Carruthers Integrated Management Systems, 146 Waltons Rd., Federal, NSW 2480, Australia.
J Environ Manage. 2012 Nov 15;110:125-34. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.06.003. Epub 2012 Jul 7.
This paper examines the theoretical underpinnings of the adoption of innovations, and applies this knowledge to the uptake of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) amongst Australian farmers. We examine the specific features of the EMS process that might encourage or inhibit EMS adoption. We also consider elements of the EMS process to assess their utility in promoting adoption of various other innovations. We evaluate the EMS process in the light of two characteristics previously found to influence adoption of improved natural resource management practices - 'relative advantage' and 'trialability'. Drawing on literature, and our research and experience with farmers, we conclude that there are inherent features of EMS that promote the adoption of new practices, and that the elements of the EMS process actually create an on-going process of culture change as it is implemented. We believe that the EMS process offers significant advantages to farmers seeking to improve production whilst simultaneously meeting societal expectations for enhanced natural resource management.
本文探讨了创新采用的理论基础，并将这一知识应用于澳大利亚农民对环境管理系统（EMS）的采用。我们研究了 EMS 流程的具体特点，这些特点可能会鼓励或阻碍 EMS 的采用。我们还考虑了 EMS 流程的各个要素，以评估它们在促进采用各种其他创新方面的效用。我们根据先前发现的两个特征——“相对优势”和“可试验性”，来评估 EMS 流程对改进自然资源管理实践的采用的影响。通过文献研究以及我们对农民的研究和经验，我们得出结论，EMS 具有促进新实践采用的内在特点，而且 EMS 流程的各个要素在实施过程中实际上创造了一个持续的文化变革过程。我们相信，对于那些寻求在提高生产的同时满足社会对加强自然资源管理的期望的农民来说，EMS 流程具有显著的优势。
