Member Satisfaction with the Organic Hazelnut Agricultural Producer Union in the Samsun Province, Turkey

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the level of member satisfaction and its influencing factors in the Organic Hazelnut Agricultural Producer Union (OHAPU) of the Samsun Province. The data of this study was collected through surveys from 92 members in the Samsun Province using the Simple Random Sampling Method. The factors affecting the levels of the members' satisfaction were analyzed by the Ordered Probit Model. The research results showed that while 52% of the members were highly satisfied with the union, 30% and 18% of the members were satisfied at moderate and low levels, respectively. The empirical model results showed also that while the variables of the education level of the member, marketing hazelnut through the unions, participation in education, the member's commitment to the union and the trust level of the member in other members had statistically positive effects on the satisfaction level of the members towards the union, the variables of gender and frequency of visits to the union had statistically negative effects. Therefore, the union's taking a more active role in marketing of the hazelnut of the members, increasing the participation of the members to training programs, encouraging more women to become a member of the union, increasing the members' trust in and commitment to their unions could increase the members' satisfaction to their union.