This paper examines the efficiency of a sample of Great Plains grain marketing and farm supply cooperatives during 1988 to 1992. In general, larger cooperatives were more X-efficient and scale efficient. Labor tended to be under-utilized and capital over-utilized. Petroleum product sales and...

Cooperatives can handle a loss in several ways. This paper evaluates two primary alternatives: retain in the cooperative or allocate to patrons. The cooperative’s and patrons’ preferences are based on choosing either a tax reduction or redemption reduction. Present value of cash...

Evaluations of five basic equity redemption alternatives are made for the distinct patron-cooperative economic relationship found in both regional and local centralized cooperatives. The five alternatives are the estate settlement, age-of-patron, revolving fund, percentage pool, and base capital...

The case begins with an examination of Land O' Lakes' diversified portfolio of businesses. The business had undergone significant changes since 1998 - it dominated market share in butter and deli cheese, had become the largest crop protection, plant nutrient, and feed manufacturer in the US, and...

This paper compares the traditional forms of capitalization used by American co-ops to newly emerging forms. It is based on an in-depth review of several case co-ops. A broad framework is provided that may be beneficial in more extensive studies of capitalization practices of cooperatives and...