Ms Sandra Hildbrand.Research Examines Shortcomings of Sugarcane Industry
Graduate School of Business and Leadership’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Ms Sandra Hildbrand presented a paper titled: “Miller-Grower Fragmentation: A Core Challenge in the South African Sugarcane Production and Supply Systems”, at the 86th Annual Congress of the South African Sugar Technologists’ Association (SASTA) in Durban.
The Conference provides academics and representatives from the sugar industry with a platform to exchange information, experiences and learn about the latest research and innovations in the sugarcane industry.
The paper, co-authored by Hildbrand with her supervisors Professor Carel Bezuidenhout, Dr Shamim Bodhanya, Ms Kathy Hurly and Mr Ed Grantham, reviewed the collaboration regime of the South African sugar industry from a systems thinking perspective.
It is based on Hildbrand’s PhD thesis and the insights of experienced industry stakeholders. Hildbrand said she was proud to present the outcome of this innovative approach in the plenary sessions at the Conference.
‘The presentation received great amounts of positive feedback. This suggests the need for the sugar industry to focus on hard aspects such as sugarcane quality, transport and mill efficiency as well as on soft issues like leadership, trust, communication and relationship and management aspects, and to apply a holistic approach,’ said Hildbrand.
The paper aims to provide a holistic understanding of miller-grower fragmentation, which surfaced as a main challenge in the South African sugar industry.
It outlines the impacts of the fragmentation and its causes, which comprise hard, soft and structural issues. However, in contrast to other studies, it places a particular focus on soft issues.
- Thandiwe Jumo