نشریه تعاون و کشاورزی
سال یکم شماره 1 (بهار 1391)

One of the challenges of innovative era enterprises is implementing effective strategies and translating organization strategies to performance improvement processes. Since six-sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction, this research aims to investigate the role of balanced scorecard methodology as a comprehensive performance measurement system in assess six sigma projects in the cooperative societies. So hypothesis correlate assess of six sigma effectiveness discuss and set in the form of questionnaire then dispread Population(champion, Green belt and the member of team six sigma projects of selective co-operative societies of Yazd city) and then data analysis. The results of investigation show that six-sigma methodology has been effective in terms of financial perspective; internal processes perspective and learning and growth perspective but not so about customer perspective. In general, six-sigma program is effectiveness and data is representative of success of six-sigma program.

In recent years, a positive and substantial growth in cooperative enterprises is observable which is why governments have increasingly turned to this kind of firms. But, in view of the investments required, the main question is whether a growth in the cooperative sector will meet the needs of the society, or what have been the results of such a growth in terms of resolving the problems and difficulties such as unemployment, and growing productivity and performance? This paper, studies the relationship between investments, employment and financial performance of active cooperative enterprises of Fars province. The statistical population of this study includes all of the active cooperative enterprises of Fars province (4512 firms). Based on the considered restrictions to select the samples, 120 firms were selected from the population on the basis of the classified random sampling method during the period 1384 to 1389 The findings show that there is a significant difference betweenemployment of the different groups in cooperative enterprises, based on their financial performance and the field of their activities. Aggregately, the better financial performance in the agricultural, industrial and service sectors respectively, has lead to higher rate of employment. Therefore the weaker the financial performance of the firms in these sectors, the lower the employment rate.

Cooperation system is a model for rangeland management and people's participation in natural resources conservation. Learning about factors affecting rangelands cooperatives could help increase the success of cooperatives. The present research in Golestan province has been done to find which individual factors can affect rangeland cooperatives success. The research was a survey with a sample of 386 persons from 28 cooperatives. Data were collected using a questionnaire and direct interview with respondents. Findings indicate that the level of education and individual awareness about cooperative’s activities are most determinant factors of rangeland cooperatives success.

Main function of cooperation is generation of employment for the graduates who have ability but no capital, and one of the objects of cooperation, as one of most potential employers of agricultural graduates, is to extend favorable creation of employment in such a way to facilitate launching graduate's cooperatives for them, the abilities and how much they dominate the abilities must be put to study. Thus, the current paper, being of a descriptive-correlative nature is to analyze situation of agricultural student's potentials for creating graduate's cooperatives in universities in the west of Iran. The statistical population for this study was senior agricultural students of public universities (Kordestan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Hamedan and Lorestan) in the west of Iran (N=979) out of which, 274 students were selected using Bartlet table and stratified random (quota) sampling method. Based on the findings, potentials including familiarity with instruments of knowledge generation and extension, organizational commitment, progressiveness, informationliteracy, ability to work with internet, computer literacy, understanding international issues, organizational awareness, entrepreneurship, English language, career experience, and technical specialty were very low. Basic potentials for the formation of graduate's cooperatives classified according to important into individual, interpersonal, organizational, communicative, and informational ability. There was a positive and significant relationship between agricultural backgrounds, the capability to get sustainable job with level of student's potentials.

Social capital is a new, complex and important concept in social science and is today considered as one of the most important indicators of growth and development in every society. Prerequisites for community prosperity and holistic development are relationships, the spread of social solidarity, social participation, mutual trust (individual, society and the government), and social capital. The present research is an attempt to examine social capital of Kilim and Jajim weavers -both members and non-members in cooperatives of Kurdistan province. This research has been conducted by a census method including 140 members of the Kilim and Jajim cooperatives and 140 non-members. Data gathering has been through questionnaires whose questions designed using observation and interview. The results indicate that four factors i.e. information exchange with social system, trust in institutions, a network of formal relationships and the level of awareness as the most important determinants between the two groups of coops members and non-members respectively. The results of regression test (logistic) also showed that knowledge and awareness, social participation, a network of formal relationships and trust to institutions have caused to increase and facilitate cooperation among the cooperative members for encouraging in development plans.

The aim of this study is investigation on the effect of personal and professional characteristics of board members in agricultural production cooperatives on the psychological empowerment of them. The research design of this study was a survey utilizing descriptive technique. Used sampling method was proportional classified. The statistical population consisted of board members of active agricultural cooperatives in Fars province. In order to identify the sample volume, Bartllet table was used. According to statistical population (N=1540) 193 of board members in Fars Province randomly selected. The instrument validity was acknowledged by the panel of agricultural extension and education. The reliability analysis of questionnaire was conducted for each variable by Cronbach`s alpha. The results show that there was a positive and significant correlation between such individual variables as: gender, income, number of educational classes, self esteem, and psychological empowerment of board members.