However this view is rather old fashioned thinking. Agricultural enterprises can range from the small scale subsistence farms to large commercial firms that require huge investment and complex operations. Even for those that are presently small scale, it is advisable to consider up-scaling on the basis that the more technological advanced a farm is, the more likely it is to have large scale customers who pay well.

What then are the practical applications of technology in agriculture ?  The increased mechanization of agriculture means that computers and other technology can be used to either replace human activity in whole or to replace certain aspects of human activity or even to merely complement the other traditional methods of farming. At a time when farmers are encouraged to mechanize, thereby reaping the benefits of improved efficiency and adding value to their products, the role of InfoTech will increase in this sector. The equipment that is being used will become more efficient and will tie-in with the more modern farms.

Modern farms are not just about producing crops or rearing animals. They can have quite complex human resource systems, finance and operations. They would then resemble any other business and would likewise need similar Information Technology programs. Take for example a ranch owner who regularly supplies to major supermarkets; the ability to control stock and delivery times as well as the importance of ensuring consistent quality will mean that modern technology will be invaluable. The issues of finance, human resource management and even communication mean that the farm will have to have some form of business IT model. The level of sophistication will depend on the type of farm and the needs of the farmer.

The only downside is that the majority of farmers in the world come from the developing countries where they have very limited scope to grow. They tend to be subsistence farmers with extremely limited income. There is also the problem of lack of awareness and the fear of new technology. It is even doubtful whether such attempts to create technology within a basic industry are viable. The costs of creating a whole business information technology model may by far outweigh any returns that such a farm can realistically obtain.

En conclusion I would argue that agriculture has to behave like other industries if it is to experience the rapid development that those industries have experienced over the last three decades. The traditional methods of farming still have a role to play but in terms of getting really big returns, the only way is to modernize. This transformation will require InfoTech conceptualization and applications, and farmers ought to prepare themselves for this resource.

One of those tools will have to be Online Analytical Processing (OLAP). The purpose of this article is to provide a generalized framework in which the data skimmed online can be processed and eventually embedded within the day to day infrastructure of a business.

Of course, the level of detail, investment and sophistication will vary between a small firm and the multinational organization. However the basic concepts still remain the same.

The key difference between OLAP and other data collation mechanism is that it undertakes an approach that is simultaneous navigational, hierarchical and relational. This is a far more comprehensive method than merely examining particular strands and informational patterns. If used correctly, it can enable large-scale interpretation of vast amounts of discrete and varied pieces of business intelligence into a technically relevant set of causes and effects.

In other wards the decision maker is enabled to gather seemingly unrelated pieces of information and thereby create a story that will ultimately translate into profits for the business. Often the challenge for a business decision making process is not that there is not enough information or that it is not even accurate. No, the real challenge does know what the information means for you and your people within the organization. Online Analytical Processing is just one way of making things way simpler.

It goes without saying that there will inevitably raise certain intrinsic problems where the business is using complex systems to resolve even more complex questions. One of them is accuracy: by its very nature the use of often seemingly remote data involves compromise by way of aggregates and assumptions. The thinking behind these assumptions and the criteria for selective reporting in making predictive analysis has to undergo very stringent scrutiny otherwise one single misjudgment could end up producing increasingly inaccurate data. Decisions based on bad information are almost always bad decisions.

The second problem is concerned with the manageability of the database system once it has evolved. The effective use of business intelligence requires that managers ought to be able to access the analytical process tool data on a fairly regular basis. This is not a big problem if the firm is fairly straightforward. However for the more complex business organizations, there will be practical concerns about access and maintenance.

In conclusion it would be arguable that online analytical processing vastly improves the effectiveness of business intelligence by extending the variety of sources of information and collating them in such a way as to make sense to the frontline and the key decision makers. It also addresses some of the more bureaucratic bottlenecks commonly associated with the processing of complex data. It would therefore be very shortsighted to fail to include OLAP within the mix of systems and tools that are used to collect and analysis in business intelligence modules.

These include but are not limited to operational performance management (OPM), business performance optimization (BPO), corporate performance management (CPA) and enterprise performance management (EPM). Despite the difference both operate on one principle which attempts to increase the efficiency and profitability of the organization right up to the optimum level.

In order to achieve this aim, the organization has to muster all its resources whether it is human capital or technology aids with the overriding aim of reducing costs, increasing output and growing profits. The challenge is getting all departments to understand their work in times of increasing efficiency and profitability. Many of them will have vested interests and their own agendas. The institutional culture that you have encouraged in your company will also have an impact in terms of the extent to which staff members are willing to join your efforts at performance management.

Evidence shows that performance management process does go hand in hand with change management. In order to prioritize the company’s core objective, there will have to be significant period of organizational change. Where there is change culture resistance is not far off. It will take a lot of work to get the whole organization to work in sync. The larger the organization the greater the complexity of effecting change.

Performance management by its very nature seeks to create minimum performance standards. It can create rewards and sanctions depending on the level of compliance. The strategic nature of its operations means that it often takes precedence over the day to day routine. It also creates a fear of management as people may believe that their jobs are being restructured and will eventually disappear from the payroll.

Performance management is a process and not just an incident. It is imperative that there is a continuous assessment in order to ensure that the changes and performance standards are not a one-off administered in haste but part of a well planned strategy to improve performance. Staff members should be encouraged to record the results of their own work and review their own performance in line with the standards that have been set.

There is always a risk that business performance management is created and supervised as a top-down activity. This is an approach that is likely to attract the stiffest resistance from members of staff who may feel that they are being dictated to by management. Rather efforts should be made to ensure that even the lowest employee believes that performance management is in their best interests. If they are to do well then the rewards will go to them in terms of promotion and better conditions.