BIG AND LITTLE CO-OPS--ATTITUDES OF PEOPLE IN LOCALLY-OWNED COOPERATIVES TOWARD MERGERS WITH LARGE COOPERATIVES. FINAL REPORT

THE MICHIGAN FARMER, GENERALLY A "CO-OP" MEMBER, MUST RESPOND TO THE PROBLEMS OF RETAINING HIS TRADITIONAL, LOCALLY CENTERED LIFE, OR AFFILIATING, WITH HIS COOPERATIVE, IN SOME WAY WITH TODAY'S LARGE, COMPLEX PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS. TO HELP DETERMINE HIS RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 30 COOPERATIVES WAS SELECTED TO STUDY FROM 99 AVAILABLE. PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE COOPERATIVE MANAGER, ONE BOARD MEMBER, AND ONE FARM MEMBER WERE CONDUCTED. DATA WERE COLLECTED ON THE FOLLOWING--(1) AGE, (2) EDUCATION, (3) TENURE, (4) MANAGER'S EXPERIENCE, AND (5) MANAGER'S, BOARD MEMBER'S, AND FARM MEMBER'S ATTITUDES TOWARD BECOMING A MEMBER OF A LARGER COOPERATIVE. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT MERGER WILL BE FACILITATED (1) IF MANAGERS CAN MAINTAIN JOB SECURITY, (2) IF MANAGERS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND FARM MEMBERS CAN EACH BE SURE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO EXERT INFLUENCE ON THE ACTIONS OF THE LOCAL "CO-OP," AND (3) IF EACH GROUP IS CONVINCED THAT THE OTHERS ARE IN FAVOR OF MERGER. (JH)