Operative decision-supporting information technology system for the companies of the cattle sector

Teschner, Gergely and Csatai, Rózsa and Gombkötő, Nóra (2016) Operative decision-supporting information technology system for the companies of the cattle sector. ACTA AGRONOMICA ÓVÁRIENSIS, 57 (1-2). pp. 61-76. ISSN 1416-647X

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Abstract

The current situation had to be assessed first to develop the modern decision-making system of cattle breeding agricultural farms. During the interviews, the voluntarily participating companies’ middle and senior managers provided the information for the research – we could carry out our analyzes based on a sample consisting of 15 companies, which served as a basis to implement the decision-supporting information (IT) system. During the survey it was found that the IT systems used by the examined businesses provide help primarily to livestock breeding and accounting, but these systems are usually independent of each other and work in an isolated way. Based on these facts we can conclude that it cannot be regarded as a complex decision-supporting system, as it only covers the information needs of certain sub-areas. The studies concentrated on analyzing the data from dairy cattle keeping and pointed out that the currently used systems communicate insufficient information to middle and senior managers, because they do not contain enough information for planning. There were a large number of managers who said that the existing systems do not help decision- making in relation to production, as the received aggregate information was not company-specific and manager-specific, and so they do not match clearly the decision-preparation tasks. A solution to the presented problems may be reached in the future if software companies cooperating with higher educational and research institutions and keeping in mind the corporate needs, would create software packages which exploit the decision-supporting information technology systems more thoroughly and would be more company-oriented than the current ones. Currently, the paper-based calculations still play a crucial role in the preparation of decisions of the examined dairy companies, and in some places, plans are drawn up by using simple spreadsheet technology system, which helps in operational decision-making, and in problem diagnosis and fits the companies’ management profile better. Based on the results of the studies, a decision-supporting information technology system was developed for the dairy businesses, which contains all the needs that came to the surface at the examined dairy farms during the research. We hope that the finished software helps the managers to achieve well-founded decisions. Based on previous experience, the conclusion can be drawn that the indicators calculated by the developed software proved adequate for the operational decisions, and thus they contributed greatly to creating the basis for the decisions of the managers, and to the planning processes. Another advantage is that instead of generating lists from independent transaction systems, aggregate data appear on a single interface, facilitating the management of companies better, and helping to ensure their effective operation. systems, which do not include long-term plans and complex calculations, only the plan numbers. Their application takes a considerable amount of time and carries a high potential for errors. At the examined dairy companies, it was a requirement to establish a planning and monitoring information.

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