MZUZU UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRI-SCIENCES
TO : COURTNEY NALIVATA
FROM : GOODWELL ZAKARIA
REG. NO. : BSTCD4123
COURSE TITLE :FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
COURSE CODE : BVCA240
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRATEGIC AND OPERATION MANAGEMENT
Understanding the difference between strategic management and operations management is
something I’ve come to realize is really important, especially in areas like agribusiness and farm
management. These two functions play big but different roles in making a business succeed.
Strategic management is more about thinking long-term—where the business is headed and
how to get there—while operations management focuses on the daily activities that keep
everything running smoothly.
Strategic management is really about setting the big picture for where a business wants to go
and figuring out how to get there. It’s usually handled by top management and involves things
like setting the company’s vision and mission, looking at what’s going on inside and outside the
business, and coming up with plans to meet long-term goals. Grant and Mann (2015), in
*Introduction to Agribusiness Management*, explain how this kind of planning helps
agribusinesses keep up with market changes, government rules, and global competition. It’s a
forward-thinking approach that focuses on long-term growth and sustainability. Van Fleet et al.
(2013) also point out that strategic management makes sure a company uses its resources
wisely and stays competitive in the long run.
Operations management is more about the everyday side of running a business—making sure
everything runs smoothly and efficiently. It includes things like managing resources, creating
work schedules, keeping an eye on quality, and making sure productivity stays high. Olson
(2004), in *Farm Management: Principles and Strategies*, puts it simply: it’s the hands-on part
of farming, where you manage inputs, keep costs under control, and focus on getting the best
possible output. Mason (2003) adds that good operations management is what turns long-term
strategies into actual results, through proper planning and coordination every day.
The main difference between strategic and operations management comes down to their focus.
Strategic management is about the big picture and the future—where the business is headed.
Operations management is more about the present—making sure the daily activities help the
business move in that direction. For instance, deciding to expand into international markets
would be a strategic move, while figuring out the best way to schedule irrigation or organize
workers during harvest is an operational task. Both are important, but they work on different
levels and time frames.
Moreover, strategic management is usually handled by top executives—they're the ones who
shape the big picture and decide how resources should be used. On the other hand, operations
management tends to be in the hands of mid- and lower-level managers who take those big
plans and make them happen on the ground. As Hill and Hill (2011) put it, operations
management is really about turning strategy into action by managing the day-to-day systems
that keep everything running and deliver real value to customers.
To sum up, both strategic and operations management are equally important and rely on each
other. Strategic management helps a business figure out what it wants to achieve and why it
matters, while operations management focuses on how to make that happen efficiently.
Especially in areas like agribusiness, combining both is key if a business wants to succeed—not
just in the long run but also in its everyday operation
REFERENCES
Grant, C. & Mann, J. (2015). Introduction to Agribusiness Management : Concepts and
Applications. John Wiley and Sons.
Van Fleet, D., Van Fleet, E. & Seperich, G.J. (2013). Agribusiness: Principles of Management.
Cengage Learning.
Olson, K. (2004). Farm Management: Principles and Strategies. Iowa State Press.
Mason, J. (2003). Farm Management, 2nd Edition. Landlinks Press.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management (15th ed.). Pearson.
Hill, T., & Hill, A. (2011). Operations Management. Palgrave Macmillan.
