Today’s LeadersAgribusiness

Oriah Ben-GalKimberly ChidesterNina DobrowolskiCherish LandersCharity Ross

Agribusiness is a generic term that refers to the various businesses involved in food production, including farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales. The term has two distinctly different connotations depending on context.

Within the agriculture industry, agribusiness is widely used simply as a convenient portmanteau of agriculture and business, referring to the range of activities and disciplines encompassed by modern food production. There are academic degrees in and departments of agribusiness, agribusiness trade associations, agribusiness publications, and so forth, worldwide. Here, the term is only descriptive, and is synonymous in the broadest sense with food industry.

Among critics of large-scale, industrialized, vertically integrated food production, the term agribusiness is used as a negative, synonymous with corporate farming. As such, it is often contrasted with family farm. Some negative connotation is also derived from the negative associations of "business" and "corporation" from critics of capitalism or corporate excess.

What is Agribusiness?

- Wikipedia.com

David H. Murdock

CEO of Dole Food, Inc.

Founded by James Drummond Dole in 1851Founded in HawaiiInitially focused on canning operations and the

production of pineapplesAfter Dole merged with Castle & Cooke, Inc., it

began producing and selling a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables

Dole Food, Inc.

High School dropout Drafted by Army in 1943 CEO Positions (10)

Dole Food Inc. Castle & Cooke Inc. Huntington Tile Yankie Hill Brick Murdock Devel. Corp. Wiscassett Mills Flexi-Van Leasing Goettel, Stair Co. Ventura Farms

Other Positions Held Chairman of the Board of Dole Food/Castle & Cooke,

Inc. since 1985 Sole proprietor, Chairman, CEO of Murdock Holding Co.

(formerly Pacific Holding Co.) since 1995 Developed the Regency Club and the Sherwood Country

Club

Murdock’s Self Made Fortune

Began his career as CEO of Dole because of the company’s need for financial stability and productivity

Plans for Dole includedOffering the finest, high-quality productsLeading the industry in nutrition research and

educationAdhering to the highest ethical conduct in all

business dealings, treatment of employees, and social and environmental policies.

Murdock’s Goals & Vision

Some revere him and some loathe himHardworkingAmbitiousInnovativeOpen to new experiencesSkills

Crisis management Multi-taskingExpansion

Personality Type & Characteristics

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Leader Characteristics

•Self Driven and Determined•Years of experience as a leader and entrepreneur•Innovational•Motivator/Mentor•Industrious•Ability to continuously accomplish goals

Weak Leader Characteristics

•Egotistic•exaggerated sense of self-importance

•Overly concerned with personal gain•Lack of focus on building personal relationships

YES! Excellent motivator with a strategic visionAchieved high levels of employee satisfaction

Competitive compensation packages Working environment In depth employment training programs

Greatly expanded Dole’s product line Operating locations Public image

Launched a number of programs and campaigns to increase community involvement

Is Murdock A Successful Leader?

Indra K. Nooyi

CEO of PepsiCo, Inc.

Was founded in 1965 by Donald M. Kendall, President and CEO of Pepsi-Cola, and Herman W. Lay, Chairman and CEO of Frito-Lay, through the merger of the two companies

Sister companies and subsidiaries include Pepsi-Cola, Inc., Frito-Lay, Inc., Tropicana, Quaker Oates, and Gatorade

The drink was first made in the 1890s by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in New Bern, North Carolina

PepsiCo, Inc.

51 years oldNative of IndiaGraduated from Yale in 1980Worked for Boston Consulting Group (BCG),

Motorola, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) and then finally PepsiCo, Inc.

Indra K. Nooyi

Washington post article by Amy Joyce: “Indra is not only an incredibly talented executive but a brilliant strategist. She is one of these executives who, in the chess game of business, moves ahead of other people”

Promoted from Chief Strategist to President and CFO to Chairwoman of the Board and CEO

Known for being brilliant in the strategy, maneuvering, and organization of mergers and acquisitions

Why Nooyi?

Low LPC, task-motivated leader with certain high LPC, relationship-oriented characteristics

“Behind my cool logic lies a very emotional person” (Nooyi, 2007)

Able to create structure Remains calm in high-pressure, high-stress situationsUses relatable examples to connect her employees

with organizational goalsCharismatic and innovative leaderEncourages both an individualist and collectivist

attitude in her employees in order to achieve the desired end result for PepsiCo, Inc

Nooyi Leadership Style

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strong Leader Characteristics

•Task-motivated qualities and relationship-motivated characteristics•External and internal work experience•Inspires her employees•Realistic

Weak Leader Characteristics

•Cultural Stereotypes

YES!!!Best Place to Work for GLBT Equality, 2007

Best Performers List, List of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises

Worked her way from Chief Strategist to CEO despite social obstacles

Fortune 500

Is Nooyi Effective?

