Social Advancement as a Critical Success Factor in a Model …
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to the economic progress of cooperatives; the payment of taxes, which should result
in better services for the general population; and also the role of cooperatives as
price regulators, which benefits not only members but also other non-cooperative
producers. These factors can be seen in the consolidated memos below, which are
extracted from the data and summarize the experts’ opinions:
(a) Cooperatives are organizations that arise in different regions, and which essentially bring the economic vocation of these regions. They organize the production
chain and provide business development and viability, which express the capabilities of local economic agents. They do not depend on companies coming
from other regions to invest in the locality. This feature gives the cooperative a
strong commitment to the community. Unlike other companies that seek business opportunities, regardless of location, cooperatives look for opportunities
that reinforce the economic advantages of the community itself. The focus of
the cooperatives is to enable business and add value to members in their locations. Several examples show that the development of certain regions in Parana
occurred directly due to cooperative activities, as the case of Cafelândia region,
for example, whose development depended heavily on the activities of Copacol
Cooperative, which adopted a strategy of adding value to the production of small
producers, especially via integrated poultry systems. Currently, the influence of
Copacol’s activities on Cafelândia’s economic and social conditions is very
strong. In addition to the economic and social advancement of members, jobs
are generated, trade and other services depend on the income generated by the
economic agents orbiting around Copacol. Without the cooperative, the reality
would be different, with much less expression of the local economic vocations;
(b) The social concern is at the heart of the cooperative societies. Cooperatives are
founded to economically organize the activities of their members to improve
their income equitably. It is not the purpose of the cooperative to accumulate
profits for a few owners, but to increase the members’ income, either by the
benefits of increasing the bargaining power of the cooperative in negotiations
with the market; either by the distribution of financial surpluses accumulated
by the cooperative, in proportion to the operations of each member with the
cooperative. It is possible to notice that in Parana, in localities where there are
well-structured cooperatives, the tendency is for the Human Development Index
to increase. In the Lar cooperative, for example, it is possible to compare the
economic situation of members in the eighties and the current situation. Significant progress has been made due to the cooperative’s strategy of adding value
via agro-industries and diversifying activities, with the transfer of economic
advantages to members. With an increase in income, members can rise socially,
to improve their educational level, and to improve their prospects of standard
living for the new generations. It is possible to observe a reduction between
differences in living standards and access to resources and services between
urban and rural areas. Cooperatives have a great responsibility in this process
because their mission is linked to the development of their region;
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to the economic progress of cooperatives; the payment of taxes, which should result
in better services for the general population; and also the role of cooperatives as
price regulators, which benefits not only members but also other non-cooperative
producers. These factors can be seen in the consolidated memos below, which are
extracted from the data and summarize the experts’ opinions:
(a) Cooperatives are organizations that arise in different regions, and which essentially bring the economic vocation of these regions. They organize the production
chain and provide business development and viability, which express the capabilities of local economic agents. They do not depend on companies coming
from other regions to invest in the locality. This feature gives the cooperative a
strong commitment to the community. Unlike other companies that seek business opportunities, regardless of location, cooperatives look for opportunities
that reinforce the economic advantages of the community itself. The focus of
the cooperatives is to enable business and add value to members in their locations. Several examples show that the development of certain regions in Parana
occurred directly due to cooperative activities, as the case of Cafelândia region,
for example, whose development depended heavily on the activities of Copacol
Cooperative, which adopted a strategy of adding value to the production of small
producers, especially via integrated poultry systems. Currently, the influence of
Copacol’s activities on Cafelândia’s economic and social conditions is very
strong. In addition to the economic and social advancement of members, jobs
are generated, trade and other services depend on the income generated by the
economic agents orbiting around Copacol. Without the cooperative, the reality
would be different, with much less expression of the local economic vocations;
(b) The social concern is at the heart of the cooperative societies. Cooperatives are
founded to economically organize the activities of their members to improve
their income equitably. It is not the purpose of the cooperative to accumulate
profits for a few owners, but to increase the members’ income, either by the
benefits of increasing the bargaining power of the cooperative in negotiations
with the market; either by the distribution of financial surpluses accumulated
by the cooperative, in proportion to the operations of each member with the
cooperative. It is possible to notice that in Parana, in localities where there are
well-structured cooperatives, the tendency is for the Human Development Index
to increase. In the Lar cooperative, for example, it is possible to compare the
economic situation of members in the eighties and the current situation. Significant progress has been made due to the cooperative’s strategy of adding value
via agro-industries and diversifying activities, with the transfer of economic
advantages to members. With an increase in income, members can rise socially,
to improve their educational level, and to improve their prospects of standard
living for the new generations. It is possible to observe a reduction between
differences in living standards and access to resources and services between
urban and rural areas. Cooperatives have a great responsibility in this process
because their mission is linked to the development of their region;