Articles
THE USE OF THE CRITICAL PATH METHOD IN FARM PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Larg-scale production is becoming increasingly intensive.
As a result of specialization and integration processes production systems have been started in all branches, including horticulture.
The impact of the scientific – technical revolution increased, agricultural production is better and better “industrialized”. An example of the said process is the greater use of up-to-date technical devices (computers, etc.) in research and practice.
As a consequence of the independence of enterprises, optimal decisions have a growing importance in the management system in Hungarian economy.
Decision-making requires thorough consideration by farm managers in given situations, and they are urged to elaborate economically more advantageous and well-founded plans.
In the recent years the technical level was greatly improved.
Consequently, the number of production elements demanding advanced organization increased.
At the same time, official planning methods and forms remained unchanged, with the result that the level of planning was not improved in the majority of the agricultural enterprises.
Desing and direction of complex economic processes can no longer dispense with up-to-date mathematical expedients.
It is obvious that the inadequate selection of the various elements of production, as well as their inappropriate operation, may lead to deleterious consequences, while their adequate operation may issue in significant results.
Recognizing this fact, the number of farms, employing up-to-date mathematical planning methods, in addition to the traditional ones, is constantly growing.
The purpose of this paper is to present, out of the mathematical methods, the possibilities of employing the critical path methods within operation research.
On the basis of our researches, conducted in recent years, we may state that the critical path planning methods may be successfully employed in horticultural production, mainly in vineyards and fruit growing farms, thus improving the level of planning and management activities of the enterprises.
The critical path method is a logical plan, and its time analysis assists work organization, while the so-called resource allocation procedures are suited for analyses of economic nature.
The possibilities of the critical path methods ware examined in 3 fields, viz. perspective annual, and seasonal (campaign) planning.
In perspective planning the said method may facilitate the preparation of investment decision as well as the establishment of the optimal machine stock.
The mechanization needs of the work processes are determined by the production structure and by the technology employed.
Two farms