Potential Career Paths in Animal Science in Western America - Case Study Example

Potential Career Paths in Animal Science in Western America Christensen Family Farms Christensen Farms was founded in 1974 like an operation for a small family. Today, it is one of the biggest pork producers in US and operates in Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Colorado, and Nebraska. The farm is dedicated to the production of food products at low cost but without compromising their commitment to high social standards, quality and environment (Anonymous). Its headquarters is in Sleepy Eye Minnesota, US. Though the farm is usually served by 500-1000 employees, it is currently served by 775 employees. Christiansen’s Farms enjoys average annual revenue of about $ 155 million (Anonymous). Christensen Farms is composed of individuals who collaboratively work together with the fundamental belief that different ideas and perspectives lead to better decision making. Christensen Farms enjoys being the leading innovator in the industry of pork production while at the same time enjoys new links to food chain in the farm. To ensure high quality products, the farm raises pastured Berkshire pork because it is tender, moist and flavorful pork that anyone can find anywhere. Job Description Located in the Midwest of the United States, Christensen Family Farms has one mission of being the leader in the production of wholesome, safe and high quality pork products to its customers (Anonymous). The organizational structure of the company is grouped into the management and non management levels. The management level includes the executive, who are four in number, and farm managers, who are seven. The job functions are finance, marketing, sales, operations, and human resources among others. The position of the job in this structure is that of the farm manager in any of their farms. The specific daily tasks that are involved in this position are overseeing the general performance of the entire farm which includes motivation, Planning, organizing, directing, coordination and control of the farm. With the help of department supervisors, the manager also ensures that the employees carry out their tasks perfectly, the pigs are well fed, their houses are clean, the swine are slaughtered at the right time and at the right age, the processing of the products is carried out effectively and smoothly, and that the products are well stored to avoid contamination or spoilage. The manager’s main duty is to ensure that everything goes on smoothly so that the farm can increase its productivity for long-term profitability. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Job The job of a farm manager has both strengths and weaknesses. Some of the strengths include: you are free to make the farm’s decision, you are the boss at the farm level, and you can enjoy many benefits like good housing, transport, medical, among others. Moreover, this job helps one to gain managerial experience as well as interactions with people from different social status. However, there are weaknesses in this job because the decision that you make must be well analyzed to ensure that the farms meet all its objectives, besides realizing profits. On the other hand, it is very hard to make decisions sometimes yet you may have no one to consult. Furthermore, all employees in the farm are answerable to you, something that makes this job very hard as some employees are very difficult to handle. The manager also has to deal with complex issues like resolving conflicts, firing rebellious employees as well as hiring new employees. All these call for not only academic qualification but good interpersonal skills. Interview Lessons for my Career Path From the interview, I learnt that this job can be a good starting point for my career dream of being a CEO in the future. This is because, it provides the skills and experience required to manage an even bigger farm or a much higher position. My future vision is to serve in a position that will give the opportunity to serve many customers with high quality products that ensure value for their money, as well meeting all the production utilities. The position of a farm manger gives the best starting point because it exposes you into every aspect of production. It encompasses all production utilities,(time, place, form) besides ensuring quality of the products. This will effectively prepare me for the position of a CEO. The skills I might gain from this position are planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, controlling and motivation skills, which are very essential for the success of any company. Research Plan Research Timetable Activity Date & Time Initial Contact 20/9/2011 (9.30am- 12.00 pm) Follow Up 24/9/2011 (10.00am- 13.00 pm) Interview 29/9/2011 (2.00pm- 3.00 pm) An Email to the Employer / Christensen Farms To The Human Resources Manager Christensen Family Farms khenning@christensenfarms.com Midwest, US. Dear Sir/ Madam, Subject: Interview I am Ruth Woods, a bachelor of……….. student from …………..University. I am interested in your farm since it has been the most successful farm in production of pork products. I hereby request for an interview with you on the 29/09/2011 from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. I am interested in learning more about: your employment opportunities, the employment criteria, qualification for the post of a farm manager, remuneration for your employees in the different categories, disciplinary procedures, and your expectations from the employees. I also want to learn about the types of products you deal with as well as your strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats. I will be grateful if you consider my request, thank you. Interview Questions For how long have you been operating in the pork industry? What other categories do you deal with? What other farms is Christensen farms’ related? What is the culture and office environment like at Christensen Family Farms? Do your employees meet for friendly get together at the end of the week? What is an employee’s typical day like at Christensen Family Farms? How many employees do you employ annually? What criteria do you use to select potential employees? What are the qualification requirements for the different posts? What are the remunerations for the different job structure in the organization? How do you motivate your workers? How many hours do they work in a day? What are the benefits of a farm manager? What are some of the