Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies

Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies comprises a selection of sixteen newly written essays that provide clarification to issues pertinent to contemporary cooperatives. Twenty three internationally recognized scholars of agricultural cooperatives, from a variety of disciplines such as industrial organization, finance, sociology, networks, and political theory, contributed theoretical work and empirical observations from different countries. The book is divided into five Parts: I. Cooperatives: between markets and hierarchies; II. Governance; III. Internal organizational issues; IV. Conduct of cooperatives; and V. Cooperative performance.

The only book covering in-depth studies about the role of agricultural co-operatives under current market conditions The authorship consists of some of the world's most renowned scholars in the field of agricultural cooperatives, as well as a number of promising young researchers The scientific quality of the book chapters is very high as the editors have taken every step to secure top quality

Autorentext

Kostas Karantininis is research professor of Economics of Agri-Food Supply Chains & Cooperatives at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark.

Jerker Nilsson is professor of cooperative business at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.

Klappentext

Agricultural cooperatives have strong market positions in agri-food industries, in many countries. In recent decades we have witnessed significant changes in competition, distribution of market power and governance structures of agri-food chains. Between vertical market structures, cooperative principles, and hierarchical governance structures, cooperatives have been continuously adjusting in their strive for competitiveness, innovation, and survival. They have implemented alternative governance structures, employed new financial instruments, and invented novel organizational set-ups. Consequently, some members feel that the traditional cooperative traits are fading.

The competitiveness of agricultural cooperatives is puzzling to many observers, considering that cooperatives, at least in principle, deviate from the profit maximizing drive of the investor-owned firms. Furthermore little is known about the effect of governance structures of today's cooperatives on the agri-food industry.

Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies comprises a selection of sixteen newly written essays that provide clarification to issues pertinent to contemporary cooperatives. Twenty three internationally recognized scholars of agricultural cooperatives, from a variety of disciplines such as industrial organization, finance, sociology, networks, and political theory, contributed theoretical work and empirical observations from different countries. The book is divided into five Parts: I. Cooperatives: between markets and hierarchies; II. Governance; III. Internal organizational issues; IV. Conduct of cooperatives; and V. Cooperative performance.

About the Editors:

Kostas Karantininis is research professor of Economics of Agri-Food Supply Chains and Cooperatives at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark.

Jerker Nilsson is professor of Cooperative Business at theSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.

Zusammenfassung

Vertical Markets and Cooperative Hierarchies comprises a selection of sixteen newly written essays that provide clarification to issues pertinent to contemporary cooperatives. Twenty three internationally recognized scholars of agricultural cooperatives, from a variety of disciplines such as industrial organization, finance, sociology, networks, and political theory, contributed theoretical work and empirical observations from different countries. The book is divided into five Parts: I. Cooperatives: between markets and hierarchies; II. Governance; III. Internal organizational issues; IV. Conduct of cooperatives; and V. Cooperative performance.

Inhalt

From the contents

I. The Cooperative: Between Market And Hierarchy.- II. Governance.- III. Internal Organization.- IV. Conduct.- V. Performance.