Abstract
Focusing on the factors influencing the effectiveness of KSS under BRDB, the study
also explored member effectiveness as well as KSSs' effectiveness. In all there were
27 independent variables regarding group members and groups for this study. Two
forms of effectiveness such as, members' effectiveness and KSSs' effectiveness were
the dependent variables. Members' effectiveness was measured by four dimensions
such as, individual adoption of HYV rice, individual adoption of irrigation in rice,
member's salisfaction and productivity of group members. KSSs' effectiveness was
measured by eight dimensions such as, group adoption of HYV rice, group
adoption of irrigation in rice, weekly savings, group discussion, keeping proper
accounts, achievement of group objectives, repayment behavior of group loan and
group cohesiveness. The study was conducted in 137 villages of Fullbaria Upazila
of Mymensingh district. Data ware collected from a random sample of 300 groиp
members of 50 KSSs. The findings revealed that majority of the group members
(65.70 percent) and KSSs (56.00 percent) had moderate effectiveness. None of them
belonged to very high effectiveness category. Out of eleven independent grouр
characteristics, impact of cooperative rules and by-laws, group interaction, group
leaders' ability and service availability had more positive influence upon member
effectiveness and KSSs' effectiveness. The group characteristics, such as,
attendance in-group meeting and participation in group activities had less positive
influence upon members effectiveness and KSSs' effectiveness. However, group
motivation had positive influence only upon members' effectiveness and the
variable, professional supervision had relationship but no influence upon members
and KSSs' effectiveness. Group size and group literacy had no influence upon
member effectiveness and KSSs' effectiveness. On the other hand, group conflict
had negative influence upon members' effectiveness as well KSSs' effectiveness.
FFrom the findings, it was also revealed that out of sixteen characteristics of group
members, the variables like annual family income, socio-economic status,
cosmopoliteness, management orientation, organizational participation, ability of
group members and'utilization of cosmopolite sources of information had much
positive relationship and inflience upon members' effectiveness and KSSs'
effectiveness. Farm size, family size and occupation had negative influence uроп
member and KSSs' effectiveness. This means that bigger was the family size and
farm size, less was the effectiveness of group members as well as KSSs’
effectiveness. The above findings would be of great use for the officials of the
department of cooperatives, BRDB, DAE and NGOs who are using group approach
as a principal tool for transferring their technologies from top to bottom.