CRD120:Sociology of Cooperation
Sociology of Cooperation is a basic introductory course designed to meet the study needs of students and practitioners of cooperative management, rural development, sociology and anthropology, and social works.
The Course aims to equip readers with basic knowledge of sociology of cooperation especially within the framework of developing economies. Specifically, topics relating to cooperative development, the Rochdale principles, formation and management of cooperatives, typologies of cooperative societies and mechanisms for promoting cooperative actions would be covered. The course is intended to equip students and practitioners with knowledge of the sociological basis of mutual groups set up to address the issue of CRD 120 SOCIOLOGY OF COOPERATION viii limitations associated with small means. The course sets out the development sustainability features of rural cooperatives. It identifies key causes of cooperatives failures and proffer recommendations for success. The course is also aimed at understanding the features and provision needed to make a social and economic group successful in the African setting
Module 1:
Unit 1: Defining the co-operative and the double/dual nature of cooperatives
Unit 2: The Rochdale Principle: Principles or practices
Unit 3: The concept of the sociological group and the co-operative business enterprise.
Module 2:
Unit 1: Classification of co-operatives: Types and criteria
Unit 2: Motives for forming/joining a cooperative economic.
Unit 3: Factors that influence the establishment of cooperatives.
Module 3
Unit 1: Multi dimensions of a cooperative.
Unit 2: Cooperatives, sustainability and food security
Unit 3: Cooperative as a hybrid organization
Module 4
Unit 1: The financing of the co-operative enterprise.
Unit 2: Internal financing Unit 3: Multi-stakeholders cooperatives
Module 5
Unit 1: Internal working of the group
Unit 2: Managing cooperatives for success.
Unit 3: Cooperative manager
Module 6
Unit 1: Market pooling
Unit 2: Financing cooperative activities
Unit 3: The gearing ratio
As an introductory text this course materials only presents a birds’ eye view of the key themes in sociology of cooperation. Attempts were made to relate the issues discussed in the text to the real time peculiar conditions in developing economies. It is envisaged that a systematically reading and application of the key themes will equip readers with foundational knowledge and theories for a more advance incursion into sociology of cooperation.