ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT OF COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS

The cooperative world is experiencing a historic landmark due to the International Year of Cooperatives 2012 celebration, an initiative established by the United Nations (UN). Nothing more appropriate, therefore, than to rescue the history of cooperatives and its the evolutionary process, showing aspects of efficiency, economic and social functions performed by these not-for-profit organizations. The initial chapters provide the mathematical models and a discussion of theoretical issues. At the end, there are some texts that have applied case studies and / or a free discussion of the matter, taking advantage of the author’s experience of years devoted to the practice, study and research on cooperatives in Brazil. The theoretical basis of the book is Neoclassical Economics, New Institutional Economics, Transaction Cost Economics and the "Agency" problems. The book is organized into three parts, Part I is composed by chapters devoted to an initial perspective of cooperatives in Latin-America. Part II discusses co-operatives contractual logic in Brazil issues, while Part III brings together the chapters dealing with a comparative approach about cooperatives organizational architecture. Essential book and required reading for anyone interested in cooperatives, including professionals in the areas of cooperative, social economy, third sector, agriculture and agribusiness, and others. It is also essential for readings in basic disciplines like Cooperatives in Schools of Agriculture and Economics, Economics of Organizations in Schools of Business Administration and Economics, and complementary reading for the disciplines of Public and Social Project Management, or Agribusiness, in the undergraduate courses and to graduate students in Business Administration, Economics, Accounting, Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences.