A research - extension model for encouraging the adoption of productive and sustainable practice in high rainfall grazing areas

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 685 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Nicholson ◽  
N. Barr ◽  
A. Kentish ◽  
P. M. Dowling ◽  
L. H. McCormick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Essential Ingredient ◽  
Extension Model ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Stage Process ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
Delivery Mechanism

The experiences of participants in the Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) Program were examined to understand why more productive and sustainable practices were adopted by producers involved in SGS. This paper explores from a range of perspectives (producers, researchers, extension agents and facilitators) the delivery mechanism that led to these practices being adopted and concludes with a model describing the adoption process observed in SGS. The model describes a continuous 3-stage process of motivation, trialing–exploration and farm practice change. Support for decision making during the transition between each stage of the process was recognised as an essential ingredient for success.

The SGS Regional Producer Network: a successful application of interactive participation

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 673 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. H. Simpson ◽  
G. Kay ◽  
W. K. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Information Exchange ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Structured Learning ◽  
Program Goal ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
Harvest Year ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
High Level

The Regional Producer Network (RPN) functioned across southern Australia as the primary delivery mechanism of the Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) Program for 5 years (1996–2001) and the Harvest Year (2001–2002). It consisted of a network of Producer Committees that provided on-ground organisation to coordinate extension activities in the 11 SGS regions. The operation of the RPN was modelled on a participation mode called Interactive Participation. The main objective was to support the adoption of a large-scale practice change in the high rainfall zone towards more productive, profitable and sustainable grazing systems. Strong producer leadership developed and information exchange improved to achieve a high level of impact on management skills among those producers motivated to improve their grazing operations. The characteristics of Interactive Participation were incorporated into the processes and operation of the RPN. Defined and structured methodologies were used for collective and context-specific learning within the framework of a producer network that encouraged interaction. The strength of Interactive Participation was that producers saw participation as a right and not just a means to achieve the program goal. Each region took control over local decisions including the allocation of available resources. The process engaged all sectors of the program (producers, researchers, management and funders). The experiential extension procedures used systematic and structured learning activities to support producers who were committed to learning, on-farm change and improvement to grazing management. In developing a coordinated approach to their operation, the Producer Committees engaged grazing industry researchers, public and private extension practitioners and community groups. This collaboration strengthened local organisations and developed community confidence in the grazing industries.

Dietary preferences of domestic ruminants

1997 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 96-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Rutter ◽  
P. D. Penning ◽  
A. J. Parsons ◽  
A. Harvey ◽  
R. J. Orr
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Dietary Preference ◽  
Dietary Preferences ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing

To develop sustainable grazing systems, an understanding of the complex interactions between competing plant species and grazing herbivores is needed. An understanding of dietary preference is a prerequisite to predicting how much and from which plant species animals select. This work initially concentrated on dietary preferences of sheep grazing perennial ryegrass and white clover swards and was then extended to other animal species to test the generality of our findings.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the impact of Lifetimewool on sheep producers

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Jones ◽  
A. J. van Burgel ◽  
R. Behrendt ◽  
M. Curnow ◽  
D. J. Gordon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Market Segmentation ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Early Adopter ◽  
Management Guidelines ◽  
Sheep Industry ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Extension Professionals ◽  
Clear Idea ◽  
The Impact

Lifetimewool was a national project that began in 2001 to develop profitable ewe feeding and management guidelines for wool producers across southern Australia. By 2005, the project included communication and adoption activities. Rigorous communication, adoption and evaluation plans were used to maintain focus on its objectives and to measure impacts. Evaluation was an integral part of the project’s development and allowed the project to gain a clear idea of its impact. The project aimed to influence at least 3000 producers nationally to change the management of their ewe flock by the adoption (or part thereof) of Lifetimewool messages and guidelines. More specifically, the project aimed to ‘cross the chasm’ and target producers that were deemed to be in the ‘early adopter’ and the ‘early majority’ segments. The project surveyed sheep producers, sheep industry consultants and sheep industry extension practitioners at the beginning and end of the project to gauge the change in knowledge, attitudes, skills and aspirations of wool producers over the life of the project. Results from the survey of sheep producers in 2008 indicate that the project achieved its aim. About 12% (~3000) of sheep producers nationally have changed practice due to information received from Lifetimewool since 2005. Many other producers have been affected through their increase in knowledge, belief and skills, and market segmentation of the audience shows that the project was successful in ‘crossing the chasm’. The strategies employed by the project to initiate change (i.e. using private consultants and extension professionals as a pathway to adoption, and involving producers, consultants and extension professionals in the development of the Lifetimewool key messages and tools) were validated. The survey results and analysis provided baseline data for future livestock management projects to build on producers’ progress towards practice change. The present paper looks at how the Lifetimewool’s evaluation plan provided a focus for and demonstrated meeting its objectives. In doing so, this paper also seeks to better understand the adoption process.

Evaluation of the impact of SGS on livestock producers and their practices

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Allan ◽  
W. K. Mason ◽  
I. J. Reeve ◽  
S. Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Improved Pasture

The Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) Program has assisted producers in the high rainfall zone (HRZ, annual rainfall >600 mm/year) of southern Australia, by developing and delivering more productive and sustainable grazing systems. It was evaluated by 2 external surveys — a benchmarking survey in 1994 before the start of SGS, and a follow-up survey of producers in 2001. The 2001 survey showed that SGS had assisted red meat and wool producers in southern Australia make significant and beneficial changes to their grazing systems. Substantial changes in grazing practices occurred between 1994 and 2001 in the HRZ. These changes included an increase in the number of producers who rotationally graze (25%), as well as those undertaking practices aimed at improved pasture management. Participants in SGS were more likely to have made changes to their grazing systems than non-participants. There were no overt differences between regions in producer demographics, or changes made to management practices. The survey confirmed SGS had achieved its goal. Sixty percent of producers in the target regions were aware of SGS (out of a total of 23 689 producers); 42% (9839) had some involvement with SGS and/or received the SGS magazine 'Prograzier'; while 26% (6141) actively participated in SGS through undertaking a PROGRAZE course, and/or by attending regional SGS activities. Of the estimated 9839 producers who participated in the program, up to 8000 made beneficial changes to enhance the productivity and sustainability of their grazing operations. Active participants (6141) attributed many of these benefits to their involvement in SGS.

Loyalty card adoption in SME retailers: the impact upon marketing management

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 467-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karise Hutchinson ◽  
Lisa Victoria Donnell ◽  
Audrey Gilmore ◽  
Andrea Reid
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Marketing Management ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Decision Making ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Loyalty Card

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand how small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) retailers adopt and implement a loyalty card programme as a marketing management decision-making tool. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative and longitudinal case study research design is adopted. Data were collected from multiple sources, incorporating semi-structured interviews and analysis of company documents and observation within a retail SME. Findings – The findings presented focus on the loyalty card adoption process to reflect both the organisational issues and impact upon marketing management decision-making. Research limitations/implications – This research is restricted to one region within the UK, investigating loyalty card adoption within a specific industry sector. Practical implications – SME retailers operate in an industry environment whereby there is a competitive demand for loyalty card programmes. SME retailers need to carefully consider how to match the firm’s characteristics with customer relationship management (CRM) operational requirements as highlighted in this case. Originality/value – The evidence presented extends current knowledge of retail loyalty card programmes beyond the context of large organisations to encompass SMEs. The study also illustrates the value of a structured, formal CRM system to help SME retailers compete in a complex, competitive and omni-channel marketplace, adding new insights into the retail literature.

Sustainable grazing systems for the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. 5. A bioeconomic framework for assessing the long-term economic benefits of grazing management tactics and implications for sustainability

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Jones ◽  
P. M. Dowling ◽  
D. L. Michalk ◽  
W. McG. King
Keyword(s):  
Programming Model ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
Management Tactics

