Examining the Strengths and Weaknesses of Managers and Approaches to Improve Management Skills in Active Entrepreneurial Cooperatives of Hamedan Province

Abstract

This survey study was carried out in 2009-10 in order to examine the approaches to improve management in active entrepreneur cooperatives of Hamedan province. Using Cochran formula the sample size was determined and 110 questionnaires were filled out. The t statistic was used to study the factors influencing management skills. Factors influencing management success in mentioned companies were studied in regard of two main aspects: 1) Functional management and 2) Marketing management and minor internal aspects of these two. The findings showed that cooperative managers have weaknesses in programming, leadership and coordination (sub-indexes of functional management) and in compiling strategy, analyzing competition, marketing mix, determining target market, positioning and determining control trends (sub-indexes of marketing management). They were strong in organizing, control, macro environment study, market investigation, SWOT, budgeting and anticipating. According to the findings, in order to require cooperative companies to prepare and present executive programs, the effective approaches are to encourage implementation of standard management systems, create market research department in the Room of Cooperation in order to analysis market conditions for companies, pay subsidies to cooperatives observing quality, packaging and advertisement, introduce national and regional distributers to cooperatives and provide facilities for distribution contracts.

Keywords

• functional management
• marketing management
• cooperative companies
• hamedan province