Co-operative leadership in the eighties

Cooperative Leadership is an area for useful rese arch, as the studies on varied dimensions of leadership help policy making and evolving appropriate operational measures to ensure efficient functioning of cooperatives through effective leadership. Besides, such studies are also important from the national point of view. Coope rative leadership constitutes an integral part of the rural leadership, which is expected to play a pivotal role in bringing about the desired socio-economic change in the country, especially on the country side. For those con cerned with the planning of change or with the study and assessment of planned change, an understanding of the patterns and processes of the leadership is essential. Periodical studies on the profile and role of leadership assume great significance in this context.

Various general observations have been made on cooperative leadership from time to time, but not many empirical studies are available on the subject. Majority of these studies were undertaken in the sixties and early seventies. Several developments have taken place since then, especially since the mid-seventies in the country in general and cooperative sector in particular, which invari ably exert their influence on the leadership. This situa tion calls for a fresh look at the subject for an under standing of the emerging patterns of cooperative leader ship. This study is a modest attempt in that direction.

Of the few published studies on cooperative leader ship, an earlier study undertaken by me in 1975 seems to be the only study on the subject in Andhra Pradesh. Obviously, there is need for a study of the emerging pattern of leadership in this state, especially in the con text of recent elections to cooperatives. This study under taken in Krishna District, a cooperatively developed district in A.P., aims at an understanding of the latest pattern of cooperative leadership. A special feature of this study lies in its division of cooperative leaders into two groups, viz.. Presidents and Directors, for the purpose of compa ring the profiles of the two for any meaningful conclu sions.