The institutionalization of cooperation: An institutional work analysis in a vulnerable community of the Amazon region

Lima, Ana Maria de; Balestrin, Alsones; Faccin, Kadigia; Marconatto, Diego

doi:10.7819/rbgn.v21i4.4017

Ana Maria de Lima

Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Campus de Juara, Juara - Brazil

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8436-9352

Alsones Balestrin

Unisinos, Escola de Gestão e Negócios, Porto Alegre - Brazil1

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6397-1582

Kadigia Faccin

Unisinos, Escola de Gestão e Negócios, Porto Alegre - Brazil1

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2804-2328

Diego Marconatto

Unisinos, Escola de Gestão e Negócios, Porto Alegre - Brazil1

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9458-9199

1
. Ana Maria de Lima, PhD, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Juara - Brazil. E-mail: ana.lima@unemat.br

2
. Kadigia Faccin, PhD, Unisinos, Porto Alegre - Brazil. E-mail: kadigiaf@unisinos.br

3
. Alsones Balestrin, PhD, Unisinos, Porto Alegre - Brazil. E-mail: abalestrin@unisinos.br

4
. Diego Marconatto, PhD, Unisinos, Porto Alegre - Brazil. E-mail: dmarconatto@unisinos.br

Contribution of each author

Each author should take responsibility for at least one component of the paper. If the article is approved for publication, the authors should indicate in the diagram below, what was the contribution of each.

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Contribution Ana Maria de Lima Kadigia Faccin Alsones Balestrin Diego Marconatto 1. Definition of research problem √ √ √ 2. Development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies) √ √ √ 3. Development of theoretical propositions (theoretical work) √ √ 4. Theoretical foundation/Literature review √ √ 5. Definition of methodological procedures √ √ 6. Data collection √ 7. Statistical analysis 8. Analysis and interpretation of data √ √ 9. Critical revision of the manuscript √ √ 10. Manuscript writing √ √ 11. Other (please specify which)

Responsible editor:

Prof. Dr. João Maurício Boaventura

Contribution	Ana Maria de Lima	Kadigia Faccin	Alsones Balestrin	Diego Marconatto
1. Definition of research problem	√	√	√
2. Development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies)	√	√	√
3. Development of theoretical propositions (theoretical work)	√	√
4. Theoretical foundation/Literature review	√	√
5. Definition of methodological procedures	√	√
6. Data collection	√
7. Statistical analysis
8. Analysis and interpretation of data	√	√
9. Critical revision of the manuscript		√	√
10. Manuscript writing	√	√
11. Other (please specify which)

Institutional work	Subcategory	Details	How it was applied to our case
Political	Advocacy Defining Vesting	Development of rules, property rights, and limits referring mainly to the regulatory pillar of institutions.	Analysis of practices to define governance for the cooperative arrangement.
Technical	Constructing identities Changing normative associations Constructing normative networks	Provides an institution with a degree of rigor and ensures that the work can be more easily transported from one environment to another.	Analysis of practices to define rules of the cooperative arrangement.
Cultural	Mimicry Theorizing Educating	Presentation of an institution so that it pleases a wider audience.	Analysis of practices to spread community identity.

Interviewee	Empirical Evidence
I2	“... the main objective of COOPAVAM was to protect the legal reserve. COOPAVAM was born for this [...] and also for the construction of the Brazil nut factory. The factory always meant an alternative for income generation.” “... what motivated the activities in the “Vale do Amanhecer” was the construction of a family agriculture area [...] a settlement born with the possibility of developing long-term work with a whole socio-environmental vision for the community.” “... the number of families involved in the oil chain [...] being in the Amazon and having the only registered settlement of the state of Mato Grosso.”
I4	“this was the opportunity to prioritize the people of the community. INCRA always talked about this - you must start an association to give work to the people here”
I8	“... the Brazil nut project collaborates and fits with the ideas of FUNAI - the importance of this link is enormous, I don´t know how to explain it...”
I9	“He even convinced INCRA that if he provided support with part of the resources for the project of creating the factory, it would be also helping to maintain the legal reserve [...] Why is it important? Because, it is the reserve that was going to produce the Brazil nuts for the factory.”

