Conflitos de interesses em cooperativas de crédito: um estudo sob a ótica da Social Network Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the technical adequacy of the social web analysis for the understanding of the conflicts in a credit cooperative agency. For that purpose the themes agency theory, social web analysis and cooperativism were used as a theoretical reference. The study was carried out at the Economy and Credit Cooperatives Central of Minas Gerais, Sicoob Central Cecremge, and their branch agencies in the state of Minas Gerais. This survey, featuring an exploratory and descriptive character, collected data by using two electronically applied questionnaires to all the 26 departments of Cecremge and all of the 81 cooperatives affiliated to the Central. Once in possession of the data from 5 departments and 17 affiliated cooperatives the social web analysis technique was used for the examination of relationship patterns among the agents involved in the system, particularly and consequently the identification and verification of existing conflicts among such agents. As a result, it was verified that the interaction pattern as for the notoriety, information and awareness webs is similar showing discrete variations, although a discrepancy occurred as for the communication web. Such partial conclusions were reinforced by the socio-gram analysis for it shows that there is a greater reciprocity, density, cohesion and little tendency to centralization in this particular web. Thus, the social webs analysis technique revealed that the lack of inter-cooperation among the affiliated cooperatives translates into a likely agency conflict in the organizations as it would create conditions under which opportunities for the conflict might arise. Such technique has, thus, proven adequate for the understanding of certain conflicts on credit cooperatives agencies.