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Agribusiness is one of the most diverse and fragmented industries in the world and includes firms operating in production, wholesale, and processing levels of the food supply chain. This paper addresses recent trends in the industry, in particular: the increased involvement of large multinational firms and cooperatives in Europe, the growing trend of vertical integration within the industry, the reduction of fragmentation in production and processing, and the trend toward fewer but larger farms. In order to facilitate success among small European agribusinesses, this paper develops and introduces to that sector a new strategic planning methodology. The new approach includes the development of an EFE (external factor evaluation), IFE (internal factor evaluation), and SWOT (strength-weakness-opportunity-threat) matrices that include AQCD (actionable, quantitative, comparative, divisional) factors. The new methodology presented in this paper can serve as a guide for small agribusiness firms doing strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a detailed picture of the existing legislation of agricultural land use by entities who do not own it in Bulgaria and makes specific suggestions to improve it, aiming at creating a legislative framework enhancing productivity and sustainability. The study is briefly considering the historical and economic factors for the development of the case law in line with the legal framework in thiscontext. Attention is also paid to the goals of the European Union (EU) to provide properconditions for technologicalization of agricultural production, investment in irrigation and other equipment, obtaining external financing, alongside with ensuring profitable sale of production. Undisputedly there is a need to strike a balance between the interests of private land owners and the broader public, by creating a legal basis (through legal and administrative measures) governing the actual use and cultivation of agricultural land. The paper further examines and discusses a number of on-going issues, i.e. the legal status of existing agricultural cooperatives; the consolidation of agricultural land by creating land use plots;the so called "white spots" of undeclared land; the options of leasehold versus renting of agricultural landand its legal framework. The conclusion contains a general analysis of the proposals for changes in the regulatory environmentin the observed area to achieve more efficient and sustainable use of agricultural land. The contribution of the report is to show the variety of models of land use in agriculture and their differences, analyzing the actual legal framework and giving concrete proposals for improving it. Comparative method, synthesis and analysis are used while inspecting the area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social economy nowadays embraces a great plurality of actors, i.e. cooperatives, social enterprises, credit cooperatives, mutual insurance companies, insurance cooperatives, various NGOs, addressed to solving developmental, social, cultural, educational, environmental and other challenges the contemporary society is faced with. The paper reflects on the role of cooperatives in addressing those challenges. Cooperatives, as people-centred enterprises owned, controlled and managed by and for their members, have significant impacts on redirecting economic processes, solving social challenges, improving the quality of life in the local community and environmental protection in many countries all over the world. The purpose of the paper is to analyse the state, trends and challenges regarding development of cooperatives, in the context of social economy, in Croatia. The research was realised in two phases during 2018, using on-line questionnaires as main research instruments. The first phase was related to specific characteristics of cooperatives operating in Croatia and challenges they are faced with while the second part was related to students' perceptions and attitudes regarding cooperatives as business models. This paper presents the result of the first research phase. The research has revealed various internal and external barriers which hinder further development of cooperatives in Croatia. The research results contribute to deeper understating of challenges and barriers cooperative are face with in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the relevance of promoting good governance models and mechanisms for cooperatives success. The author addresses three main research questions: which the appropriate governance models for cooperatives are, which mechanisms and tools could cooperatives implement to support good governance, and what is the role of governanceoriented educational activities in adopting good governance practice. The research was based on the review and critical analysis of theme-relevant literature. The insights from cooperative practice indicate an unused potential of educational activities in fostering adoption of good governance models and mechanisms. The responsibilities of cooperative associations to give access/promote or co-create governance-related educational sources and programs are also addressed. The cooperatives should be made aware of the significance of good governance models and mechanism and education about their implementation for cooperatives success, and the cooperative associations should embrace their role as a key intermediary organization in transferring that knowledge to the key cooperative groups: members, directors and managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empowerment of women is a social-political ideal envisioned in relation to the wider framework of women's rights. Empowerment of women is a new ideology for carrying democratic values into the family and society. Empowerment of women is essential to harness the women labor in the mainstream of economic development. As we know Cooperatives are socio-economic development organizations of the people. Cooperatives are founded on the principle of equality and equity. Cooperatives have been acknowledged as a valuable tool to achieve both, changing the socio-economic role of women and foster their economic position and hence fostering women's empowerment process. With this context the present paper studies the effects of women empowerment through cooperative membership. Cooperatives provide many varied opportunities for women participation. No doubt, their standard of living is improved by the income they earn from Cooperatives and their quality of life is enhanced due to social awareness, entrepreneurship, development of skills, increased participation in the affairs of Cooperatives leading to