establishing a social network of cooperatives’ director-generals, accumulating social capital, and promoting cooperative development through internal members, government departments, and commercial organizations.

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Farmers’ Assessments of Their Cooperatives in Economic, Social, and Environmental Terms: An Investigation in Fujian, China

Frontiers in Environmental Science ◽

10.3389/fenvs.2021.668361 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Liyan Yu ◽

Jerker Nilsson

Keyword(s):

Positive Relationship ◽

Fujian Province ◽

Farmer Cooperatives ◽

Environmental Actions ◽

Binary Logit ◽

Social Contributions ◽

Member Satisfaction

This study is the first to empirically investigate whether farmers’ assessment of their cooperatives’ environmental efforts is related to their satisfaction with the cooperatives, in addition to their assessment of the cooperatives in economic and social terms. A survey was conducted among a randomly selected sample of 211 members of 63 farmer cooperatives in Fujian Province, China. Binary logit analyses were conducted to test three theoretically derived hypotheses. There was a positive relationship between member satisfaction with the cooperatives and farmers’ assessment of the cooperatives’ environmental actions, although the cooperatives’ economic and social contributions were even more appreciated. Consequently, at least under the prevailing circumstances, member satisfaction with their cooperatives is positively associated with the farmers’ view of the environmental ambitions of their cooperatives.

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