Motivational Factors	This is motivating because cooperation could...	Empirical Evidence
Generation of collective solutions	offer services, products, and collective infrastructure for the development of its associates (Balestrin & Verschoore, 2016Balestrin, A., & Verschoore, J. (2016). Redes de cooperação empresarial: Estratégias de gestão na nova economia (2nd ed.). Porto Alegre: Bookmamn.).	“…we worked as a group on an assignment regarding the cooperative’s organizational management...” (Interviewee 3). “...we brought in two new buyers of nuts...” (Interviewee 1). “This is because the forest guardians project built several large tents, which was something that was difficult...” (Interviewee 7).
Risk and cost reduction	share the costs of investments (Balestrin & Verschoore, 2016Balestrin, A., & Verschoore, J. (2016). Redes de cooperação empresarial: Estratégias de gestão na nova economia (2nd ed.). Porto Alegre: Bookmamn.).	“It is a joint investment, we always do it for the best price” (Interviewee 7). “Regarding Incra’s investment [...] with part of the funds for the factory creation project, it would be helping to maintain the legal reserve, in addition to recovering some areas and in the least amount of time, keeping the reserve ...” (Interviewee I2).
Accumulation of social capital	increase social relationships and friendship bonds that go beyond economic aspects.	“...several people see this union and find it beautiful, this exchange of ideas” (Interviewee 5). “It is really personal, dedication, it’s rooting for the people who are there. I say that in the cooperative we are a family, you see?” (Interviewee 3).
Collective learning	enable access to different types of knowledge and ideas (Balestrin & Verschoore, 2016Balestrin, A., & Verschoore, J. (2016). Redes de cooperação empresarial: Estratégias de gestão na nova economia (2nd ed.). Porto Alegre: Bookmamn.).	“...with this training, with these courses there is digital inclusion, there are people in the cooperative that also do it.” (Interviewee 3). “Now, we had two courses offered by Natura. They are helping, one was on work safety, one on first aid…” (Interviewee 5).
Gaining commercial power	promote representativeness, credibility, and legitimacy in the market.	“We work as partners, purchasing nut and almond oil. We work with a fair price in a positive way - win-win” (Interviewee 1). “...having the only settlement in the state of Mato Grosso properly registered. (Interviewee 1).
Work and income generation	foster initiatives that offer opportunities in the institutional context.	“there are people whose income comes from the cooperative, so imagine the importance it has” (Interviewee 3). “...my dream is to see this continue and that it works all year round so no one becomes unemployed”.
Environmental preservation	promote debates on the needs of the environment and its importance to the sustenance and maintenance of the settlement.	“...the project had two clear goals, one was the recovery of some areas, a hectare per family, something like that, with planting of forest systems according to a proposal previously discussed with farmers from there, and the other was the construction of the factory for a group of families that worked on the extraction of the nuts.” (Interviewee 9).
Appreciation of women’s work	offer opportunities for women to be recognized in organizational activities.	“The main reason for women to work in the association is the income” (Interviewee 5).
Valuation of the land and reduction of rural exodus	promote opportunities for young people to remain in agriculture.	“What I want, and I mean myself, because I think of the young people. I am working with the boys, we even wrote a project ... (Interviewee 9). “...I think it is interesting to begin with the young people’s participation [...] I want to engage them to continue what we have done.” (Interviewee 5).
Enabling social public policies	promote the success of public policies related to social inclusion.	“They generate income for many families, it was even recognized internationally for its arrangement and history.” (Interviewee 1).