challenges that he has to cope with? What are your expectations concerning the farm managers of the various farms? What are their duties? Are there overtimes, and how much do you pay per hour? What pork products do you produce? Who are your customers? Who are your competitors? How do you ensure your market survival in the face of other competitors? What are your: Strengths Opportunities Weaknesses Threats What is the secret behind your success? What are your future plans, in terms of business development? The Interview Christensen Farms is one of United States top five producers of pork. It has been operational for the last 25 years. It is the number one employer with forefront employee development that ranges from technical training to professional and personal growth and development as well as hands-on technical training. The number of employees employed annually is never constant, but it depends on the vacancies available during the course of the year. Employees work for only eight hours in a day, from 7.00am to 04.00pm. If the work is too much, they work for overtime where they are paid$2 per hour. However, we have two shifts each day, day and night, and therefore, such overtimes are very rare. Apart from pork, the other categories that the farms deal with are forestry, livestock and food crops. The other farms that are related S&S, B &R Farms, and 4K Farms. The culture and office environment at Christensen Family Farms is very friendly. The dressing code depends on your type of job. For example, those who work in offices like managers and accountants dress on full suits while those who work in the farm are free to dress casually but they must wear aprons whose color depend on the department. Those in the processing department wear white aprons while those working in the farm, for example feeding pigs, wear green aprons. Folks do get together for friendly get together on Fridays. The typical day of an employee’s life at Christensen Family Farms is usually very busy as everyone works very hard to meet the company’s goals and objectives. The functions of the farm manager are mainly four: planning, controlling, organizing and coordinating the farms activities. However, the decisions made by the farm manager must be approved by the board of management. Though the farm manager enjoys numerous benefits like ig salary, allowances and freedom to make decisions, this position is very challenging because he is responsible and answerable to all the happenings in the farm. The farm manager is expected to help the employees in meeting the goals and objectives of the company. In terms of motivating employees, employees’ are rewarded depending on their performance index. Therefore, the more hardworking an employee is, the more they are rewarded. Employee participation and involvement is also encouraged. They are given the freedom to air their views in decision making so as to make them feel as part of the organization. The main pork products that the farms produce are sausages, bacon, chipolatas, pork chops, and pork hot dogs, and chorizo. The main customers of the farm are big restaurants, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, and pork products shops. These products are mainly processed to avoid spoilage as well as create consumer convenience of minimal cooking, like just warming them in microwaves. Its main competitors are 4Kfarms, S&S, and Zierke Company. To ensure that the farms survive in the market, Christensen Family Farms ensure high quality products for social satisfaction. This has helped the company to win and maintain customer loyalty. The strengths of the company are: it rears its own swine thus there is no problem with pork. On the other hand, it has well established customers, and strong financial base. The opportunities that the company enjoys are favorable climatic conditions that favor swine production, wide market coverage, few competitors; it is also well served by well developed infrastructure. However, the farms face threats in its daily operations like high cost of inputs especially with current inflation, infection of swine by diseases that kill many swine. Though at minimal levels, the company also faces competition from rival companies especially the 4K farms as well as high taxation rates from the federal government. The weaknesses of Christensen Family Farms are unreliable employees, low production capacity, and high cost of labor. In future, the company hopes to expand to all states in US, as well as other parts of the world like Asia and Africa. Formation of chain farms is an achievement, but which is prone to vey many challenges. For example, expanding in areas where similar companies have already established themselves may be very expensive in the short-run but profitable in the long-run once it establishes a strong market base. The farm is dedicated to the production of food products at low cost but without compromising their commitment to high social standards, quality and environment. Therefore, these values will help the company meet this dream. There are many unique factors that help the company to be very successful in producing quality pork. First, the company abandoned breeds that other companies bred, which made pork just like chicken. After much research, the company settled on heritage Berkshire breed because it adapts well into different climates. Since the farm is located in high desert mountains whose climate is characterized by cold snowy winters and hot dry summers, Berkshire breed is the most ideal. Since pigs that thrive in extreme weather conditions produce meat of higher quality than those suffering for being kept outside, when they needed to be bred indoor, this strategy has ensured that the company produces the best pork products. Furthermore, pork that is pasture raised is rich in Omega 3 together with conjugated linoleic acid. Their pigs are never fed on restaurant scraps, slop or old donuts. Instead, they are fed on locally grown hay, grass, oats, wheat and barley. These feeds are not only healthy for pigs, but also guarantee high quality pork. The pigs are naturally raised without antibiotics, hormones, or growth promoters. This gives pork products from Christiansen’s Farms a different taste and flavor that is superior to those of other farms. This is what has ensured the success of Christiansen’s Farms in the pork industry. References Anonymous, d.n.a. Christiansen’s Family Farms. Retrieved on 13th September 2011 from http://www.christiansenfarm.com/?q=node/31. Read More