Causal Factors Affecting of Social Capital and Performance of the Cooperative Movement in Thailand

Abstract

Cooperatives are important to the Thai economy. The cooperative system has a population of more than 11 million people and an operating capital of more than 3.5 trillion baht. The cooperative system consists of specialized business units that rely on social capital to benefit business cooperation. This research aimed to study 1) Social Movement, Board’s role, and Worker Cooperative System factors that affect Social Capital and Performance; 2) The influence of variables on Social Movement, Board’s role, and Worker Cooperative on System Social Capital and Performance; and 3) a model creating for the Causal factors that influence cooperative movement’s social capital in Thailand. This research used quantitative and qualitative research methods. The data were collected through questionnaires. The population was from agricultural cooperatives in Thailand, with a total of 400 samples. The data were used for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis and sampling with a specific method for the six experts focus group to confirm the study results. The research results were as follows: 1) Social Movement, Board’s role, and Worker Cooperative System variables influence social capital and performance. 2) Social Capital variables were directly influenced by Social Movement, Board’s role and Worker Cooperative System. Performance variables were directly influenced by Social Movements, Board’s Role and Worker Cooperative System. Performance variables were also indirectly influenced by Social Movements, Board’s role and Worker Cooperative System. 3) The causal factors model that influence cooperative movement’s social capital in Thailand is new and cognitive. It is sorted from bottom up to top up as follows: Worker Cooperative System, Social Movement, Board’s Role, Social Capital and Performance.