	Practice description - technical work	Evidence (excerpts from interviews)	Impact on the creation of the institution
1.1	Project submission	Access to various projects (secondary data)	It forces collective thinking
1.2	Borrowing raw materials and exchange of labor among AVA’s enterprises.	“Right now, we had two courses offered by Natura. They are helping. One was on safety at work and the other on first aid” (Interviewee 1) “...even with training courses on good food production practices, it is necessary to inspect.” (Interviewee 11)	It strengthens the relationships among the partner enterprises established in AVA.
1.3	Community garden in the indigenous areas and in other communities.	Report on the dissemination of the results of the Sentinelas da Floresta project (1^st edition), visit in loco, and images (secondary data).	It expands community relationships and benefits food subsistence.
1.4	Technical courses with the community’s participation (digital inclusion; workshops on nut processing and use of fruits, vegetables and devitalized wood, etc.).	“Right now, we had two courses offered by Natura. They are helping. One was one on safety at work and the other on first aid” (Interviewee 1) “...with training courses on good food production practices...” (Interviewee 11)	It expands social relations and spaces to socialize the competencies acquired at work daily.
	Practice description - technical work	Evidence (excerpts from interviews)	Impact on the creation of the institution
1.5	Exchange of experiences among other organizations, excursions to the community to learn about what is developed at AVA (schools, other organizations, public administrators, students, etc.).	Report on the dissemination of the results of the Sentinelas da Floresta project (1^st and 2^nd editions) (secondary data)	It promotes experience and brings prospective partners.
1.6	Field days with the community in areas of extractivism or vegetable gardening and planting of seedlings.	Report on the dissemination of the results of the Sentinelas da Floresta project (1^st and 2^nd editions) (secondary data) Project submitted in partnership with the university (UNEMAT) on Environmental Education (secondary data).	It promotes the exchange of experience and reflections between members of the community.
1.7	Submission of projects to compete for awards offered by support agencies.	Millennium Development Goals Award - ODM BRAZIL (2013). Website: <http://www.ipea.gov.br/desafios/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2966:catid=28&Itemid=23> Banco do Brasil Foundation Award for AMCA in 2014. Website: https://www.cidadenova.org.br/editorial/inspira/577-mulheres_impulsionam_geracao_de_renda_no (secondary data)	It improves the community’s knowledge on the work developed at AVA and its benefits.
1.8	External professionals’ technical work as support to the enterprises (COOPAVAM; AMCA, four native associations).	“Then these reports from visits by each technician, in each property, every day, are inserted in the final report with the signatures of all those involved.” (Interviewee 2)	This practice occurs while there are projects being sponsored. However, it improved the enterprises’ knowledge and workers’ learning.
1.9	Promotion of events to raise awareness of the environment in public schools.	Report on the dissemination of the results of the Sentinelas da Floresta project (1^st and 2^nd editions) (secondary data) Project submitted in partnership with the university (UNEMAT) on Environmental Education (secondary data).	It raises the community’s awareness of environmental issues and the value of the work developed in the region.
1.10	Master theses and doctoral dissertations on the case: CATIE - Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (Costa Rica); POLICYMIX (Norway); Federal University of Mato Grosso, State University of Mato Grosso, and Federal University of Goiás (Brazil)	“...currently the experience here in the state of Mato Grosso draws attention from academia, including studies of foreign universities such as CATIE and POLICYMIX, as well as works by UFMT and UNEMAT” (Interviewee 2)	It offers analyses from different viewpoints on the experience, which may contribute to the replication of social innovation practices.
1.11	Exhibition of the products in national and international fairs.	Evidence on COOPAVAM’s institutional website (secondary data)	It improves product commercialization and knowledge on other experiences.