better understanding and utility. Most of the Women Cooperatives in India have proven very successful, but they face cutthroat competition in the market. Women Cooperatives also suffer undue acceleration of costs and limited accessibility of raw material. This paper presents successful case studies of women cooperatives in different states in India. The main focus of this paper is to study successful Women cooperatives and to study the role of women cooperatives in women empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate on the implementation of the cooperative principles and values in terms of gender equity in cooperative bodies in Portugal. The value of equality is a structuring value of Portuguese cooperatives' legal regime as formal equality. Democratic governance, which characterizes cooperatives, will have to be representative, so a balanced representation regime between women and men in the cooperative bodies is required. To confront formal equality with de factual equality in women's participation in decision-making bodies of Portuguese cooperatives, the study identifies groups of cooperatives according to gender equality. The study is based on data for 748 cooperatives collected from the Database of CASES - Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social. To identify groups of cooperatives differentiating by gender parity in their bodies, a cluster analysis was performed. Non-parametric tests were performed to analyse if there are significant differences between clusters in several features and pairwise comparisons to ascertain where these differences occur. The results reveal an imbalance in the representation of men and women in the cooperative bodies, where, on average, female participation is low. The cluster analysis led to different groups of cooperatives with unequal female participation in the management bodies, and the largest group of cooperatives has no gender parity in any board. Therefore, it is necessary to construct a material or real equality that narrows the distance between formal equality and real equality in access to cooperative bodies. In this regard, cooperatives' need for adoption by statutory or regulatory means or through the preparation of equality plans, of positive measures such as gender quotas, which accelerate parity democracy in access to cooperative bodies, should be discussed. In the preparation of equality plans, cooperative education, training, and information will play a significant role, considering that the production of changes regarding gender equality is carried out by both the awareness and the action of leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents results of studies devoted to assess the role of social capital and its relation to innovations, including social innovations, and development, particularly in rural areas. As an example of an indicator or category of social capital and innovation, the development of cooperatives in rural areas has been evaluated. Moreover, the benefits (i.e. for farmers, consumers and society) of rural, especially agricultural, cooperatives are estimated. Besides, the nature and impact of state support for agricultural cooperatives via Common Agriculture Program are also estimated. Furthermore, cooperation activities among cooperatives are characterized. It is concluded that creation of social capital can support various innovations in several ways; and the different dimensions of social capital might influence innovative activity. Moreover, the innovation is an important source, which benefits rural areas' well-being and economic growth. Findings show the statistically significant growth of cooperatives' net turnover, as well as growth of local food chains and innovative forms of food supply to the consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Agricultural Cooperative is an autonomous association of natural and / or legal persons, as the case may be, a private legal person established on the basis of the expressed consent of the parties in order to promote the interests of cooperative members in accordance with the principles of cooperation. In the course of the paper we will present the laws of agricultural co-operation, professional associations and the role of cooperatives in the development of agriculture. Also, the types and forms of agricultural cooperation in the European Union will be presented. To create agricultural producers in associative forms new opportunities for economic development are opened by attracting regional, zonal or local advantages and using collective power in order to increase the prosperity of members, their families and the communities they are part of. The cooperative can carry out several types of activities that have various benefits for members and help them achieve these goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical coordination in agri-food chains is a significant and increasing phenomenon in CEEC. It is observable that this development prefers large scale production. However, in these countries the agricultural sector is still a mixture of small scale and large-scale farming. Hence, for small scale farmers, horizontal collaboration can be assumed to be a prerequisite to stay in the market. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to investigate the question whether co-ops are the appropriate approach to integrate small farmers into modern supply systems. Further we want to analyze how co-operatives can cope with the quality demands they face in modern distribution channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovations, especially social, are widely recognized as a strategic base of rural areas' sustainable development. Numerous studies have found the positive impact of social capital on innovations, especially social innovations. Furthermore, the innovation is an important tool to transform social capital into the higher income levels and higher innovation performance. The paper presents an assessment of the role of social capital and its relationship to innovations, particularly social innovations in rural areas. As an example of an indicator or group of social capital and innovation, the development of cooperatives in rural areas has been evaluated. Moreover, the benefits for stakeholders (i.e. farmers, consumers, community and society at all) provided by rural, especially agricultural, cooperatives are estimated. Besides, the nature and impact of support for agricultural cooperatives under the Common Agriculture Policy and Rural Development Program, particularly present - 2014-2020, are also examined. Furthermore, cooperation activities among cooperatives are characterized. It is concluded that the creation of social capital can support various innovations, especially social, in several ways, and the different dimensions of social capital might influence innovative activity. Moreover, the innovation is an important source, which benefits rural areas' well-being and economic growth. The findings show the statistically significant growth of cooperatives' turnover, as well as the development of local food system and innovative forms of Local food systems (i.e. Short food supply chain). