Abstract

This study examines whether and how members' perceptions of agency problems, in terms of the decision problem and the follow-up problem, shape their attitudes to agricultural cooperatives. The study is based on empirical data collected through a postal questionnaire sent to 2,250 Swedish farmers in 2013 (response rate similar to 40%). Exploratory factor analysis of a set of attitudinal measurement items was used to assess members' attitudes to agricultural cooperatives. Seemingly unrelated regression analysis was used to identify the impact of members' perceptions of agency problems on the attitude measures obtained from the exploratory factor analysis. The results suggest that perceived agency problems significantly explain members' attitudes to their cooperatives. Therefore, working with these problems can be a way for directors of cooperatives to influence members' attitudes and, in continuation, behaviors to these. This would be one way of developing more sustainable member-director relationships in these cooperatives.

Keywords

agency problems; agricultural cooperative; attitude; governance; factor analysis

Published in

International Food and Agribusiness Management Review
2016, Volume: 19, number: 4, pages: 23-36

SLU Authors

• Hakelius, Karin

  • Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hansson, Helena

  • Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Business Administration


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22434/IFAMR2015.0219

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79778