	Practice description - political work	Evidence (excerpts from interviews or secondary data)	Impact on the creation of the institution
2.1	Announcement of monthly balance on the cooperative’s bulletin boards.	Experienced by the researcher during insertion in the field in February 2015 and through access to minutes of meetings (observation and secondary data).	It broadens the management’s transparency and consequently offers more tranquility to the relationship between operational and bureaucratic labor.
2.2	Offering local seminars on the results of the projects and training and information activities developed in the region.	Report on the dissemination of the results of the Sentinelas da Floresta project (1^st and 2^nd editions) (secondary data).	It expands the advertisement of the activities, and the community gains more knowledge on work practices.
2.3	Division of the benefits and fostering more entrepreneurial activities in projects.	“…the ADERJUR truck helped a lot in the beginning and it was with this initial support from ADERJUR that COOPAVAM [...] could be developed. Collaboration, loans, division of earnings, and collective work were fundamental.” (Interviewee 2)	Practice that promotes greater relationships between the enterprises that are part of the collaborative arrangement.
2.4	Definition of the public that benefits from the projects of AVA’s enterprises.	Bylaws of COOPAVAM and AMCA (secondary data).	Through this practice, only AVA’s local members are allowed to work in AVA’s enterprises.
2.5	Searching for new partners.	“Partnerships are always welcome.” (Interviewee 1). Period of experience - participation in meetings. Documentary research using the COOPAVAM minutes.	Constant practice where there is the possibility of other organizations assisting in problem-solving or presenting new possibilities.
2.6	Creation of a managerial council with representatives of the enterprises that receive support from the collaborative arrangement and technicians who work on the projects, with meetings every three months.	Report on the dissemination of the results of the Sentinelas da Floresta project (1^st edition) (secondary data).	It gives more transparency to the activities developed in the projects.

	Practice description - cultural work	Evidence (excerpts from interviews)	Impact on the creation of the institution
3.1	Publications and local, regional, and national TV appearances; central link’s website (COOPAVAM).	Institutional webpage 14 audiovisual materials on YouTube; 7,060 results on Google (secondary data)	It promotes experience and values the community.
3.2	Sale of produce in and by the community to public departments, the municipal education department, the welfare department, schools, philanthropic institutions, etc.	“...including the Brazil nuts that came from the indigenous lands, from the settlements inside the factory so that the Brazil nuts could go onto the market.” (Interviewee 2) “The products delivered to the schools and hospitals of the municipality contribute to reducing the costs of the city hall.” (Interviewee 13)	It values the work and local produce and opens up the market.
3.3	Shared collective breakfast and lunch: the idea came from one member as most people did not have breakfast and brought lunch from home because they lived in distant locations. Thus, they decided to share the ingredients and prepare lunch with a rotational cook in COOPAVAM’s kitchen.	Experienced during the period in which the researcher was in the field (February, 2015).	It strengthens relationships.
3.4	There is the intention to create a party called the “Brazil Nut Party”.	“We contribute to the community, e.g. children’s day, church celebrations. We will have a nuts party, like the grape has.” (Interviewee 1)	The act of planning and throwing this party already improves the relationships. If it actually occurs, there will be an improvement in the community’s self-esteem, and it may create new forms of collaboration.
3.5	Adolescents, whether children of the cooperative members or not, are allowed to access the internet in the cooperative’s yard, allowing access to information, news, and leisure activities.	Experienced by the researcher in 2015 (secondary data).	It increases the possibility of adolescents getting to know the cooperative, creating sympathy for the work developed and expanding their knowledge through the use of the network.
3.6	Cultural activities in seminars.	2nd Meeting of rural and indigenous women from northwestern Mato Grosso and 2nd Seminar on Solidary Economy with SAF and PFNN - November 2014; Participation in the 1st Indigenous World Games; Participation in the Olympics - 2016; Participation in the X Brazilian Congress on Agroforestry Systems; Expoalimentaria - Peru - 2018 (secondary data)	It improves the community’s self-esteem and teaches habits and traditions to young people.
3.7	Support from the enterprises in local parties such as children’s day, fathers’ day, mothers’ day, and religious parties.	“We have church celebrations, the nuts party…” (Interviewee 14).	It improves the relationship between the community and the enterprises. It also values the local culture.

