Applicability of performance indicators to farms and orchards

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish to what extent the information collected to assess the financial performance of conventional businesses applies to farm businesses. Fifteen performance indicators were identified in the Models of Success literature and these indicators belong to one out of seven categories including structure of firm; business strategy; customer focus; quality; employee relations; innovation; and social/environmental indicators. The applicability of the indicators to sheep and beef farms and kiwifruit orchards was investigated using a questionnaire administered to thirty-four orchardists and thirty-two farmers. The questionnaire contained 22 questions pertaining to 13 performance indicators. An additional two performance indicator measures were derived from the ARGOS database.