AN ANALYSIS OF THE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS FRAMEWORK OF A TRANSPORT COOPERATIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
management functions, transport cooperative, planning, organizing, staffing, leading, controlling, management development plan, PhilippinesAbstract
Management functions—planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling—are the foundation of organizational success, yet little is known about how they are practiced in transport cooperatives that serve tourists. This study analyzed the management functions framework of the Union Rizal Tricycle Operator and Driver Association (UNRITODA) Transport Cooperative in Union, Nabas, Aklan, Philippines, and proposed a management development plan based on the findings. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was used. Using stratified random sampling, 217 of the cooperative’s 496 members (chairman and board of directors, committees, administrative staff, and operators/drivers) answered a 25-item researcher-made questionnaire in February 2026. The instrument was content-validated by three experts and showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .981). Data were analyzed in Jamovi using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and F tests with eta-squared (η²) effect sizes at the .05 level. Respondents were mostly aged 36–50 years (49.8%), had been members for 5–9 years (65.0%), were operators/drivers (92.6%), and had a capital build-up of PHP 2,000–4,000 (92.6%). Management functions were perceived as moderately practiced overall (grand mean = 3.18, SD = 0.63). Leading ranked highest (M = 3.22), followed by planning (3.21), organizing (3.20), controlling (3.15), and staffing (3.14). The lowest-rated indicators were regular assessment of the control system (M = 3.06), secure data backup (3.07), and orientation and onboarding (3.11). Age, years of membership, and position were not significantly related to perceptions (p > .05); capital build-up showed small relationships with staffing (F = 3.17, p = .04, η² = .02) and, at the .05 threshold, with organizing (F = 3.02, p = .05, η² = .02). A phased management development plan that prioritizes internal controls, onboarding, workflow efficiency, strategic alignment, and leadership development is proposed.
References
Abdul Rahman, R., & Mohamed, Z. (2019). Financial management practices and performance of cooperatives in Malaysia. Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, 7(2), 100–108.
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2023). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice (16th ed.). Kogan Page.
Birchall, J. (2011). People-centred businesses: Co-operatives, mutuals and the idea of membership. Palgrave Macmillan.
Birchall, J. (2014). The governance of cooperative enterprises. International Labour Organization.
Brigham, E. F., & Ehrhardt, M. C. (2016). Financial management: Theory and practice (15th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Buang, M., & Samah, A. A. (2021). Co-operative governance: A systematic review of member participation. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(10), 205–220.
Camargo Benavides, A. F., & Ehrenhard, M. (2021). Rediscovering the cooperative enterprise: A systematic review of current topics and avenues for future research. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-021-00328-8
Cambridge Dictionary. (2021). Age. In Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge University Press.
Cohen, A. (2022). Leadership in cooperative organizations: A multi-perspective approach. Journal of Cooperative Studies.
Daft, R. L. (2016). Management (12th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Davis, P., & Donaldson, J. (1998). Co-operative management: A philosophy for business. New Harmony Press.
Deller, S., Hoyt, A., & Huddleston, P. (2009). Cooperatives in transportation: Efficiency and sustainability. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 42(1), 35–48.
Dessler, G. (2015). Human resource management (14th ed.). Pearson.
Griffin, R. W. (1996). Management. Houghton Mifflin.
Hough, L., & Alken, P. (2010). Financial management in cooperatives. Cooperative Development Journal, 45(2), 12–25.
International Cooperative Alliance. (2020). Cooperative identity, values & principles.
Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305–360.
Kenkel, P. (2009). Understanding cooperative terminology: Terms describing cooperative principles. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services, Oklahoma State University.
Koontz, H., & O’Donnell, C. (1976). Management: A systematic and contingency analysis of managerial function (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Koontz, H., & O’Donnell, C. (1976). Principles of management: An analysis of managerial functions (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Koontz, H., & O’Donnell, C. (1980). Essentials of management: An international perspective. McGraw-Hill.
Korsgaard, S., Müller, S., & Tanvig, H. W. (2014). Rural entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship in the rural—Between place and space. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 21(1), 5–26.
McCombes, S. (2019). Descriptive research. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/descriptive-research/
Mintzberg, H. (1971). Managerial work: Analysis from observation. Management Science, 18(2), B97–B110.
Nordbäck, E. S., & Espinosa, J. A. (2019). Effective coordination of shared leadership in global virtual teams. Journal of Management Information Systems, 36(1), 321–350.
Prasetio, B. (2025). Application of modern management functions in corporate governance and organizational management processes.
Putsom, W. (2024). Management functions in small entrepreneurs: Scale development and validation. St. Theresa Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 10(2), 61–75.
Rai, S. (2017). Leadership dynamics in cooperative management, opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Cooperative Management.
Randel, A. E., Galvin, B. M., Shore, L. M., Ehrhart, K. H., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., & Kedharnath, U. (2018). Inclusive leadership: Realizing positive outcomes through belongingness and being valued for uniqueness. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2), 190–203.
Rapp, G. (1995). Understanding cooperatives: Cooperative business management functions. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service.
Robbins, S. P., & Coulter, M. (2018). Management (14th ed.). Pearson.
Robbins, S. P., & Coulter, M. (2022). Management (15th ed.). Pearson Education.
Saydumarova, D. A. (2023). Functions of management and their classification: A comprehensive review. International Multidisciplinary Journal for Research & Development.
Spear, R. (2000). The characteristics of successful cooperatives. The Cooperative Research Institute.
Wang, Y. (2024). Digital transformation, resource allocation, and operational efficiency: Basis for a performance improvement framework for universities in China. International Journal of Research Studies in Management, 12(9), 145–155.
Warren, J. N., Biggiero, L., Hübner, J., & Ogunyemi, K. (Eds.). (2024). The Routledge handbook of cooperative economics and management. Routledge.
Zahra, S. A., Neubaum, D. O., & McGowan, M. L. (2008). The effect of the firm’s social capital on the performance of the entrepreneurial firm. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 32(3), 451–475.
Zeuli, K., & Cropp, R. (2004). Cooperatives: Principles and practices in the 21st century. University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives.
Zeuli, K. A., & Radel, J. (2005). Cooperatives as a community development strategy: Linking theory and practice. Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy, 35(1), 43–55.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal for the Advancement of Sustainable Development Goals

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
License Statement
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)
All articles published in the Journal for the Advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (JASDG) are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Under this license, users are free to:
-
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format;
-
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use;
provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the license terms are followed.
Authors retain copyright of their work while granting JASDG the right of first publication. The published work remains freely available to readers and may be used, distributed, reproduced, and adapted by others in accordance with the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.
For more information about this license, please visit:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2026 The Author(s).
Articles published in the Journal for the Advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (JASDG) are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction, and adaptation in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited.