@conference {40635,
	title = {Farm management research in New Zealand and its contribution to animal production},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {54},
	year = {1994},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {357-362},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Farm management is concerned with procedures that assist farm  
managers allocate limited physical, financial and human resources to achieve  
their personal (and family) objectives.  The process of resource allocation  
usually occurs with imperfect knowledge, and in the context of a biological  
and socio-economic system over which the farm manager has incomplete control.   
Management functions of planning, implementation and control are used to  
assist decision-making and the realisation of objectives in this uncertain  
environment.  These occur at strategic, tactical and operational levels. 
 
Early development of the farm management discipline was strongly shaped by  
microeconomic theory (especially production economics) and quantitative  
methods of analysis (mainly from operations research).  More recent  
development of the discipline has seen the addition of the farming systems  
research (FSR) philosophy and the application of qualitative techniques used  
in the social sciences.  These additions have improved the capacity of farm  
management research to account for the needs and aspirations of the farmer and  
farm family, and to consider the dynamics of the community in which they live.   
This holistic view recognises that farmers frequently do not exhibit economic  
optimising behaviour and that their decision-making processes often ignore the  
classical steps outlined in management textbooks. 
 
In contrast, animal scientists use a reductionist approach to investigate the  
animal component of the farming system, independent of the financial, social,  
and sometimes physical, constraints of a commercial farming situation.  It is  
logical then that farm management specialists should work with animal  
scientists to interpret animal-related research within the context of farming  
systems.  Today{\textquoteright}s increasingly sophisticated market for land-based products  
demands effective partnerships among all participants in the science -  
technology - production - processing - marketing chain.  Issues such as  
sustainability, product quality, animal welfare and the development of effective  
information systems are not the preserve of any single discipline.  The  
challenge to farm management researchers and animal scientists is to continue  
to develop effective working relationships in the future. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Parker WJ and Gray DI and Lockhart JC and Townsley RJ}
}
