Ethics in agricultural and stockbreeding smes: case study

Dra.: Norma T. Jáuregui de Pivetta

o Humboldt 1885 (1414) Buenos Aires, Argentina
o Tel: (54-11) 4775-6050 / Cel: (54-911) 556534846/ E-mail: ntpivetta@yahoo.com

N.T.J. de Pivetta is professor (graduates and undergraduates) in the area of business administration, ethics and organizational behaviour at the Universidad Católica Argentina (Buenos Aires).
Herresearch and teaching interests include managerial thinking style and ethical decision making . She also teaches at the MBA at the Universidad Católica Argentina.
Currently she is researching in Ethics in Institutions of Science.
Her research has been published in different journals.
She has master degrees from the UCA (Sociology) and the Ministry of Economy of ArgentineRepublic (Public Finances).

Abstract

Family companies are a special type of business (included in the SMEs classification) and its characteristics may not fit the usual indicators. Its relative importance within the countries’ economy, especially in the case of underdeveloped countries, justifies the research about its nature, behavior and possible future.The object of the current study is the “agricultural family SME”, specifically a case, of a family business located in Zenon Pereyra, Santa Fe Province, Argentina, whose origin can be traced back to the end of XIX century, during the first Italian immigration wave.
The study lines include:
➢ Importance of the foreign immigration in the development of small towns inArgentina
➢ Cultural contribution in the development of the new communities through mixed agricultural and stockbreeding activities
➢ Land possession as an element of immigrants participation in the politic life of the new country
➢ Contribution of values for the management of their SMEs, creating a CSR that differs from that of the large companies, witha strong commitment with its employees and the environment.
The existence of family businesses dedicated to the land exploitation have a special meaning in a country such as Argentina, whose main income source are the agricultural and stockbreeding activities. These companies are not only important because of the quantity, but also because of their cultural influence, consequence ofthe skills and abilities of the immigrants.
The development of farming activities in Argentina was mostly carried out by this kind of companies. Argentina is a capitals demanding country and, in a first stage, the land itself constituted the main capital source. The State has also participated in this development by formulating national[1] and provincial policies, among other actions.KEYWORDS: Family business, agricultural and stockbreeding SMEs, SMSEs values.
ETHICS IN AGRICULTURAL AND STOCKBREEDING SMEs: case study

INTRODUCTION

The production at small and medium scale became a paradigm for the current economy - complex and globalized -, basically to stop the unemployment, to provide a solution for the capital shortage, tostrengthen the companies capabilities and to produce productive flexibility.
“Nowadays, the Latin American and Caribbean SMEs have knocked down the old myth that said that only large companies are able to generate economic growth and employment, by being the main employment generators, and contributing to fight one of the main problems of the region: unemployment”, says the BBC economistMariana Martinez. According to information provided by the Comision Economica para America Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean), the presence of SMEs in the economic structure of the region is relevant, because they represent an important percentage of variables such as production, employment and number of companies. Estimations indicate that SMEs are...