A Survey of Factors Influencing Managers’ Knowledge of and Awareness from Cooperative Sector(A Case Study of Agricultural Cooperatives in Tehran Province)

The present study is aimed at investigating the factors which influence cooperative managers’ awareness of the cooperative sector. Methodologically, this is a descriptive-correlated survey. The study consisted of 498 managers of agricultural cooperatives in Tehran(N=498), from among whom 72 were selected through random sampling (n=72). Validity of the questionnaire used for collecting data was approved by judgement of the professors of the Faculty of Economy and Agricultural Development of Tehran University and the experts from the cooperation ministry. Reliability of the managers’ awareness extent with regard to cooperation was determined using Cronbach Alpha coefficient amounting to a value of 87%. The findings indicated that just (18.05%) of the managers benefit from a very high awareness of the cooperatives sector. Moreover, the results revealed that there exists a significant correlation between educational level, frequency of applying educational activities, frequency of using information sources and communication channels, the motivation for membership in the cooperatives, managers’ efficiency and social aspects with the variable of the awareness from the cooperative sectors. Based on the results of regression analysis, the five variables of: frequency of using information sources and communication channels, social aspects, frequency of applying educational activities, managers’ efficiency and entrepreneurial aspects account for 73% of the variations in the dependent variable.