There have been significant declines in the perennial grass (PG) content in native and sown pastures across temperate Australia. Not only has this reduced agricultural productivity, it has contributed to more serious degradation, such as loss of soil and biodiversity, decreasing water quality, and dryland salinity caused by rising watertables. Results from the Sustainable Grazing Systems Key Program (SGS) research undertaken at Carcoar on the Central Tablelands of New South Wales were reported by Michalk et al. (2003). This research indicated that grazing management tactics can be used to manipulate pasture composition, thereby changing animal production and water-use patterns. The main grazing tactic investigated was termed a summer grazing rest, where resting was imposed in late spring if PG composition was <50%. Reported in this present paper is an economic framework for valuing the long-term benefits of grazing management tactics. The framework involves the development of a bioeconomic modelling system that links a dynamic programming model with biophysical models for water and environmental processes, soil fertility, pasture growth, livestock energy requirements and the change in pasture species composition. The study concludes that long-term economic returns are improved by strategies, e.g. a summer rest, that lead to an increase in PG composition over time. The study also determined that environmental factors, such as deep drainage, runoff and soil loss, are reduced as perenniality is increased.

The Sustainable Grazing Systems National Experiment. 2. Scientific outcomes and effectiveness of the research and development processes

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 993 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Andrew ◽  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
W. K. Mason ◽  
R. J. Price
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Experiment Research ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Innovative Research ◽  
Individual Site ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing

The Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) National Experiment used 13 innovative research and development integrating processes to combine 6 diverse research sites across the southern high rainfall zone into a single, integrated experiment. Sites collected a common data set about the productivity and sustainability of grazing systems, so that issues beyond the site level could be explored. Essential to this approach were database and modelling tools that enabled across-site issues to be examined by a mix of conventional data analyses and modelling scenarios. This had not been previously attempted at this scale for the Australian grazing industries. Major outcomes from the individual site and theme analyses were tabulated, providing a comprehensive summary of the SGS National Experiment research findings. Many of the research findings were new, and overall the SGS National Experiment improved our understanding of the processes operating in grazing systems and their interactions. The main conclusion from this substantive study was that graziers can use a combination of strategies to enhance the productivity and sustainability of their pastures, such as sowing deep-rooted perennial grasses, enhanced soil fertility, amelioration of low soil pH, and grazing methods that include rotation and rest. Since the SGS National Experiment was itself an experiment, participants were surveyed to assess the integrating processes used, their implementation, and leadership and influence within the SGS National Experiment research group. Researchers rated the 13 innovative research and development processes for their potential to improve research and for the extent to which the processes were effectively implemented within SGS. The average potential score was 8.2 (out of 10). Four integrating processes had a potential score ≥9.0: the investment in a communication and product development year (the 'harvest year'); a common database structure across all sites; the use of themes to integrate across sites; and the use of protocols and minimum datasets to guide the research and data collection. We discuss possible ways to make these processes more effective. While 18 researchers had defined and active leadership roles from the outset of the SGS National Experiment, 2 researchers dominated the scientific influence and leadership.Despite some implementation problems with the SGS National Experiment processes, internal and external reviews indicated that the SGS National Experiment met most of its goals and objectives. Because of the processes implemented, the SGS National Experiment framework has provided a new benchmark for conducting large-scale rural research in Australia.

scholarly journals Lecciones aprendidas de la implementación de un Sistema de Información Gerencial diseñado en la Universidad de Otavalo, Ecuador

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Angel Becerra Lois ◽  
César A. Del Río ◽  
Cristain Narváez
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
University Management ◽  
Management Information ◽  
Institutional Planning ◽  
Institutional Evaluation ◽  
Implementation Approach ◽  
Stage Process ◽  
The University

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the essential features of a Management Information System (MIS), designed and implemented at the Universidad de Otavalo to support strategic planning, institutional evaluation, and decision making.   A five-phase and fifteen-stage process was applied, along with their corresponding techniques and expected results.  Based on the literature review and their experience with the implementation, the authors devised a novel MIS implementation approach, comprising the following phases: planning, information analysis, MIS design, implementation and evaluation.  The MIS consisted of four main modules: teaching, research, linkages with society, and management, and was based on the client-server model.  The literature review did not yield any publications that discussed truly integrated management information systems applied to university management covering the four main modules, thus confirming the originality of the work described in this paper. The MIS implementation results contributed to the improvement of the management of the university through the automation of most of the processes and activities related to institutional planning and evaluation, and considerably accelerated the processing and analysis of useful information for decision making.

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