Environmental Results
Excerpt	Results
“…which was initially only a concern about deforestation and environmental issues, generated a series of positive results and a network of stakeholders focused on Brazil nut cultivation and forest preservation.”(Interviewee 1) “Today there is a great collective awareness of everyone in the network about the importance of the forest” (Interviewee 2)	Awareness of the environment; Organic certification of production; Activity that does not damage nature; Incentive to Brazil nut cultivation and forest preservation; Environmental preservation; Awareness of the importance of the forest;
“Then this project Cultivation [...] forty-eight gardens were set up through projects to help with this issue of woman at home. So they take care of the garden to sell the produce of the garden, it is already an income there for that family. And also the canning factory was built to acquire the produce of vegetable gardens and to commercialize it, not only in fresh but also in conserved form. “ (Interviewee 3)	Diversification of agricultural production;
“...the monitoring of local actors has increased greatly with awareness about the care that needs to be taken with the environment” (Interviewee 8)	Minimization of the wood and ore extraction activities in indigenous areas;
Sentinelas da Floresta project report - 1st and 2nd editions. (secondary data)	Forest conservation and settlement areas; Training courses in different areas; Generation of little waste;
Economic Results
“Thanks to the project, we made some special products to market. You pay the right price for their products, let’s say, then they start to get excited! The business pays money, let’s work ... You know what I mean? “ (Interviewee 8)	Indigenous people are learning to deal with money;
“…because there are people whose family income is only from here in the cooperative, so imagine how important it is ...” (Interviewee 1) “I’m going to work here because it’s so much better than staying in town. This improved the lives of many people who started to consume things they could not buy. For example, now women can buy furniture and decorate their houses” ( Interviewee 1)	Income in the settlement; Access to consumption;
Environmental Results
Excerpt	Results
Social Results
“...in this way, with the creation of the network, the Indians remained in their habitat, continued hunting, did not lose their culture, and this allowed them to remain there.” (Interviewee 8)	Cultivation of indigenous cultural practices (hunting, family fishing); Practice and dissemination of the mother tongue and customs for the children of indigenous peoples;
“Well ADERJUR, as it is an institution that has a very long history [...] in the Vale do Amanhecer, basically, it supported the selection of the farmers that occupy the lots [...] settlement and planning of lot demarcation.” (Interviewee 2)	Legality of settlement;
“I became involved with the organization, I had no knowledge of how a cooperative operated. An association, that was where I started to get involved, to see in the most collective form of the enterprise, I had to have other participations as well, I had to change the way of thinking. “ (Interviewee 5)	Access to information;
“…our focus is the indigenous people, and sustainability, you know, they take sustenance from the forest without degrading the environment.” (Interviewee 8) “Then thanks to the project we made a set of special products for supermarkets. It is possible to pay the fair price.” (Interviewee 3) “The Brazil nut tree is already something of their culture, but, you see, it is from the culture for their own sustenance, they did not take it for profit or income, right?[...] before they used it only to eat…” (Interviewee 12)	Income generation for AVA’s community; Income generation for the indigenous people; Construction of infrastructure for the extraction of nuts for indigenous peoples;
Observation, secondary data.	People can return to their studies after a long time;
Sentinelas da Floresta project report - 1^st and 2^nd editions (secondary data).	Forest conservation and settlement areas; Training courses in different areas;
“So, at the beginning of the cooperative’s history women did not have space, only men worked, so we started AMCA. Now women are the majority in AMCA and COOPAVAM.” (Interviewee 4)	Inclusion of women in production processes.

[1] 1
. Ana Maria de Lima, PhD, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Juara - Brazil. E-mail: ana.lima@unemat.br

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The institutionalization of cooperation: An institutional work analysis in a vulnerable community of the Amazon region

Abstract

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