TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
Title Page – – – – – – – – i
Approval Page – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – v
Abstract – – – – – – – – vi
List of Tables – – – – – – – vii-x
Table of Contents – – – – – – – viii-x
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – 1-3
Statement of the Problem – – – – – 3-6
Objectives of the Study – – – – – – 7
Research Questions – – – – – – 7-8
Scope of the Study – – – – – – 8
Limitation of the study – – – – – 8-9
Organization of the Study – – – – 9-10
Definitions of Terms – – – – – 10-11
CHAPTER TWO
Review of Related Literature
2.1 Concept and Meaning of Societies – – – 12-14
Benefits of cooperative societies to Members – – 14-15
2.3 Role of cooperative societies in
Economic development – – – – – 16-19
2.4 Types of Cooperative Societies – – – – 19-22
2.5 Issues/ challenges faced by
Cooperative societies – – – – – – 23-24
Proffered Solution to Challenges Faced
by cooperative societies – – – – – 25-27
CHAPTER THREE
Research Design and Methodology
Research Design – – – – – – 28-29
Population of the Study – – – – – 29
Sample and Sampling Techniques – – – 29-30
3.4 Instrumentation – – – – – – 30
3.5 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 31
3.6 Problems of Date Collection – – – – 32
CHAPTER FOUR
Data Presentation, Analysis / Interpretation
4.1 Analysis of Research Questions – – – 33
4.1.1 Research Question one – – – – 33-35
4.1.2 Research Question Two – – – – – 36-37
4.1.3 Research Question Three – – – – – 38-39
4.1.4 Research Question Four – – – – – 39-41
4.2 Discussion of Findings – – – – – 41-43
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary of finding, Conclusion and Recommendations
Summary of Findings – – – – – 44
Conclusion – – – – – – – 45
Recommendation – – – – – – 46-47
References
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Organizations such as cooperative societies play an important role in facilitating the empowerment of individuals (members) because they can address both economic and socio-cultural factors that perpetuate gender discrimination.
Economics empowerment represents the transformation of power relations throughout society, increased well being, community development, self sufficiency, expansion of individual choices and capacities for self reliance (Karubi, 2006). In a similar manner, Kaber (2001) sees members empowerment as the process which individuals the control and ownership of their lives through the expansion of their choice. Recognizing member’s empowerment is very vital to the overall progress in development as it ensures that individuals have the ability to shape their own security and faster effective participation in socio economic inclusion.
Member’s empowerment is essential because in most cases members are responsible for their families as such empowering of the members are empowering the society at large.
Cooperative model can be used as a breeding ground to empower individuals economically be enhancing their specific knowledge and capacities. This is possible because cooperatives are business owned and controlled by the people who use them and it differ from other business because there are member owned and operate for the benefits of members, rather than earn profits for investors (kotler,2005).although cooperative is viewed as an organization for the promotion of economic interest of its members, it dose not confine itself only to the economic aspect but also permeates the social aspect of life and aims at establishing a new democracies.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Despite all the effort of poverty alleviation by the cooperative movement, there are obstacles that hinders people from participating and enjoying these economic developments. Such obstacles are; lack of adequate cooperative education/awareness and enlightenment amongst the populace as such people respond to cooperative movement very poor. Those who are actively involved in this movement of cooperatives do not also fully enjoy the economic aspect of the movement, which include sharing of profits equally, financial assistance (loan) and the equal distribution of wealth. All this benefits would in turn increase the bargaining power of members, improve the members working conditions, increase the working conditions of its members and enable their members to purchase/build houses.
Similarly, many studies (Thenacho,2013) have been conducted in Nigeria in a bid to empower individual but the efforts and roles of individuals in cooperative societies for instance in income generation and entrepreneurial skill acquisition have not been well researched and document in Akwapoly multi-purpose cooperative society, thus, leaves a gap and indeed necessitated the interest to conduct this study in order to access the impact of cooperative societies on economic empowerment of members in Akwapoly multi-purpose cooperative limited, Ikot Osurua.
Social order based on freedom and equality, where people live in harmony, caring and sharing like a family, where there is unity of spirit and common economic bond.
According to Auegawi and Hailaslasie (2013), they believed that cooperative can create a self environment where members can increase their self confidence, identify their own challenges, make decisions and manage risks. And as a result, members are economically empowered and become active agents of change, entrepreneurs and promoters of social transformation who can improve their own lives and those of their community.
Since cooperatives are based on values of self-help democracy, equality and solidarity, they play particularly a strong role in empowering members, especially in developing countries like Nigeria (Nipplerd, 2002).cooperatives allow members who might have been isolated and working individually to bind together and creates economics of scale as well as increase their own bargaining power in the competitive market. According to Green retrieved from Wikipedia (2014) cooperative business have done so much to give members sense of political, social and economic inclusion.
Similarly, many studies (Thenacho 2013) have been conducted in Nigeria in a bid to empower individuals but the efforts and roles of individuals in cooperative societies for instance in income generation and entrepreneurial skills acquisition have not been ell researched and documented in Awka poly multi-purpose cooperative societies, thus, leaves a gap and indeed necessitated the interest to conduct this study in order to asses the impact of cooperative societies on economic empowerment of members in Akwapoly multi-purpose cooperative ltd, Ikot Osurua.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The following are the objectives of this research work.
To examine the impact of sharing profit equally on increased bargaining power of members.
To examine the impact of equal distribution of wealth on improved living condition of members. owner.
To examine the impact of financial assistance on purchase of houses by members.
To examine the impact of sharing profit on increased members purchasing
