Understanding the spatial organization of agricultural co-operative groups (In French)

The processes of localization/delocalization of activities attest that space is important in firm’s strategies. Merger and acquisition contributes too modify the spatial organization of firms. This paper aims at analyzing the spatial organization at the level of groups of firms. The conceptual framework combines an analysis in terms of proximity and theories of the firm. We study the co-operative agricultural groups, which are relevant to question the territorial anchoring of the firm. Spatial indicators are proposed and mobilized at different levels of organization of the groups. Results show the importance of territorial anchoring in the strategies of co-operatives heads of the group. However, the development of big co-operative groups could lead to changes in the spatial logics facing a context of globalization.NAAgricultural cooperatives, Mutualist control, Territorial anchoring