The cooperative thrift and loan society limited, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, was establish in 1990. The societies mainly concerned themselves with mobilization of credit through the savings of member.

Generally, member can borrow a multiple of their cumulative contribution from the society. The loan attract some interest rats paid to member in their contribution.

Non-member may also be allowed to contribute to the savings on which they are also paid some interest. Qualification should be a staff whether academic staff or non-academic staff within Federal Polytechnic Owerri.

A member shall pay the entrance fee and minimum share or installation thereof. They have their meeting one in two week. Officers of the society include President. Vice President, the secretary treasurer.

The Nigeria government in 1933 appointed Mr. C.F. Strickland to study the validity of introducing cooperative in the country. He made a report that accepted by the government end in 1935 the Nigerian cooperative ordinance was enacted.

Strategy means different plan for accomplishing the objective of any organization. The ultimate objective of the study is to critically examine the strategies for effective management of cooperative business organization in promoting the socio-economic condition of the members of the cooperative thrift and loan society limited, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri and Nigeria in general.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The continued existence of any business depends on its ability to formulate strategies

Strategy means different plan for accomplishing the objective of any organization. These parameters are of utmost importance to management or directors respectively strategies are necessary task for any firm that wishes to from and survive, and it the core concern of management leadership.

An organization strategies plan has to be clarified, comprehensive and integrative and designed to assure that the basic objectives of the enterprise are achieved (Glueck 1979:3). It is a managerial plan or process of developing and maintaining a fit between an organization and its changing opportunities.

It relies on developing a clear organization missions objectives and goals.

To Broke, (1980), an organization strategy and product portfolio determines a sense of directions, a set of objectives and appropriate routes to achieve the objectives.

This “sense of director” refers to basic organizational missions or purpose while appropriate routes refers to plans”.

This research study streamlines the strategies for effective management of selected cooperative societies in Owerri West Local Government Area. The cooperative thrift and loan society Limited, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.

Management process involves:

I. Strategic planning

II. Capacity planning

III. Real time response issue management

IV. Management of strategic change.

The strategy deals with the relevant and critical issues that affects the organization as a whole.

We defined strategy as an integrated plan for accomplishing organizational objectives. We also define strategic management as the translation of strategic plans into result {Hill 1987:3}. It involve the examination of the organization internal and external environment to determine its strength and {In its internal environment opportunities and threats in its environment}. This gives the acronym SWOT the process in shown in the diagram below.

STRATEGIC POLICIES

Formulate strategies

From vision mission statement and goals

Implement strategies

Evaluate and control strategies

Determine strategy objective

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Industry and commerce all over the world know that strategies are the key to growth and survival effective and efficient strategies management is the means of achieving success.

Basically, strategy { the formula for success}, is the arrangement for dealing with the over changing and complex outer world. It is a coherent set of action aimed at getting advantages even in the development of resources.

Successful enterprise groom and when they do, the strategy which worked so in the early days no longer pits the new scheme of operation because of change in the business environment, making the design and adjustment of new strategies imperative. If not properly handled, the organization may fall, this is the cause of the problem.

Some cooperative have been successful while others have failed and the question is “why” our discussion so far makes it apparent that the purpose of strategies management is to enable the cooperative to grow and survive through organizational strategies and management, but the question still remains that are the owner competent? Do they have technical managerial and strategic skills to see the attainment of the society’s objectives? Management competence is not the only factor that influences the organization performance other include market position, the relative to other firms in the industry, production capacity trained staff and growth potentials.

In the advanced countries, the strategies for effective management of cooperative business organization have been acknowledged for a long time.

In developing countries like Nigeria, strategies is mostly carried out in many cooperative organization simply because they have not realized the best way or strategy for effective management of cooperative business organization and other organization to understand the need for strategies in any cooperative business management.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general objective is to examine the strategies for effective management of cooperative business organization.

The specific objective include:-

1. To identify their major business goals

2. To identify the strategies developed to achieve these goals

3. To identify the major problem militating against the management of cooperative business enterprise.

4. To suggest possible solution to the identified problem.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How long is your cooperative plan? Is it as old as the

society?

2. Has the society been in existence for long.

3. Has the government helped this society before? If yes

was the help encouraging?

4. How may members are there in the society?

5. Are the cooperative officer living up to their expectation

6. Are the strategies set by the organization working for the progress of the organization.

OBJECTIVES OF COOPERATIVE

1. To meet or solve their economic, social and cultural problems

2. To create job or employment for their members.

3. To open a cooperative shop where provision, clothing, articles and other essential commodities to be solve

4. To have or establish a shop where non alcoholic drink will be sold

5. To make their member be dependent or self made people

6. To show or concern to communities and eradicate poverty

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Business generally has much role to play in the advancement of any society and they can only perform their role well if they are run effectively.

An organizational performance depends on the equality of its managers in designing and implementing appropriate strategies. This fact underscores the importance of strategic management to the survival of business. The contribution of the cooperative society to the Nigeria economy is very significant, therefore failure of this society would result in grave consequences to the economy.

This study is therefore relevant to the extent that it would reveal causes of failure and success in the organization for precautionary measures. This study will therefore supply information that will help in designing appropriate training and counseling programme that student of business administration, cooperative economic and management as well as practitioners would find the study useful.

Furthermore, the studies will stimulate for the research especially in the related areas.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study focuses only on the strategies for effective management of cooperative business organization.

The area selected for this study, is the cooperative thrift and loan society limited in Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri. The area of the study were directed to represent all the cooperative thrift and loan society in the entire Imo State, they are proposed population of the study.

In carrying out the study, the entire cooperative thrift and loan society in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, was not covered.

Concentration was made only to the cooperative thrift and loan society in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, due to time constraint, finance, coupled with the crowded semester programme and lack of material resources to see the whole cooperative thrift and loan society in the Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, and the entire Imo State as a whole.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Research studies in developing nationals are usually fraught with problems especially uncooperative attitude of potential respondent.

This one cannot be assure to be an exception. Apart from the above, inadequate fiancé and time also constitute problems, constraints and limitation on the study.

This problems and limitation therefore pin this study down to the cooperative thrift and ban society limited, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.

The problems and limitation not withstanding this project study will achieve its objectives.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. STRATEGY:- Coherent comprehensive plan designed to ensure the realization of give objectives.

2. ENVRIONMENT:- Set of condition or forces that affects the operation {negatively or positively}.

3. COMPETITION:- forces consciously design to put a company’s operations into disequilibrium.

4. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT:- Is the increasing responsibility of management to respond to changes in the business environment through.

i. Strategic Planning

ii. Capacity Planning

iii. Real time responsive issue management

iv. Management of strategic change

5. COOPERATIVE OR STRATEGIC PLANNING:- Is a systematic and comprehensive analysis for selecting an organization long-term goals and programme, projects, Policies, Budgets, rules for accomplishing those long term goals.

6. PROFIT:- Surplus arising from the use of a given resources or carrying before or after all business expenses have been settled.

7. EFFEVTIVENESS :- An abstract measure of organizational performance, the extent to which an objectives is realized

8. COOPERATIVE:- According to Dr. E.U. Okeke says that cooperatives is a voluntary organization of people working together under democratic leadership, with the objectives of promoting the economic and social life to the members.