Using the Balanced Scorecard for Ranch Planning and Management:Setting Strategy and Measuring Performance

The key to business success—whether operating a ranch or a Fortune 500 company—lies in management and planning. It’s the ability to have foresight, to carefully evaluate and choose appropriate new concepts and technologies, and to implement a well thought- out plan that complements all aspects of the business. The highly-respected former CEO and chairman of General Electric Jack Welch put it this way: Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion. How does that description apply to you? Are you a visionary business leader for your ranch enterprise? Or can you become one? This manual introduces the “Balanced Scorecard” developed by Dr. Robert Kaplan of the Harvard Business School and Dr. David Norton. The duo authored the book The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy Into Action, and the scorecard format has been used by thousands of global companies and small businesses since the early 1990s when it was initially developed. While this concept may be relatively new to the ranching community, adopters of this approach to management include corporate icons like General Electric, DuPont, Ford Motor Company, IBM, and Walt Disney World. Using the scorecard, a manager can clearly see the things that need to be measured to “balance” different competing parts of the ranch. For example, rather than analyze financial records alone—which are only capable of telling of past events—this approach also takes into account things such as customer relationships, ranch processes, and investment in family members and employees’ learning and growth— all of which can have an impact on future business success. Central to the effectiveness of the Balanced Scorecard is viewing the business (your ranch) from these perspectives and then developing strategies and evaluating outcomes relative to each of those perspectives. By doing so, you can build a stronger base for your future sustainability. To that end, this manual offers a step-by step guide for the ranching industry to adopt the Balanced Scorecard and move toward managing for ranch business success

Strategic and Scenario Planning in Ranching: Managing Risk in Dynamic Times

ContentSteps Toward Success Stage 1: Charting the Course: Creating the Vision Step 1: Assess current situation and inventory of ranch resources Step 2: Conduct SWOT analysis Step 3: Establish a vision for the ranch business Stage 2: Determining Strategies to Achieve the Ranch’s Vision Step 4: GAP analysis Step 5: Alternative strategies to close the gap Stage 3: Scenario Planning for the Ranch Step 6: Describe multiple scenarios Step 7: Select and evaluate the most-probable Scenarios Stage 4: Merging Strategies and Scenario Planning Step 8: Determine strategies with the highest likelihood of success Stage 5: Putting the Plan Into Action and Measuring Success Step 9: Implementation of the strategic plan Step 10: Monitor performance with the Balanced Scorecard Conclusionase for Strategic Planning: Consider ethanol’s impact Appendi

Spaceflight-Induced Cardiovascular Changes and Recovery During NASA's Functional Task Test

Microgravity-induced physiological changes could impair a crewmember s performance upon return to a gravity environment. The Functional Task Test (FTT) is designed to correlate these physiological changes to performance in mission-critical tasks. The Recovery from Fall/Stand Test (RFST) simulates one such task, measuring the ability to recover from a prone position and the cardiovascular response to orthostasis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate spaceflight-induced cardiovascular changes during the FTT. METHODS: Five astronauts participated in the FTT before 10-15 day missions, on landing day (R+0), and one (R+1), six (R+6) and thirty (R+30) days after landing. The RFST consisted of a 2-minute prone rest followed by a 3-minute stand during which heart rate (HR, Holter) and continuous blood pressure (BP, Finometer) were measured. Spectral heart rate variability (HRV) was calculated during the RFST to approximate autonomic function. Statistical analysis was performed with two-factor repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: During RFST, HR was higher on R+0 than preflight (p<0.004). This increase in HR persisted on R+1 and R+6 during the stand portion of RFST (p<0.026). BP was well-regulated on all test days. Parasympathetic activity was diminished on R+0 (p=0.035). Sympathovagal balance tended to be affected by spaceflight (main effect, p=0.072), appearing to be slightly elevated during postflight RFST except on R+30. Additionally, analysis of HR during the functional tasks yielded a higher HR on R+0 than preflight during 8 of 11 tasks analyzed, where all tasks had HR return to preflight values by R+30 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Spaceflight causes an increase in HR, decrease in parasympathetic activity, and increase in sympathovagal balance, which we confirmed during RFST. These spaceflight-induced changes seen in the RFST, along with the increased postflight HR in most functional tasks, can be used to assess functional performance after short-duration spaceflight

Functional Task Test: 1. Sensorimotor changes Associated with Postflight Alterations in Astronaut Functional Task Performance

