Member Participation and Business Operation in Gilan Beach Seine Co-operatives

Co-operatives are among the rare collective organizations which have enjoyed more or less significant reception in different countries. According to the Principle 44 of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Constitution, co-operative Sector is formally regarded as one main part to the national economy. Meanwhile, Principle 43, emphasizing the prime role of Man (but not profit) in economics and in realization of social justice, introduces the co- operative system as a means to do so. It's due to this primary role of human factor that member's active socio-economic participation in the affairs of their cooperative society is both theoretically and practically an integral constituent to its success. The present study is a thesis which, as an applied research, aims to evaluate the effect of Guilan beach seine co-operative member's participation on their business. The statistical population includes 2610 members from 40 co-operatives which were sampled into 407 members from 14 cooperatives respectively through simple randomization and stratified randomization methods using the Sharp & Cochran Formula. Questionnaire was the main data collection instrument beside a documentary approach to the financial statements of sample cooperatives. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the thesis supervisor, thesis advisor, and the field specialists; and its reliability was approved by Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The findings indicated no relationship between the participation rate and age factors; however, significant relationship was found between participation rate and variables of literacy; years of membership; stock fees; familiarity with cooperative principles and values; satisfaction with the management; workshop/educational course attendance; and general assemblies. Also, there was confirmed a relationship between the economic operation (according to the survey and the financial documents) and member's various fields of participation, specially, workshop/educational course attendance (r =0.47). In line with other variables, the relationship was insignificant(r < 0.30).Also,the correlation in all cases except for those of age and years of membership was positive and direct.