Thursday, July 19, 2012

Class XI, Principles of Commerce, "Co-Operative Society"

INTRODUCTION Co-operative society is voluntary association of small producers or consumers for their mutual benefits. It is formed for producing and supplying goods in accordance with the needs and requirements of the member who compose it. The members form and carry on the business of co-operative societies themselves. They are the owners, workers and mangers of the society. They have democratic control over its organization and management. It is formed for the purpose of achieving economic, social and educative benefits. Profit making is not the man aim of such organizations. Its aim is to eliminate the services of middlemen. It brings benefits for the welfare of the members with the help of applying the principals of all for each and each for all into practice. Its success depends on how much mutual co-operation in between the members has been developed.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY:
The following are the main features of the Co-operative society:-
1. OBJECT
Its main aim is to bring mutual benefit to the members who compose it. Money making is not the main aim of the Co-operative Society. The Society looks after the welfare of the members. It aims producing and supplying goods to meet requirement of the members.
2. CAPITAL
It collects capital from the members. The members purchase shares in the cooperative society and provide necessary capital to it. The cooperate society is divided into fix number of shares. To become a member of the society one must purchase at least one share.
3. MEMBERSHIP
There must be at least 15 members in a cooperative society. But one cannot become a member of the society unless he attains the age of maturity.
4. DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLE
The cooperate society is based on the principle of democracy. Every member enjoys rights. Everyone has got only one vote. Policies of the society can be criticized by the members. So the members have a democratic control over the affairs of the society.
5. TRANSFERABILITY OF SHARE
The shares of the cooperative society can be transferred to the members of the society. They cannot be transferred to nonmember.
6. DIVISION OF PROFIT
Although it is not the main idea of the cooperative society to earn profit at any cost yet it often earns a handsome profit. The profit of the society is distributed to the members on the paid up capital but the profits of the consumers cooperative society are distributed in proportion to their total purchases during the trading period.
7. ENTITY
The cooperative society has a separate artificial entity. Thus its entity is independent of the members.
ADVANTAGES OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
1. ELIMINATION OF MIDDLEMAN
The consumers get their requirements direct from the producers or they supply their own requirements. hence the cooperative society eliminated middleman and makes the goods available to the consumers at cheaper rate.
2. ECONOMY
Certain economies can be enjoyed by the members of cooperative society in the field of production an distribution. The society has not to bother from marketing the goods. the members are its regular customers and it need not advertise its good in the market.
3.CAPTURE MARKET
The cooperative society sells goods at a cheaper rate. hence it can easily attract a good number of customers.
4. NO SURPLUS STOCK
The society has got regular customers so it has not to keep any surplus stock in hand.
5. SAVING OF MANAGEMENT EXPENSE
Sometimes the members render free services to manage the affairs of the society. They do not demand any remuneration.
6. EDUCATIVE VALUE
The members are able to learn the principles of cooperation. They learn how to render services for the mutual benefits of themselves. They learn about economic and social aspects of human life.
7. PROVISION FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE POOR
Poor people accumulate and invest their small saving in the society which brings for them a better standard of living particularly it increases the income of agriculturists and the people who have been engaged in small and cottage industry.
8. SOCIAL BENEFITS
It develops self-confidence and self -reliance among the general people. They learn the principal ‘Self-help is the best help’. At the same time it develops them a sense of cooperation and sacrifices.
9. PROVISION FOR EMPLOYMENT
It solves unemployment problems of the under developed countries. People find employment in small and cottage industries to earn their livelihood.
10. INTEGRATION
Under this system of production and distribution a complete integration between the manufacturers wholesalers and the retailers is possible.
11. EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
Under the system of production and distribution wealth cannot be concentrated in few hands. Equal distribution of wealth takes place under this system.
12. EQUAL STATUS
There is no master servant relationship in between the members of cooperative society. All are the owners managers, and workers of the cooperative society.
DISADVANTAGES OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
1. LACK OF CAPITAL
It suffers from lack of capital because it is an organization of poor people. They cannot afford large amount of capital so they cannot afford to expand the size of the business.
2. LACK OF INTEREST
As the market for the products of cooperative society has been guaranteed so the organizers and managers do not pay keen interest in the management of cooperative society.
3. LACK OF EFFICIENT PERSON
It fails to accommodate men of talent, skills and initiative because it requires free services from them. Such people may not be interested to join the cooperative society.
4. LACK OF COOPERATION
It requires cooperation and selflessness and other facilities which are rarely found in the general people. There is no scarcity of mean minded people living within individuals of the society. The society remains for its success.
5. UN-EDUCATION
Most of the members of the cooperative society are uneducated and unskilled. So the management of the society may fall in the clutches of selfish people.
6. FREQUENT CHANGE IN DEMAND OF GOODS
The cooperative society cannot be carried on successively in the fields where the demand for goods changes frequently.

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