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short food supply chains are of economic importance because of their contribution to local food security, local employment and because of their (potentially) low impact on the environment. Despite their many virtues they face significant challenges to grow as businesses. These challenges can be situated at the level of the enterprise or at the level of the broader business ecosystem in which they operate. One of the biggest challenges they face is poor profitability from low margins due to price pressure from retailers, processors and other intermediaries. A small number of producers realise better margins by selling direct to the consumer (D2C). Although some of them do so very successfully, the challenge for most however is to master pricing, sales, marketing and distribution as well as they master production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Croatia, cooperatives began to develop under the influence of cooperative practice, which came from Western Europe. At the beginning of the 20th century, cooperative organizations became a very powerful social movement, which had influence even on the national political situation. In the period of negative social and economic situation in Croatia while the economy is contracting, special attention should be devoted to the Croatian war veterans, the children of the killed, imprisoned and missing war veterans and the children of disabled war veterans who fought in the Croatian Homeland War, as a special group in the society. Therefore, in this paper, we have analyzed and explained the activities of the war veteran cooperatives. The analysis involved all veteran cooperatives in Croatia. Veteran cooperatives, as an example of positive practice, represent a huge potential for the development of social entrepreneurship. By involving the veterans population (especially veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) in social entrepreneurship, the effect of occupational therapy is achieved. Factors such as psychosocial empowerment and social support of veterans play a major role in the efforts of reintegrating them to society and reducing the risk of social exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved in 2015 and reflected in the 2030 Agenda, have meant a turning point in existing public initiatives of a social and environmental nature. Whether at the level of the European Union, the Spanish State, its autonomous communities or even in the case of numerous city councils, it is common to explicitly link the relationship between different initiatives and their potential contribution to achieving the SDGs. Companies have turned out to be a key factor in promoting more sustainable development and in managing social and environmental impacts. The world of cooperative organisations has not been exempted from the opportunities and obligations that meeting the SDGs brings. In this context, Florida Universitària, a founding member of the Laboratorio de los ODS de la Empresa Valenciana conduct a qualitative study related to Valencian social economy enterprises in order to determine: (i) the degree of knowledge of the SDGs and the level of depth about what they are and what they mean, (ii) which SDGs are most aligned with productive activity and how enterprises can contribute to their fulfilment, (iii) what are the main obstacles encountered by Valencian social economy enterprises in the implementation of the SDGs and (iv) which SDGs most enterprises comply with and which ones they do not. Results show that SDGs are part of the DNA of Valencian cooperatives, and they are working very hard to increase the level of fulfilment of these objectives, although it is a complex process, full of challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether organizational hybridity influences organizations competitive strategies and behaviour. We follow a comparative multi-case study design, where the competitive strategies and behaviour of a social-commercial hybrid organization are compared and contrasted to the ones of a commercial organization (non-hybrid). The empirical context of this study is the dairy market of the Azorean island Sao Miguel. The results reveal that hybrid organizations that instantiate conflicting logics experience tensions at the strategic positioning level, where conflicting logics push towards different prescriptions about the adequate strategies to follow. This might lead to strategic lock-in, meaning that a particular strategy is pursued, not because it is the most desired one, but because internal conflicting logics push towards opposing strategic choices. The results also support that hybrid organizations are able to apply soft decoupling strategies, which implies the decoupling of their competitive behaviour from their organizational form, in order to send credible signals to market constituents. This paper contributes to foster our knowledge about hybrid organizations, and also about he role of institutional forces on organizations strategic choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering wine cooperatives in the current context, a declining number of cooperatives, members and a reduction of the cooperative vineyard area can be observed (DRV, 2017). So far, hardly any members of the cooperative or other internal stakeholders have been asked about their wishes, views and plans for the future (Fischer, 2011), which could possibly have an influence on remaining in or leaving the cooperative. Such an internal view with the expectations of the different interest groups is considered in this research. By conducting a complete survey in the form of case studies within two German wine cooperatives, a complete picture from all members and stakeholders (including all interest groups within the cooperative) should be obtained. A model, which represents the formation of the different perspectives, was created on the basis of theoretical assumptions and expert interviews. It serves as interpretation basis for drawing conclusions on the existing field of tensions within the cooperatives. The research suggests that a change in the view of the cooperative can be a reason for tensions and for the resignation of members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]