Date of Award

12-16-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Aditya Simha

Abstract

Farming is much like any other small business; it is managed and staffed by its owners, typically a husband and wife, and is then passed on to kin that wish to take over such a business. A better understanding of how communication plays into farm succession planning can aid in easing the stress that may be present in family interactions. Relational dialects theory is an ideal tool for examining tensions families experience as they develop succession plans because it argues that relationships are characterized by the presence of contradictory desires and needs. The anecdotes of our individual communication help define our familial relationships by creating a close, personal dialogue. The dialectical relationship between farm and family is analyzed with interviews of 9 members of family-owned farms amid succession revealing a compelling need for open, honest communication and a standard of implied succession and decision making.

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