Key performance indicators for goal attainment in dairy farming

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Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for

a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and

private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without

the permission of the Author.

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Nlassey universny

Ubrary

Key Performance Indicators for Goal Attainment in Dairy Farming:

Essential Elements for Monitoring Farm Business Performance.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of

Master of Applied Science

in Agricultural Systems Management at Massey University

Karin Michelle Rawlings

1999

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ABsTRACT

Abstract:

The family farm is the predominant business structure within the New Zealand dairy industry. Owner-operator farms represent two thirds of the total industry. This

business structure is often complicated because of the intricate interaction between business and family requirements. This research investigated whether owner

operator dairy farmers were using performance indicators that represented goal attainment. Detailed business analyses and discussions took place on ten f arms . Only two farming couples had developed formal business plans including vision and mission statements. Only one of these farms was actively implementing strategic management. Amongst the remaining farming couples goal identification ranged from no identification to well defined goals. Most identified goals were of a strategic nature yet there was no strategic management in place to monitor their progress. The lack of strategic management seen amongst farming couples is possibly relates to their locus of control. To alter the locus of control a better understanding of individuals perceptions of success and control needs to be gained so that knowledge and skill deficits can be identified. Nine of the ten farming couples had an incomplete view of their business, which reflected the operational and tactical management focus. The business analyses highlighted that the area that was of the greatest concern to farm business health was the cost of capital, in particular the cost of equity. Most farming couples struggled to relate the analysis results to their goals, which again reflected their operational and tactical management focus. The Balanced Scorecard was introduced as a strategic planning tool for farmers, however, its effectiveness could not be tested because of the lack of strategy amongst the farming couples. The Balanced Scorecard was able to provide a framework to assist in the understanding of strategic mana gement and its importance to holistic farm business management.

Keywords: strategic management, goal attainment, strategy, dairy farmers, Balanced Scorecard

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Acknowledgements:

Special thanks go to my supervisor Nicola Shadbolt for her support, perseverance and friendship over the last

18

months. Our regular meetings were an important source of motivation and the conversations more stimulating

as

my knowledge grew.

Acknowledgement and thanks must also go to Warren Parker. Firstly for

his

efforts

in

setting up my postgraduate diploma study progr

amm

e and secondly for

his

support and comments as my second supervisor and continuing that relationship through to its conclusion.

Thanks also goes to the ten farming families that agreed to participate in my research thus making it possible.

I

would also like to acknowledge the other farm management staff and postgraduate students who contributed to making my time at Massey highly enjoyable and a valuable experience.

Finally and most importantly

I

want to acknowledge the support and assistance of my husband, Andrew, throughout our time

in New Zealand.

ill

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2 LTI'ERATURE REVIEW:

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2.1 INTRODUCTION MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW ...•... 4

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2.2.5.2 Setting goals and strategies ................ 31

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2.3.1 Lad of control ^....

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2.3.3.1 2.3.3.2 Perfo^rmance indicators ....^...^................ 38

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23.3.3 The comparative analysis ^....^...^............ 41

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3 METHOI)()L()(;Y

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3.1

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4.1

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4.1.3.2 Strategic Intent: ^..^.^....^....^...^.^...^.........................^..⁸⁰

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

4.1.4 Business Analysis: .............................

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4.1.5 Summary: ^.^.^...^.........................................^.

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4.2.1 Introduction: .................... 85

4.2.2 Monitoring and Management Tools: ^...^.^...^............

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4.2.3 Mission Statement and Strategic Intent· ..................... 87

4.2.3.1 Mission Statement: ... 87

4.2.3.2 Statement of Strategic Intent: ......^.^....^..^..^.^.^...^...^...^...^.^.^...^.^....^.^.^.^...^..^..^..^.....^..^..^.^.^.^.^..^...^.^..^.^.^.^..^.^....^.^.^.^...^..^.⁸⁷

4.2.4 Goals: ... 87

4.2.5 Business Analysis: .............................

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4.2.6 Summary: ^.^.^.^.^.^.......^..^.^.^.^.........^.92

4.3

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4.3.1 Introduction: ^............^....^..................... 93

