Entrepreneurship and associativism in the agribusiness: its presence (and absence) in the region of Botucatu - SP

Abstract

This article displays results of research carried in the area of the Rural Development Office of Botucatu (SP) during the years 2004 and 2005. It uses the concept of social capital to understand the presence and absence of associativism and entrepreneurship in the groups that, in some way organized, participated of the agribusiness in this region. It studies, from documents and interviews, 24 cases in eleven cities. It verifies: the origin of the varied associative arrangements; the practices that predominates among its members; the relationships kept with the public agencies; and the ratio of entrepreneurs among the associates. Amongst the conclusions they are: the enterprises nor always originate coming for necessities pointed by the group, but sometimes for the suggestions off the group or for intervention of the state in contracts; in the practice, the mutual support is not majority, the joining together in the enterprises is just looking for governmental resources; in the most part of the casesstudied, the ratio of entrepreneurs associates is tiny; we observed haste in the organizers for the implementation of these associative arrangements resulting in wrong adoption of rules that are unfavorable for the accumulation of social capital.