DETERMINING ATTRIBUTES FOR ADMISSION TO CREDIT COOPERATIVISM: CASE STUDY WITH COOPERATED OF A FREE ADMISSION COOPERATIVE IN THE STATE OF MINAS GERAIS

The banking sector has become increasingly competitive, with several players operating in the financial intermediation market, such as traditional banks, financial credit unions and Fintechs, which compete with each other. In this context, the present study aimed to describe and analyze which attributes significantly influence the choice of a credit union, from the perspective of the members of these organizations. A case study with a quantitative approach was carried out, with 426 duly filled in questionnaires being collected, having as a sample Sicoob Nossacoop members registered in the units and 22 agencies of cooperatives located in the State of Minas Gerais. As a main result, it was observed that when comparing cooperatives to banks, it was possible to verify that the main differences perceived by cooperative members reside in the cost of loans and banking services offered. In the construct called "Relative Advantage", the cooperative members understand that the interest charged on loans by cooperatives is lower than the interest on loans contracted with conventional banks.