The goal of the present study is to find the gap between the existing and desired situation on the basis of factors affecting the success of cooperatives. It is a descriptive, cross-section survey of 220 cooperative members. The results of Wilcoxon test indicated a significant difference between the two situations. To enhance the existing situation special attention should be paid to socio-cultural, personality, technical, management, training and economic factors. In addition, in each factor we should consider some issues as follows: Socio-cultural factor: Belief in the philosophy of cooperation, communication with other cooperatives and using their experiences, enhancing the work knowledge, and generating the spirit of collaboration; Personality factor: innovation ability, risk acceptance, entrepreneurship spirit, interest in and motivation for productive work, and flexibility; Training factor: entrepreneurship communication skills, technical skills, collaborative skills, familiarizing with cooperative skills, internship, informing of new technologies, and informing the engineers; Management factor: managing the production and marketing, human resource development, manager accountability, management of threats and opportunities, considering the community views, skills, experience and education of executive manager, organizing, and authority; Economic factor: long term investment, appropriate marketing, facilitating the access to loans, and economic participation. |