Abstract This paper draws on a decadal dataset of 250 farms in south-western Australia. These farms, when categorised according to their type of farming system and business strategy, faced different trends in their terms of trade. Profitability measures of these farms for the period 2002/3 to 2011/12 were compared. Most farms, other than some highly crop dominant ones, applied a strategy of maintaining or increasing their cropping intensity and farm size over the decade. The strategy of a greater commitment to cropping was supported by cropping technologies and beneficial change in agronomic practices. Increased cropping was universally profitable among all types of farming systems, providing a statistically significant increase in operating surpluses. By contrast, irrespective of their underpinning farming system, farms which did not strategically increase their intensity of cropping generated statistically significant less returns to their business equity. By maintaining rather than increasing their cropping intensity these businesses failed to capture the operating surplus upside available from increased cropping. Overall, the results show that management of farming systems is not solely about tactics and flexibility. Strategic management can additionally influence the nature and profitability of farming systems.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚西南部的农业系统及其商业战略：对其盈利能力的十年评估

摘要 本文借鉴了澳大利亚西南部 250 个农场的十年数据集。这些农场根据其耕作系统类型和商业战略进行分类时，面临着不同的贸易条件趋势。比较了这些农场在 2002/3 至 2011/12 期间的盈利指标。除了一些作物占主导地位的农场外，大多数农场在过去十年中采用了保持或增加种植强度和农场规模的策略。种植技术和农艺实践的有益变化支持了对种植做出更大承诺的战略。在所有类型的农业系统中，增加种植量普遍有利可图，在统计上显着增加了运营盈余。相比之下，无论他们的基础农业系统如何，没有战略性地增加种植强度的农场产生的商业资产回报在统计上显着减少。通过保持而不是增加种植强度，这些企业未能从增加种植中获得营业盈余。总体而言，结果表明，农业系统的管理不仅仅是战术和灵活性。战略管理还可以影响农业系统的性质和盈利能力。结果表明，农业系统的管理不仅仅是战术和灵活性。战略管理还可以影响农业系统的性质和盈利能力。结果表明，农业系统的管理不仅仅是战术和灵活性。战略管理还可以影响农业系统的性质和盈利能力。