Research On Service Function Evolution Of Specialized Farmers Cooperatives

Since the implementation of the Law of Specialized Farmers Cooperatives in 2007,specialized farmers cooperatives have played an important role in promoting agricultural and rural modernization.Under the dual functions of market-oriented and government-led,the number of cooperatives has achieved a million-level accumulation in a decade.However,the insufficient performance of service functions and the dilution of property rights in cooperatives have arisen in the booming development of cooperatives,and the quality of cooperatives has been suspected.At the same time,China has brought the union into the legal category in the immature period of the development of cooperatives,and its rationality is still to be discussed.Although scholars have explored various issues based on different perspectives,they lack a systematic analytical framework and neglect the intrinsic relationship.Taking the service function evolution of cooperatives as the breakthrough point,this paper introduces division of labor theory,resource dependence theory,the institutional legitimacy of organization theory,punctuated-equilibrium theory,supply-demand theory,stakeholder theory,relational property rights theory and system theory.Relevant analysis methods include inframarginal analysis,theoretical deduction,empirical research,case studies and so on.This paper deeply discusses the current mode of service function evolution of cooperatives and the practical dilemma,which have important theoretical and practical significance for the sustainable development of cooperatives in China.Firstly,starting from the origin of economic organization function,constructing the evolution analysis framework of economic organization function,identifying the current service function evolution mode of cooperatives,and discussing the possibility,feasibility and legitimacy of service function evolution of cooperatives at the macro level.The social division of labor network,resource interaction network and institutional environment of economic organizations provide the possibility,feasibility and legitimacy constraints for their function evolution respectively,and together shape the triple dimension constraints.At the same time,the punctuated-equilibrium of policy process also determines that the evolution of economic organization function is not always gradual,and the punctuated-equilibrium modes also exist in the process of evolution.Taking these into the context of service function evolution of cooperatives,this paper proposes that:(1)the service function of cooperatives are not only an intermediate product,but also the result of resource allocation,or an organizational behavior accepted by the institution;(2)the improvement of transaction efficiency and coordination efficiency,the increase of diversity of stakeholders outside the organization,the reduction of transaction cost and coordination cost and the increase of configurable resources within the organization,and the enhancement of legitimacy within and outside of organization can all contribute to the service function evolution of cooperatives.(3)the current service function evolution of cooperative is in a gradual evolution state under the established path and belongs to t he equilibrium evolution mode.(4)the service function evolution of cooperatives is possible,feasible and legitimate in the current situation macroscopically.Secondly,taking the conflict between the triple dimension constraints in the service function evolution of cooperatives as the entry point,explaining the insufficiency performance of service function and the dilution of property rights in cooperatives.The possibility and feasibility constraints from the division of labor and resources are endogenous to the market,while the legitimacy constraint from the institution dimension is exogenous to the market and lags behind the market,which will inevitably lead to the constraints conflict between the institution dimension and the division of labor dimension,as well as between the institution dimension and the resource dimension.Accordingly,this paper deeply discusses the problems of constraint conflict between dimensions in the service function evolution of cooperatives,and constructs a theoretical analysis framework for the occurrence of conflicts.Based on 785 questionnaires,this paper empirically analyzes the problem of insufficiency performance of service function in cooperatives,and innovatively cites the relational property rights analysis framework,and makes a deep analysis on the problem of property dilution in cooperatives with the case as evidence.The results show that the constraint conflict between dimensions of institution and division of labor is caused by the weakening of the necessary relationship between the cooperative and the service demand of farmers and the service supply caused by the government policy supply,which leads to the insufficient performance of cooperative service function,and the constraint conflict between dimensions of institution and resource occurs in the contradiction between the property mechanism under the law and the institutional logic under the actual operation of the cooperative,which leads to the dilution of property rights in the cooperative.Thirdly,identifying the uniting paths of cooperatives and exploring the rationality of the development of unions during this period.Based on the service function system of cooperatives,this paper identifies the three uniting paths include: the service location,the service system,and the cross-service system.Through the comparative analysis of cases,this paper summarizes the differences in uniting target confirmation,uniting path selection,and uniting measures,and the commonalities in brand building,membership restriction,scientific and standardized organization management and rational benefit distribution system.The development of unions does not indicate that cooperatives have reached a mature stage at the present time,and union is a means to promote the service function evolution of cooperatives.The basis for the development of unions is to reduce transactions and coordinate costs,improve resource allocation efficiency,and effectively alleviate conflicts between dimensions of institution and division of labor,as well as between dimensions of institution and resource.Finally,combined with the previous theoretical and empirical analysis,the paper puts forward relevant strategies to promote the service function evolution of cooperative from the aspects of law perfection,policy supply mode and direction adjustment,development strategy selection of unions,and the cultivation of farmer cooperation awareness from the perspective of government governance.