Search

The article reviews the third edition of the book "Government Publications in Australia: Papers on Their Use and Understanding," edited by R. L. Cope.

Changing socioeconomic conditions induce changes in farm enterprise activities of individual farmers and in the regional structure of farm enterprises. A theory of instrumental activity, which focuses on the concept of enterprise commitments, is developed to explain the processes of stability and change of farm enterprises. The theory is applied to woolgrowers in Australia who were confronted by an economic crisis during the late 1960's and early 1970's. Confidence in, and attachment to, woolgrowing were found to be important components of enterprise commitment, which were related to whether woolgrowers kept their sheep or diversified into beef cattle and cash grain growing. As hypothesized, diversification was related to the relative balance of socioeconomic profit. Support of these hypotheses bolsters confidence in the utility of instrumental activity theory in dealing with problems of stability and change in farm enterprise activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]