Concentration, diversity and specialization of cooperativism in Mexico: Application of an Exploratory Analysis of Spatial Data

Abstract

The use of statistics on cooperatives is an essential part of policy formulation; however, in Mexico its use has been limited to descriptive studies. Therefore, the initial purpose of this research is to estimate the concentration, diversity and specialization of cooperativism using the: Krugman, Hirschman-Herfindahl and Shannon entropy indices. While by cooperative sector the Gini coefficient is calculated. Subsequently, the technique of networks is used to make an exploration within the space of cooperative sectors. In a third moment, an Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) is applied, with the techniques called: Moran's Index and Local Index of Spatial Association (LISA). The first explains at a general level how cooperativism is distributed (in terms of concentration, diversity and specialization), while the second explains locally the level of statistical significance of the spatial groupings of the same phenomenon. The results show that both diversity and cooperative specialization have a positive spatial autocorrelation, therefore, they manifest a grouped spatial distribution, the above is relevant for the formulation of regional policies, since it was possible to identify and map the places that specifically favor and disfavor cooperative diversity and specialization. Finally, the network technique shows that the Agro cooperative sector expresses a co-occurrence with other cooperative sectors, which implies the existence of a cognitive, organizational, social or institutional proximity that favors possible cooperative diversification towards other sectors, which it can be a way to expand the social and solidarity economy in the country.