Robert Carlton-shields

Leadership in Agriculture: Innovation in Macadamia Nut Farms Robert Carlton-shields

After 20 successful and rewarding years in a corporate environment my wife and I decided to follow our dreams and bought a Macadamia Farm in Southern Kwa-Zulu Natal. Understanding that the South African Macadamia industry was a relatively new industry, entirely different and new to anything either of us had ever endeavoured or been a part of; I decided to do an in depth research project as part of my MBA for the benefit of ourselves and hopefully for the benefit of the industry. I believe it important for growers and the macadamia nut industry as a whole to demonstrate strong leadership in order to ensure that both growers and the industry develop ahead of local and international markets in order to retain a competitive edge. I can only hope that I have provided some insight to the perceptions of growers and other role players in the macadamia nut industry, regarding the role of leadership and innovative behaviour to support growth and sustainability of both growers and the industry.