Social management method applied in the solution of collective problems

Abstract

In the pursuit of authentic, effective, and inclusive societal deliberation, this thesis delves into social management, a paradigm that is based on characteristics such as dialog and emancipation. The practical exploration done here centers on the meat sheep industry and its challenges. With this industry as focus this thesis seeks to employ a participatory methodology to bring practice on social management, the Rapid Participatory Emancipatory Research (RPER). With the application of the RPER in the Meat Sheep Alliance of Florida (MSA) we focus on helping the members to understand and find paths to solve their own problems intrinsic to their sector. Based on this, the question that guides this work is, how can a social management method contribute to the identification and solution of collective problems related to an association of sheep farmers in the United States of America? To answer this question, the following objectives are presented: a) identify and study the current and past publications on social management and rapid participatory appraisals in rural settings; b) plan, design and develop a system to accelerate, centralize and publicize the RPER applications and; c) apply the RPER method in an association of farmers. This thesis consists of four research papers. In the first article, the international potency of the term "social management" is unraveled through a worldwide bibliometric analysis. The findings uncover the dominance of Chinese and Brazilians scholars using the term with different perspectives and brings enlightenment to the understanding of the term. The second article digs into participatory and rapid appraisal methodologies, underscoring their transformative role in rural research. These methodologies, dating back to the mid-1980s, have evolved and expanded in scope, touching diverse sectors and addressing issues like poverty, gender, and ethnic discrimination. This study was important to understand and explain the origins of the RPER and the challenges in actualizing genuine participation without reinforcing existing societal inequalities. The third article introduces a tool for the RPER application and organization. A software designed specifically on the techniques of the RPER methodology. This software, a confluence of various up to date technologies, seeks to bridge the gap in existing software tools, which predominantly cater to quantitative agricultural research. The tool's features bring benefits in the form of data transparency, centralized research documentation, automated report generation, and enhanced collaboration, positioning it as a potential notable change in participatory research. Finally, the fourth article presents an empirical case study on the Meat Sheep Alliance of Florida. By employing the principles of social management and the RPER methodology, including a thematic content analysis of the members’ speech, the research unveils the multifarious challenges the alliance confronts, from predation and disease management to labor shortages. The findings not only offer actionable insights for similar agricultural communities but also enrich the discourse on cooperative actions, dialogical management, and agricultural education. In essence, this work is a comprehensive exploration of social management in an agricultural sector, emphasizing participatory methodologies, technological advancements, and empirical applications.