Bowman, Brittany (author), Settle, Quisto (author), North, Elizabeth Gregory (author), Lewis, Kerri Collins (author), and Oklahoma State University
Mississippi State University
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2018
Published:
United States: New Prairie Press
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 152 Document Number: D10159
18 pages, via online journal, Extension is often called the “best-kept secret” having low awareness with the public but high satisfaction with clientele. Extension services nationwide have faced budget cuts, creating a need for the organization to re-evaluate its activities, including how it communicates with its stakeholders. While Extension personnel are the ones who will do most of the communicating, their supervisors impact the personnel’s actions, which means it is important to assess both groups. A survey was conducted with Extension personnel and their supervisors in Mississippi assessing engagement in communications activities and perceptions of those activities, as well as personnel’s preference of professional development activities. Personnel reported higher use, comfort, and importance of more traditional (e.g. making a speech) and written activities (e.g. writing a promotional handout) than media-relations activities (e.g. being interviewed for TV), social media-related activities (e.g. managing a Twitter account), and visual communication activities (e.g. graphic design). Supervisors perceived individual communications activities as less important overall than personnel did, and although supervisor and communication scores for use and comfort/capability were similar for most communication activities, there were noticeable exceptions. Additionally, personnel preferred professional development activities that were hands-on or showing the activities first-hand (e.g. demonstrations and field days). Future research should be expanded to other states, conducted in a case study format to study specific relationships, and involve qualitative components. Extension should ensure clear supervisor-communication dialogue on prioritizing communication activities, provide training on communication activities with low use and comfort, and utilize early innovators who are comfortable using newer communication activities.
10 pages., The smart farm, a future-oriented farm operation that integrates information and communications technologies, is an emerging trend in agriculture. This study investigates the factors affecting the adoption of the smart farm in Korea and analyzes them empirically. The research model is based on Rogers' innovation diffusion theory and existing models of adoption of information technology in organizations. The model proposes that adoption of innovative technology is influenced by relative advantages, complexity, and compatibility of the technology, the innovativeness and IT knowledge characteristics of the CEOs, financial costs, human resource vulnerability and lack of skills, competitive pressure, government support and the change to the digital environment. These factors were categorized according to TOE framework, investigated, and empirically tested using survey data to determine their influence on the adoption of smart farms. The results showed that the compatibility of technology, financial costs for the organization, and the digital environment change influence the adoption of smart farms. This study suggests practical implications for the adoption of smart farm technology based on the results.
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