4.3.2 Monitoring and Management Tools: ^...^.^...^............ 94

4.3.3 Mission Statement and Strategic Intent: ^..^........ 94

4.3.3.1 Mission Statentent: ....................................................................^..^.^.^.^.^...^.^.^...^.^..^..^..^.^.^.^.^...^.^.⁹⁴

4.3.3.2 Statement of Strategic Intent: ^.....................................^...^.^.^.^....^.^...^..................... 95

4.3.4 Goals: ^...^.^.......^.^........................ 95

4.3.5 Business Analysis: ^...^.^....^...^....................

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4.3.6 S^ummary: ^.....^..^.^...^..^...^.^....^...^.^...^.^...^.^...^.....^.^.^...^.... 100

4.4

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4.4.1 Introduction: ^...^.^...^.^.^.............^....^.^..^....^...^..^...^.^...101

4.4.2 Monitoring and Management Tools: ^....^.....^....^..^....^.........^....^...102

4.4.3 Mission Statement and Strategic Intent· ^..^...^.............^...103

4.4.3.1 Mission Statentent: .............................................................................................................. 103

4.4.3.2 Strategic Intent: .............................................................................. 103

4.4.4 Goals: ^.^.^...^.^...^.^..^..^...^..........^...^.........^..^........ 103

4.4.5 Business analysis: .............................. 104

4.4.6 Summary: ^...^.^...^.^...^.^.......................... 108

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CA SE STIJDY FARM FIVE: .........

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4.5.1 Introduction: ^...^.^......^....^.^....^.......^....^....^.^......... 111

4.5.2 Monitoring and Management Tools: ^...^.......................... 111

4.5.3 Mission Statement: ^.^...

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4.5.3.1 Mission Stateii\ellt: ................................^.^.^....^.^...^.^.^...^....^.^..^.^...^..^..^.^..^.^....^.^..^.^...^.^..^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^..^..^.^.^.^.^.^.^..^.^....¹¹⁴

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Goals:

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4.5.5 Business Analysis: ........^...^.... 115

4.5.6 Summary: ^..^.^.....^...^........ 119

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CA SE STIJDy FARM SIX: ..........

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

4.6.1 Introduction: ^...................^....^....^....^....^.^................ 120

4.6.2 Monitoring and Management Tools: ^..^.............^.....^...^........ 121

4. 6.3 Mission Statement and Strategic Intent: ............^....^....^..^.122

4.6.3.1 Mission Staterrtent: ........................................................................................................ 122

4.6.3.2 Staterrtent of Strategic Intent: ^................................................................................. 122

4.6.4 Goals: ^...^..^.......^.^.^.................^....^....^.....^..122

4. 6.5 Business Analysis: ^.................... 123

4.6.6 S^ummazy: ..........^...^..^.^..^.^...^.^...^.^...............^....^.....^.^.^..... 127

4.7

CA SE STUDY FARMSEVEN: . . . . ... .........

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4.7.1 Introduction: ^..^.^...^.^.^.^.....^...^....^.....^....^.^.................^.^....^.^....128

4.7.2 Monitoring and Management Tools: ^.^.^...^.........^....^......^.^.^...129

4.7.3 Mission Statement: ....................^....^........ 130

4.7.3.1 Mission Staterrtent: .................................................................................................... 130

4.7.4 Goals ... 130

4.7.5 Business Analysis: ^...^......................................^...132

4.7.6 S^ummazy: ..........................^....^.....^....^...136

4.8

CA SE STUDY EIGID: ^..^..^.^.^.^..^...^..^{. .}^...^.^.^.^...^...^...^{. . . .}^.^.^..^.^....^.

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. 137

Key performance indicators for goal attainment in dairy farming

Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for

Essential Elements for Monitoring Farm Business Performance.

business structure is often complicated because of the intricate interaction between business and family requirements. This research investigated whether owner­

months. Our regular meetings were an important source of motivation and the conversations more stimulating

Thanks also goes to the ten farming families that agreed to participate in my research thus making it possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ... 1

2 LTI'ERATURE REVIEW:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 METHOI)()L()(;Y

Goals:

business structure is often complicated because of the intricate interaction between business and family requirements. This research investigated whether owner