Organizational Leadership Challenges in Federal Marketing Orders Relating to Technology and Market Share

Federal Marketing Orders’ leadership can identify, approve, and implement necessary technologies through their research programs to provide the agricultural industry with essential tools to remain globally competitive. I examined the challenges that organizational leaders encounter when implementing technologies to remain competitive. Specifically, I explored the leadership practices of the California Table Olive Committee in approving and implementing new technologies to maintain or increase market share. Several of these aspects include identifying the necessary technologies, understanding the external pressures and consumer pressures that impact technologies, recognizing the diversity in cultural farming practices, and making necessary adjustments in relationships and approaches to research for success. The study included a qualitative flexible qualitative single case study that involved industry interviews and a quantitative survey for triangulation purposes. I concluded that leadership approaches related to identifying and approving technologies within the California Table Olive Committee are not straightforward. The leaders must utilize relationship-building and legacy strategies, as well as explore current research practices, to bring together a diverse farming industry while maintaining or increasing the California table olive’s market share.