Space flight is known to cause alterations in multiple physiological systems including changes in sensorimotor, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular systems. These changes may affect a crewmember s ability to perform critical mission tasks immediately after landing on a planetary surface. The overall goal of this project is to determine the effects of space flight on functional tests that are representative of high priority exploration mission tasks and to identify the key underlying physiological factors that contribute to decrements in performance. This presentation will focus on the sensorimotor contributions to postflight functional performance

The Functional Task Test (FTT): An Interdisciplinary Testing Protocol to Investigate the Factors Underlying Changes in Astronaut Functional Performance

Exposure to space flight causes adaptations in multiple physiological systems including changes in sensorimotor, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular systems. These changes may affect a crewmember s ability to perform critical mission tasks immediately after landing on a planetary surface. The overall goal of this project is to determine the effects of space flight on functional tests that are representative of high priority exploration mission tasks and to identify the key underlying physiological factors that contribute to decrements in performance. To achieve this goal we developed an interdisciplinary testing protocol (Functional Task Test, FTT) that evaluates both astronaut functional performance and related physiological changes. Functional tests include ladder climbing, hatch opening, jump down, manual manipulation of objects and tool use, seat egress and obstacle avoidance, recovery from a fall and object translation tasks. Physiological measures include assessments of postural and gait control, dynamic visual acuity, fine motor control, plasma volume, orthostatic intolerance, upper- and lower-body muscle strength, power, endurance, control, and neuromuscular drive. Crewmembers perform this integrated test protocol before and after short (Shuttle) and long-duration (ISS) space flight. Data are collected on two sessions before flight, on landing day (Shuttle only) and 1, 6 and 30 days after landing. Preliminary results from both Shuttle and ISS crewmembers indicate decrement in performance of the functional tasks after both short and long-duration space flight. On-going data collection continues to improve the statistical power required to map changes in functional task performance to alterations in physiological systems. The information obtained from this study will be used to design and implement countermeasures that specifically target the physiological systems most responsible for the altered functional performance associated with space flight

Baroreflex Sensitivity Decreases During 90-Day Bed Rest

Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) decreases during spaceflight and simulated spaceflight (head down bed rest [BR]). However, previous studies have only examined BRS in response to a limited blood pressure (BP) range or to a single sudden change in BP. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine BRS during 90 days of 6deg head-down tilt BR over a broad range of BP perturbations. METHODS: Nineteen normal volunteers (12M, 7F) were tested one day before BR, and then near BR days 30, 60 and 90. BP was pharmacologically altered by continuous infusions of phenylephrine (PE) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Electrocardiogram and continuous BP were collected during 10 min of normal saline (NS), followed by increasing concentrations of PE (10 min each of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 micro-g/kg/min). After a 20 min break, NS was infused again for 10 min, followed by increasing concentrations of SNP (10 min each of 0.4, 0.8, 1.2 micro-g/kg/min). Baroreceptor sensitivity was measured as the slope of a sequence of 3 or more beats in which the systolic BP and following R-R interval (RR) both increased or decreased. Spectral heart rate variability (HRV) and mean RR were analyzed using data from only the NS infusions. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed to examine the effects of BR and gender. RESULTS: RR decreased (p<0.001) from pre- BR across BR days. High frequency in normalized units, a measure of parasympathetic activity, decreased with BR (p=0.027) and was lower (p=0.046) in men (0.39+/-0.02, mean+/-SEM) than women (0.48+/-0.02). The spontaneous baroreflex slope, our measure of BRS, increased with PE and decreased with SNP across BR (p<0.001). The percentage decrease in BRS from pre- to post-BR appeared to be larger in women (43.6+/-7.0%) than in men (31.3+/-3.9%, p=0.06). CONCLUSION: Parasympathetic activity and baroreflex sensitivity decrease during 90 days of BR, and BRS tends to diminish more in women than in men

