A case study: examining perspectives of membership and staff to identify leadership, beef industry, and organization issues within the American Simmental Association

The purpose of the study was to explore the needs of the American Simmental Association as an organization to determine how leadership is defined, identify industry and ASA issues, and assess perspectives on the future of the organization and beef industry. Data were collected and compared, through interviews and field notes, from a representation on membership (21) and staff (7) to examine leadership, ASA, and the beef industry. Through In-Vivo coding, 2001 initial codes (staff: 493 and membership: 1508) were presented. The researcher conducted an intrinsic case study (Stake, 1995). Codes were then merged through pattern and axial coding. Key findings indicated that the similarities between membership and staff were division, lack of or need for communication and education, ASA science and education, and solutions to division. Differences between the participant groups were membership themes: right people in right positions, leadership addressing issues, and keep delivering the message and staff themes: confidence in decisions, risking our own obsolescence, and cull the herd. The study provided insight and recommendations for American Simmental Association's future research and practices