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Agricultural cooperatives

7.5 hp
2027-01-18 - 2027-03-24
Uppsala
English
Admission & application
Application Code: SLU-30227
Course Code: FÖ0442
Schedule in TimeEdit

Entry Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to 180 hp at university level, of which at least 90 hp in business studies. English 6.

Course facts

Course name
Agricultural cooperatives
Swedish course name
Lantbrukskooperativa företag
Level
Second cycle (A1N)
Main field of study
Business Administration
Credits
7.5 credits
Rate of study
50 %
Study location
Uppsala
Form of instruction
Campus-based instruction
Application code
SLU-30227
Course code
FÖ0442
Course language
English
Included in program
Agriculture and Business Management
Agricultural Economics and Management - Master's Programme
Agricultural Science with a Specialisation in Economics and Business Administration
Offered as a freestanding course
Ja
Tuition fee
15720 SEK
Tuition fees only for non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens

FÖ0442, Agricultural cooperatives, 7.5 Hp
Print syllabus

Syllabus

Level

Second cycle (A1N)

Main field of study

Business Administration

Grading Scale

The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.

Course language

English

Entry Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to 180 hp at university level, of which at least 90 hp in business studies. English 6.

Objectives

The aim of the course is to convey theoretical knowledge about agricultural cooperatives – why they are formed, what their main characteristics are, the governance system of different sizes and types of cooperatives, and which problems may arise when running the cooperative.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Have the theoretical background and skills to account for the reasons to form agricultural cooperatives.
  • Have the theoretical background and skills to account for the main characteristics of agricultural cooperatives, including the governance systems.
  • Have the theoretical background and skills to account for problems that may arise when running an agricultural cooperative.
  • Problematize the differences between agricultural cooperatives and other types of organizations and firms, based on theories treated in the course.

Content

The course is based on lectures and literature seminars, based on academic journal articles, a course project, a mandatory study visit, mandatory guest lectures and written exam. The course covers relevant theories, which may contribute to the understanding of the agricultural cooperative, focusing organizational structure, governance structure, leadership, and agency relationships. The course includes concrete examples of various agricultural cooperatives in Sweden and abroad.

Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course

Passed exam. Passed project work. Participation in mandatory activities.

Responsible Department/Equivalent

Department of Economics

Supplementary information

Included in program

  • Agriculture and Business Management
  • Agricultural Economics and Management - Master's Programme
  • Agricultural Science with a Specialisation in Economics and Business Administration

Module set

Title Credits Code
Single module 7.5 0101

The Course Replaces

FÖ0396

Literature list, FÖ0442 Agricultural Cooperatives

Spring semester 2026


Beber, Caetano Luiz; Ludwig Theuvsen & Verena Otter. 2018. “Organizational structures and the evolution of dairy cooperatives in Southern Brazil: A life cycle analysis”. Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, 6: 64-77.

Benos, Theo, Nikos Kalogeras, Martin Wetzels, Ko de Ruyter; Joost ME Pennings. 2018. “Harnessing a ‘currency matrix’ for performance measurement in cooperatives: A multi-phased study”. Sustainability, 10.

Bijman, Jos. 2018. “Exploring the sustainability of the cooperative model in dairy: The case of Netherlands”. Sustainability, 10.

Chaddad, Fabio R & Michael L Cook. 2004. “Understanding new cooperative models: An ownership-control rights typology”, Review of Agricultural Economics, 26(3): 348-360.

Chaddad, Fabio & Constantine Iliopoulos. 2012. “Control rights, governance, and the costs of ownership in agricultural cooperatives”, Agribusiness, 29(1): 3-22.

Cobia, David & Bruce Andersson (eds). 2004. Cooperatives: An Economic and Management Perspective. (Unpublished) Chapters 1, 2, 12, 13, 14.[1]

Eisenhardt, Kathleen. 1989. “Agency theory: An assessment and review”, The* Academy of Management Review*, 14(1): 57-74.

Grashuis, Jasper & Michael Cook. 2018.”An examination of new generation cooperatives in the upper Midwest: Successes, failures, and limitations”, Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 89(4): 623-644.

Grashuis, Jasper & Ye Su. 2019. “A review of the empirical literature on farmer cooperatives: Performance, ownership, and member attitude”. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 90(1): 77-102.

Hakelius, Karin; Kostas Karantininis & Li Feng. 2013. “The resilience of the cooperative form: Cooperative beehiving by Swedish cooperatives”. Chapter in Ehrmann, Windsperger, Cliquet & Hendrikse (eds): Governance of Alliances, Cooperatives and Franchise Chains. Berlin: Springer Verlag: 127-147.

Iliopoulos, Constantine & Vladislav Valentinov. 2022. “Cooperative governance under increasing member diversity: Towards a new theoretical framework”. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 38.

Morfi, Chrysoula; Jerker Nilsson & Hanna Österberg. 2018. “Why farers involve themselves in co-operative district councils”. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 89(4): 581-598.

Mugwagwa, Innocent; Jos Bijman & Jacques Trienekens. 2020. “Typology of contract farming arrangements: A transaction cost perspective”. Agrekon, 59(2): 169-187.

Nilsson, Jerker. 2018. “Governance costs and the problems of large traditional co-operatives”. Outlook on Agriculture, 47(2): 87-92.

Nilsson, Jerker. 2023. “Social capital and governance of agricultural cooperatives”. Chapter in Handbook of Research on Cooperatives and Mutuals, Elliott & Boland (eds). Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing: 116-134.

Rixon, Daphne & Fiona Duguid. 2022. “Co-operative leaders need to lead the way on global and local SDG adoption”. [Version 1, not peer reviewed]. Emerald Open Res, 4(11).

Williamson, Oliver. 2008. “Outsourcing: Transaction cost economics and supply chain management”, Journal of Supply Chain Management, 44(2): 5-16.

Zhang, Chuan-Hong; Benjamin, Wandella Amos & Wang Miao. 2021. The contribution of cooperative irrigation scheme to poverty reduction in Tanzania*. Journal of Integrative Agriculture*, 20(4): 953-963.

Zhong, Zhen; Chen Zhang; Fu Jia & Jos Bijman. 2018. “Vertical coordination and cooperative member benefits: Case studies of four dairy farmers’ cooperatives in China”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172: 2266-2277.


[1] This is chapters from an unpublished book, hence it is not possible (as far as I know) to find them on the Web.

academic year 2024/2025

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-30219)
2025-03-17 - 2025-04-07

academic year 2023/2024

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-30323)
2024-03-12 - 2024-04-02

academic year 2022/2023

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-40088)
2023-05-28 - 2023-06-18

academic year 2021/2022

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-40105)
2022-05-29 - 2022-06-19

academic year 2020/2021

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-40087)
2021-05-30 - 2021-06-20

academic year 2019/2020

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-40072)
2020-05-31 - 2020-06-21

academic year 2018/2019

Agricultural cooperatives (FÖ0442-40116)
2019-06-02 - 2019-06-23

Contact

Course coordinator
Karin Hakelius
Course administrator
Märta Berglund
Examiner
Karin Hakelius