Participatory schemes in co-operatives: a comparative study of management structures of industrial and service co-operatives in the greater Accra region

Abstract

Recent studies on co-operative organizations in developing countries have indicated that the problems of self-management in co-operatives are due to the failure to implement the principles and ideals of co-operatives in those countries. These studies, coming from sociological and anthropological research, have further pointed out that the principles anti ideals of co-operatives are difficult to implement because they are incompatible with the traditional social structures and norms found in developing countries. Certainly, the principles and ideals of co-operatives are important for ensuring selfmanagement in co-operatives. It is, however, argued that in order to obtain adequate understanding of problems of self-management in co-operatives, it is also necessary to investigate the participatory schemes adopted by them. An empirical description of participatory schemes adopted by industrial producers and service co-operatives in Ghana, is therefore provided. Furthermore, the conditions which give rise to different participatory schemes in the co-operatives are also described.