Can management advice to small-scale farmers trigger strategic thinking?

To contribute to the question of what fosters entrepreneurial learning, we consider the building of strategic thinking to be an entrepreneurial learning process, identified through the concept of proactivity. We consider that entrepreneurs are not "born" but "made". We analyze the role of management advice on entrepreneurial l earning, exploring the building of proactivity of small-scale farmers. We assume that all farmers, whatever their resources and education levels, can build more proactivity through the learning process triggered by advice, through training and exchange about agriculture, and through better command of management tools. Through a field work in Benin based on the analysis of learning processes in a management ad- vice for family farm (MAFF) approach, we considered a sample of nineteen farmers before and after one year of training, to analyze the evolution of their proactivity. Through technical and management training based on planning, follow up and evaluation tools, for both literate and illiterate farmers, MAFF approach enables farmers to better understand their environment, assess their own resources and situation with "new eyes" and enact differently in this environment. The level of proactivity before the training is also a strong element influencing the learning process: proactive farmers act more quickly toward change, but farmers considered as "not proactive" before training attribute important changes triggered by MAFF, discovering their power on their environment and the possibility of change, acting to ward more planned activities, leading to more reflexive strategic thinking. Farmers' entrepreneurship is triggered by MAFF, enabling them to build their strategic thinking, being more proactive towards change. Those results also show that change, especially on entrepreneurship, is quick, built during the first year of MAFF, but longer time is needed for a full learning process leading to more autonomous strategic thinking and good command of management tools. (Resume d'auteur)

[1]  C. Torset.  La notion de réflexion stratégique: une approche par les contextes , 2002 .

[2]  Loizos Heracleous,et al.  Strategic thinking or strategic planning , 1998 .

[3]  Rachel Percy,et al.  The contribution of transformative learning theory to the practice of participatory research and extension: Theoretical reflections , 2005 .

[4]  The Impact of Agricultural Extension Services , 2010 .

[5]  J. Liedtka.  Strategic thinking: Can it be taught? , 1998 .

[6]  K. Weick.  Theory Construction as Disciplined Reflexivity: Tradeoffs in the 90s , 1999 .

[7]  E. Taylor,et al.  Fostering transformative learning in non-formal settings: Farmer-Field Schools in East Africa , 2012 .

[8]  N. Röling,et al.  Learning: Shifting paradigms in education and extension studies , 1998 .

[9]  C. Fonrouge.  L'entrepreneur et son entreprise : une relations dialogique , 2002 .

[10]  Frances M. Hill,et al.  Entrepreneurship education and training - can entrepreneurship be taught? Part I , 2005 .

[11]  E. Morin,et al.  L' intelligence de la complexité , 1999 .

[12]  R. Chambers,et al.  Sustainable rural livelihoods: Practical concepts for the 21st century , 1992 .

[13]  G. Faure,et al.  New Challenges in Agricultural Advisory Services from a Research Perspective: A Literature Review, Synthesis and Research Agenda , 2012 .

[14]  J. Ekboir,et al.  From Best Practice to Best Fit: A Framework for Designing and Analyzing Pluralistic Agricultural Advisory Services Worldwide , 2009 .

[15]  A. Hoeve,et al.  Learning entrepreneurs as experts , 2003 .

[16]  F. Ellis.  The Determinants of Rural Livelihood Diversification in Developing Countries , 2008 .

[17]  I. Scoones.  Livelihoods perspectives and rural development , 2009 .

[18]  John Farrington,et al.  SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS IN PRACTICE: EARLY APPLICATIONS OF CONCEPTS IN RURAL AREAS , 2008 .

[19]  A. Martinet.  Stratégie et pensée complexe , 2006 .

[20]  Martin Mulder,et al.  The Influence of the Work Environment on Entrepreneurial Learning of Small-business Owners Final draft , 2009 .

[21]  Daniel A. Levinthal,et al.  Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning , 2007 .