INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN HORTICULTURE

There is a trend towards the evolution of much larger enterprises in the horticultural industries in Britain and Europe.
Some existing firms have expanded.
Others have been established on a hitherto unprecedented scale, in terms of their capital investment, size of work force, managerial hierachy, and volume of output.
Whether or not such very large businesses prove to be more efficient (or less vulnerable) than family enterprises, this trend has some important implications for economists.
Some similar conclusions can be drawn from increases in the numbers and sales turnover of growers’ cooperatives.

1. The identification and treatment of management problems peculiar to the largest firms deserves a greater priority in research programmes.

2. Horticultural advisers are likely to need ‘in-service training’ in the recognition and handling of such problems.

3. There is likely to be a greater demand for ‘post experience training’ in these aspects of management, from the directors and the managers of large enterprises.

4. New emphases are needed in some of the courses in horticultural management studies now offered by universities and colleges, in order to pay greater attention to the management of factory-scale holdings.

With these thoughts in mind, this paper will examine some aspects of management in horticulture which are likely to assume greater importance if very large enterprises and co-operatives become more numerous.
Two techniques which seem to be applicable to them will be discussed.
Each of these techniques is now widely used in the manufacturing industries.

II Meeting on Horticultural Economics

J.A.H. Nicholson

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1972.25.17