Introduction

In rapidly changing business environments the prerequisite for long term success in an organization like a breeders’ society is the ability to bring about change and to accept and apply new technology. The success of timely organizational and strategic reactions to such changing circumstances are, however, dependent on a culture of quick acceptance and support of a society’s efforts amongst breeders. Change for the mere sake of change, however, serves no purpose.

Successful Society

Adaptable and successful societies like the Simmentaler/Simbra Society (the Society) have in the past, and will also in the future effect the right changes at the right time and in the right way, thereby maintaining and ensuring success.

In less adaptable and usually less successful societies, resistance to change is usually the norm. They are characterized by a culture where change and/or the acceptance of new technology will take place very slowly or only with much persuasion. These organizations prefer to follow rather than being the leaders in the industry. Poorly achieving societies also usually display the following characteristics:

Divided internal environment: In other words, such a society harbours headstrong groups that do not co-operate towards the wellbeing of the whole group.
Animosity towards change and/or new technology and towards the persons or organizations that advocate or are involved in the change.
Leaders within the organization that are acquainted with and understand only certain aspects of the organization and who do not see the complete picture or reckon with the totality.
The inability of such a society or its breeders to look beyond the existent (archaic) systems and structures towards better methods and approaches.

To change this problem culture is usually difficult, since people become rooted into certain values and habits and tend to cling emotionally to the old and familiar.

Change

The Society has always been innovative thinkers and leaders in the beef cattle industry – a society that is not afraid to bring about change or break away from outdated and stagnant systems. The Society has independently been managing all aspects of the administration and registration of animals for the past 7 years, introduced BLUP breeding values in 1997 and it has already been 5 years since Breedplan started to handle performance testing of their animals. In both cases a better value for money service is presently being delivered to our breeders. This Society has also been using a modern numeric judging and selection system for several years already. In these systems the visual appearance and figures are being scrutinized in a balanced way by a team of breed experts that can be compared with the best in the world. These experts also conduct an annual advisory visit to all breeders. An extensive system of clubs and study groups promotes, by means of their activities, the Sim breeds and the society in a very efficient way.

It is fairly generally accepted that within a group or community, like a society for instance, 16 % of the people can be regarded as laggards. On the other hand 50% will accept renewal at an early stage and a further 34% will follow slightly later – probably after training, motivation or, as the success of the new technology has been proved by the afore mentioned group. We can therefore accept that, even in a successful society, there will be some breeders that will or cannot accept progress due to different reasons. To ensure success and to maintain high productivity, full acceptance of all the members of the group is important. The problem is, however, that there is a difference in the way the different groups should be approached, as well as in the nature of the communication and type of communication methods that can be used. The learning method of late acceptors also differs from that of early acceptors in the sense that early acceptors make use of scientific sources, while the main source of information for late acceptors is their neighbours or fellow breeders. It is obvious therefore that the acceptance of new technology (e.g. BLUP) by a specific grouping within a society is tightly interwoven with the role played in it by leaders and especially the view point of these people regarding renewal. It is also possible that the leaders can be labelled as laggards regarding certain technological changes. In such a case a community’s late acceptors will not readily accept the renewal, and will increasingly lag behind those groupings that are early acceptors.

It is important to realize that these sub-groupings with different rates of acceptance have an adverse effect on the productivity and progress of a society and its members. Then we also have to accept that the learning process takes place through active participation (early acceptors) and through direct observation (late acceptors). Opportunities should therefore be created where the late acceptors can see that the new technology functions well and that it is successful.

Progress through change also involves the following:

It is important to know what is going on in the organization and the industry as a whole and how they compare with other organizations and industries.
Promote a culture of pride and strive towards competition among breeders so that the Society can perform on a high level.
Keep the organization responsive to and participating in changing circumstances, aware of new opportunities, filled with innovative ideas and prepared to continuously develop skills and abilities.
Acquire consensus, restrict internal power struggles, accept the authority and decisions of the selected council.
Enforce ethical standards.
Promote those changes that will improve the performance of the Society.

In conclusion

Improvement in productivity does not only depend on technological renewal, but also on the full acceptance of the technology (change in one’s view of the technology). Sufficient knowledge of and insight into the new technology help breeders to identify and define problems, thereby developing solutions. Without this knowledge potential growth and productivity will be lost.

Acceptance of change and technological progress towards new systems, methods and views is, however, a process that can be very painful, depending on how persistently we cling to our own views or ideas. There is, however, seldom something that cannot be changed, except perhaps our views on certain aspects. The problem starts when we regard our own point of view as the alpha and omega and not allow any person or process to change this protocol. Man’s thoughts are the starting point of change; change of previous and outdated thought is the basis for the acceptance of technological progress. Change and the acceptance thereof are prerequisites for the establishment and development of successful societies. Thank you to all the breeders who accept change and give their full support to the Society. All breeders are, however, important and the Society will therefore take great pains also to convince the laggards that certain changes are vital for the sake of increased productivity.

Dr JF Kluyts

PAGE UPDATED: 19/02/2007

The Simmentaler Cattle Breeder's Society of Southern Africa
2003 - 2007