Jim Perdue

Chairman of Perdue Farms

Established in 1920Is still a family run businessone of the nation’s largest poultry processors that

produce a wide variety of chicken and turkey products

celebrated its 75th anniversary as a family-run business in 1995

Perdue Farms

Joined business in 1983 as an entry level management trainee

Worked many different management jobs in the company

Took over the business in late 1991 and also became advertising spokesman

Jim Perdue

Management process was opened up and employees have influence in decision making

Provides egalitarian culture and also empowers employees

Contains 3 skills which provide leadership skills

Technical skillsInterpersonal skillsConceptual skills

Leadership Characteristics

Jim focuses on growthDomestically and internationallyCreated vertical integration within the

companyAllowed company to save money

Characteristics to Success

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strong Leader Characteristics

•Grew up in Business•Empowers employees•Transformational Leader•Provides Guided Missile Culture

Weak Leader Characteristics

•Calm and quiet personality

Jim Perdue is an effective leader

Attained many positions in the companyStrong communication skillsFocuses on growthCommitted to quality and the success of

Perdue Farms

Effective

Richard L. Bond

CEO of Tyson Foods, Inc.

Founded is 1935 by John TysonWorld’s largest processor and marketer of poultry,

beef and porkproduct lineup ranges from fresh meats to processed

and precooked meats, refrigerated and ready to eat frozen meals

supplies over 25 billion pounds of meats to nearly every fast food chain, supermarket, and restaurant chain within the continental United States

Tyson Foods, Inc.

Degree in business administration from Elizabethtown (Pa.) College

Worked for several other food companies, including Pet Inc., before joining IBP in 1980 as an administrative assistant

President of IBP’s fresh meats divisionCEO of IBPBecame co-operating officer of Tyson Foods2003 - named president and chief operating

officer

Bond Who?

Was put in to cut costsIs supposed to develop a plan for large

expansion overseasIs expected to return the company to

profitability

Why Bond??

Rigid / Cut throatDependableResponsibleTask Oriented / Low LPC Leader Type B personalityPragmatic & MethodicalHigh Power Distance

Leadership Characteristics

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strong Leader Characteristics

•Worked his way up to CEO•Familiar with industry (30+ yrs of experience)•Accomplishes goals set by board•Fits well into company culture•Good Troubleshooting Techniques (sensational feelers)

Weak Leader Characteristics

•Is “bullied” by Tyson Family•Does not consult lower level employees•High Power Distance (In Group)•Can only do one thing at a time

Marginally!

Stock has done nothing since Bond became CEO (June 16th - $14.51 December 10th - $15.32)

Has cut expenses by $200,000,000Eliminated 4,200 JobsHave not seen any overseas significant growthLowered FY 2007 EstimatesReported Q4 profit, but lowered FY 2008

estimatesBad press has set Tyson backAgreed to Synthetic Fuel Joint Venture

Is Bond Effective?

Richard H. Lenny

CEO of Hershey’s, Inc.

Established in 1894 by Milton S. Hersheyconsidered one of the largest chocolate

companies in AmericaHershey's Kisses chocolates were first introduced

in 1907Mr. Goodbar was introduced in 1925, Hershey's

Syrup in 1926, chocolate chips in 1928, and the Krackel bar in 1938

Hershey’s, Inc.

Graduated from Kellogg Graduate SchoolWorked for Kraft Foods2001 became CEO of Hershey’sWill retire December 31, 2007

Richard Lenny

InnovativeNew productsNew markets

Focused on FutureNew CEO

Leadership Characteristics

Communication SkillsInforms employees and retailers

Strategic VisionNew displaysCut costs

Characteristics to Success

Strength vs Weakness

Strong Leader Characteristics

• Intelligence• Experience

Weak Leader Characteristics

• Internal Conflict• Autocratic

YES!

Increased net income

Various other achievements

Effective?

Compare Contrast

Low LPC• Bond• Nooyi

High LPC• Murdoch• Perdue• Lenny• Nooyi

Leaders With A VisionDavid H. Murdock

Indra K. Nooyi

Jim Perdue

Richard Lenny

No Vision – Richard Bond

Financial Crisis RepairRichard Bond

David Murdoch

Inspiration & Motivate Employees

Jim Perdue

David H. Murdock

Indra K. Nooyi

So Who’s The Best?Murdoch

Nooyi

Perdue

Lenny

Bond

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Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Oriah Ben-Gal - Kimberly Chidester - Nina Dobrowolski - Cherish Landers - Charity Ross