Managing technological change in a New Zealand rural and farm supply business: “A case study involving AI technology adoption”

Abstract

Rural and farm supply businesses are essential to New Zealand’s agrifood sector, serving over 45,000 farms. The present study is dedicated to advisors working in one of New Zealand’s businesses that provide supplies for pasture management. This qualitative case study explores how farm advisors' perceive changes in their current practices towards a new AI-based platform designed to aid them in supporting farmers and their decision-making. Further, the study is dedicated to factors that drive and hinder the adoption of this platform. Using a qualitative case study to represent the voices of this stakeholder group is suitable, as it highlights how these individuals perceive, interpret and react to the change situation. The case study builds on a variety of data sources including webpage materials, responses to a 45-minute in-depth interview with an individual leading the AI transition within the rural and farm supply business. A purposive sampling frame was chosen, and a total of 51 farm advisors responded to the questionnaire. Results show that advisors involved in the study had mixed feelings about the adoption and were critical towards their corporate management. They believed their daily pressures of fieldwork, the requirements for, and nuances within, their work were not fully understood and accommodated within the change process. Advisors' trust and willingness to adapt appeared somewhat limited, due to shortcomings of prior systems and change management experiences. They viewed the change as an added burden, requiring double-handling of data. Further, advisors believed that the top-down approach towards change management hindered success. The implementation of training and focusing on peer-to-peer support would have been preferred. Solving these internal issues is necessary to ensure that digital investments successfully support staff and farmers