Articles Published 31 July 2026

Membership Mechanisms and Member Engagement in Cooperatives: A Systematic Literature Review

Muhammad Fathi
Department of Islamic Management and Finance, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kamaruzaman Noordin
Department of Islamic Management and Finance, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Fadillah Mansor
Department of Islamic Management and Finance, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Abstract

This systematic literature review (SLR) explores how financial membership mechanisms affect member engagement in cooperatives. Guided by the Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Synthesis (ROSES) protocols, this review systematically analysed nine empirical studies sourced from Scopus and Web of Science. Thematic synthesis was conducted across studies that employed quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. The scope of this study is limited to articles published between 2015 and 2025. Four themes emerged: (1) forms and levels of member participation; (2) determinants of participation; (3) capital contribution and cooperative performance; and (4) shareholding and democratic governance. These four themes were divided into sixteen sub-themes. The findings reveal that financial commitment often motivates active participation but may also create barriers for youth and under-resourced members. Membership mechanisms must be equitably structured and supported by social trust and participatory opportunities. This review conceptualises financial mechanisms, social factors, and institutional support as crucial structural elements that promote member engagement in cooperatives. It fills a gap in cooperative research by synthesising how financial membership structures influence engagement, whereas previous reviews focused on governance determinants of member participation. This review contributes to the development of an integrative perspective linking financial membership mechanisms with multidimensional dynamics of cooperative member engagement and proposes directions for future research, especially within cooperative models.

Keywords
Membership share member participation membership mechanism cooperative systematic literature review.

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Membership Mechanisms and Member Engagement in Cooperatives: A Systematic Literature Review. (2026). Journal of Business Management and Accounting, 16(2), 138-155. https://doi.org/10.32890/jbma2026.16.2.1

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DOI · 10.32890/jbma2026.16.2.1
OpenAlex · W7171775928

References

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