Validation of Cardiovascular Parameters during NASA's Functional Task Test

Microgravity exposure causes physiological deconditioning and impairs crewmember task performance. The Functional Task Test (FTT) is designed to correlate these physiological changes to performance in a series of operationally-relevant tasks. One of these, the Recovery from Fall/Stand Test (RFST), tests both the ability to recover from a prone position and cardiovascular responses to orthostasis. PURPOSE: Three minutes were chosen for the duration of this test, yet it is unknown if this is long enough to induce cardiovascular responses similar to the operational 5 min stand test. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of heart rate variability (HRV) analysis of a 3 min stand and to examine the effect of spaceflight on these measures. METHODS: To determine the validity of using 3 vs. 5 min of standing to assess HRV, ECG was collected from 7 healthy subjects who participated in a 6 min RFST. Mean R-R interval (RR) and spectral HRV were measured in minutes 0-3 and 0-5 following the heart rate transient due to standing. Significant differences between the segments were determined by a paired t-test. To determine the reliability of the 3-min stand test, 13 healthy subjects completed 3 trials of the FTT on separate days, including the RFST with a 3 min stand. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the HRV measures. One crewmember completed the FTT before a 14-day mission, on landing day (R+0) and one (R+1) day after returning to Earth. RESULTS VALIDITY: HRV measures reflecting autonomic activity were not significantly different during the 0-3 and 0-5 min segments. RELIABILITY: The average coefficient of variation for RR, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures during the RFST were less than 8% for the 3 sessions. ANOVA results yielded a greater inter-subject variability (p<0.006) than inter-session variability (p>0.05) for HRV in the RFST. SPACEFLIGHT: Lower RR and higher SBP were observed on R+0 in rest and stand. On R+1, both RR and SBP trended towards preflight rest and stand values. Postflight HRV showed higher LF/HF for rest and stand and lower HFnu during rest. CONCLUSION: These studies show that a 3 min stand delivers repeatable HRV data in the context of this larger series of FTT tests. Spaceflight-induced changes in blood pressure, RR and autonomic function (HRV) are evident from the RFST

Un nuevo método para la evaluación de la sustentabilidad agropecuaria en la provincia de Salta, Argentina

En este trabajo se describe una experiencia de diseño, desarrollo y cálculo de un índice de evaluación de la sustentabilidad agropecuaria. Este índice, que se denominó ISAP (Índice de Sustentabilidad Agropecuaria), se estimó en siete establecimientos agropecuarios del departamento de Anta de la provincia de Salta, en el noroeste de Argentina. El ISAP se construyó mediante la estimación de indicadores previamente seleccionados de manera conjunta con los productores agropecuarios locales durante tres series de encuestas estructuradas y semiestructuradas realizadas entre los años 2012 y 2014. El ISAP se construyó sobre el concepto de “sistema socioecológico”, entendido como el ámbito geográfico y cultural en el cual se producen los procesos de cambio social, ambiental y productivo. Este enfoque permitió incluir en la evaluación indicadores que describen los procesos de gobernanza y toma de decisiones de gestión. El cálculo del ISAP se realizó con la participación activa de los productores agropecuarios, quienes fueron los responsables de la evaluación de sus propios establecimientos. Los establecimientos evaluados presentaron un nivel aceptable de sustentabilidad, superando el umbral de aceptabilidad establecido para este estudio. Un análisis detallado de cada caso permitió identificar aspectos que requieren intervenciones y sugerir algunas estrategias de mejora. La versión actual del ISAP será discutida con productores y expertos locales para evaluar su aplicabilidad en otros sistemas productivos y en otras regiones de la provincia de Salta o del resto del noroeste argentino. El ISAP no pretende reemplazar otras metodologías de evaluación, sino que puede ser una herramienta de análisis complementaria para evaluar y optimizar el nivel de sustentabilidad de los establecimientos agropecuarios de la región.This paper describes the design, development, and calculation of an index to assess agricultural sustainability. This index was called ISAP (a Spanish acronym meaning Agricultural Sustainability Index) and was estimated for seven farms in the Anta Department, province of Salta, Northwestern Argentina. The construction of the ISAP involved the estimation of indicators that where previously selected together with agricultural producers during three series or structured and semi-structured interviews performed between 2012 and 2014. The ISAP was built on the concept of “social-ecological system”, understood as the geographical and cultural arena where processes of social, environmental, and productive change can take place. This approach allowed the inclusion of governance and decision-making processes in the assessment. The calculation of the ISAP was made with the active participation of farmers, who where in charge of assessing their own establishments. The farms assessed present an acceptable level of sustainability, all above the acceptability threshold adopted for this study. A detailed analysis of the cases studied allowed the identification of aspects that need interventions and improvement strategies. The current version of the ISAP will be discussed with local experts and producers to assess its potential applicability to other production systems, and for different areas in the province of Salta or in other parts of Northwestern Argentina. The ISAP is not meant to replace other assessment methods but aims to be a complementary tool to assess and optimize the level of agricultural sustainability in the region.Fil: Vega, M. L.. Universidad Nacional de Salta; ArgentinaFil: Iribarnegaray, Martín Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Hernandez, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Arzeno, José Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Osinaga, R.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Zelarayán, A. L.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, D. R.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Mónico Serrano, F. H.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Volante, J. N.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Seghezzo, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; Argentin