Road Map foR SucceSS - Santa Gertrudis Breeders International

More specifically, the declining cow herd in the U.S. meansthe number of commercial bulls needed each year is alsodeclining. Meanwhile, reported Santa Gertrudis bull salesto commercial bull buyers have not increased in a numberof years. Concurrently, participation in Total PerformanceRecords (TPR) among Santa Gertrudis breedershas decreased, which limits the availability of performancedata to 1) improve the Santa Gertrudis breeders’ geneticswithin herd and 2) provide commercial bull buyers with anobjective selection tool. A large percentage (70 percent) ofcommercial bull buyers use some form of data to make purchasingdecisions. As competition to sell bulls in a shrinkingmarket increases, technology and information could be asource of competitive advantage in your breeding program.This is a prime example of a dynamic that is changing ourenvironment and presenting an opportunity.Additionally, breed associations are facing new and demandingchallenges. SGBI’s primary goal is to provide progressiveleadership, services, programs and technology to promoteand broaden the long-term profitability of Santa Gertrudisinfluence within the beef industry by being member-drivenand consumer-focused. The vision is to become the preferredAmerican breed used by cattlemen. However, it isdifficult for associations such as SGBI to design productsand services for such a diverse membership. SGBI needs todetermine what role they will play with their members inthe coming years. Due to increased competition and marketingefforts by other breeds, market share will be increasinglydifficult to obtain. Therefore, priorities, direction anda plan need to be determined and implemented.The intent of this report is to establish the basis for prioritizingSGBI’s services and resources by soliciting feedbackdirectly from the membership and developing a strategicplanning tool using the balanced scorecard approach. Thiswill allow SGBI to provide its members with a more targeteddirection and focus that could lead to increased demandin the marketplace and help sustain the long-term viabilityof the breed. This is the opportunity.The Objectives Determine SGBI membership characteristics, ranchinghabits and association service preferences. Identify strategy options, rank strategic initiatives, anddevelop measures of success according to membership’sperceived challenges and service preferences. Provide a “road map” for SGBI that communicates thestrategy, prioritizes new program initiatives and monitorsprogress toward proposed targets in a clear, conciseformat.The Process1. SGBI Membership SurveyA membership survey was designed to discover the perceptions,current practices and other characteristics thatcurrent Santa Gertrudis breeders across all regions of thecountry have regarding the use of performance data, breedstrengths/challenges, marketing opportunities and associationservices. A pilot test of the survey instrumentwas conducted among key stakeholders to solicit feedbackbefore the final survey was delivered to all SGBI members.Input and feedback was solicited from all active membersof SGBI. In total, 282 active SGBI members returnedcompleted surveys. Approximately 53 percent of the totalcompleted surveys (i.e. 282) were returned by mail and 47percent by e-mail. A test was conducted to determine thevalidity of the survey results; this survey scored an 87.7 percentfor reliability. This represents a very high reliability fora survey instrument. The high reliability for this survey wasa result of the feedback gained during the focus group andpilot test efforts.2. SGBI Member Focus GroupsFocus group sessions were conducted during the 2012 SGBIAnnual Meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn. These sessions weredesigned to develop specific objectives for the new SGBILong Range Plan. Moderators facilitated discussions basedon priorities determined in the membership survey. Focusgroups were developed from a diverse cross-section of SGBImembers for association services in the areas of marketing,membership/outreach and research/education.3. Strategic Planning SessionsSGBI’s Long Range Planning Committee, along with otherassociation and industry leaders, participated in a two-daystrategic planning workshop during the summer of 2012.The goal of this workshop was to develop specific contentfor a suite of strategic planning tools (i.e. Strategy Map,Strategic Initiatives and Balanced Scorecard). These toolswill serve as an excellent communication device for internaland external audiences and provide SGBI leaders and memberswith a roadmap to help focus energy and resources overthe next five years.Determine SGBImembershipcharacteristics, ranchinghabits and associationservice preferences.road map for success | 2013-2017 PAGE 5