Resiliency and Leadership of Tobacco Producers in Greene County, TN: A Qualitative Study
Keywords:
Burley Tobacco, Adaptive Leadership, Community Resilience, Qualitative Research, Farm Diversification, Extension Education, Tobacco Quota BuyoutAbstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of current Greene County burley tobacco producers in a declining global tobacco industry. The central research question was “How have you maintained your leadership and resilience in burley tobacco production in Greene County?” Ten Greene County producers participated in this study through an interview conducted utilizing a series of 33 questions aimed at determining specific themes regarding resiliency in their communities, as well as the individual producers’ adaptive leadership styles. Data collected from interviews were synthesized to correlate perceptions of current tobacco production in Greene County from the inception of the tobacco program to present-day regarding cultural norms and economic impact, while simultaneously providing a portrayal of tobacco as a viable cash crop and its significance to present-day global production with the direct correlation of a community's response to overcoming significant change. It was discovered burley tobacco has historical ties to the producers in Greene County, but with the significant changes that have occurred within the industry in the last 20 years, it has become almost impossible to remain profitable. As a result, Greene County producers have utilized an adaptive leadership approach to forge new paths in agriculture enterprises, as well as becoming leaders on the forefront of a dwindling industry in Greene County, contributing to resiliency in a changing market environment.
References
Bogdan, R. C. & Bilken, S. K. (2007). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods (5th ed). Boston, MA: Pearson
Berkes, F. (2007). Understanding uncertainty and reducing vulnerability: Lessons from resilience thinking. Natural Hazards, 41, 283-295. doi.org/10.1007/s11069-006-9036-7
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009. Public Law 111-31 111th Congress. Title 21 USC 301. Retrieved from htt
Frankenberger, T., Mueller M., Spangler T., & Alexander S. (October 2013). Community resilience: Conceptual framework and measurement feed the future learning agenda. Rockville, MD: Westat.
Gaventa, J., Smith, B. E., & Willingham, A. W. (1990). Communities in economic crisis: Appalachia and the South. Phildelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Harris G. (2009, September 28). Flavors banned from cigarettes to deter youths. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/health/policy/23fda.html?_r=0
Heifetz, R. A. (1994). Leadership without east answers. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press. Ledesma, J. (2014). Conceptual frameworks and research models on resilience in leadership. Sage Journals, 4(3), 1-8. doi: 10.1177/2158244014545464
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications.
Luthar, S. S., Cicchietti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71, 543-562. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885202/
Mack, N., Woodsong, C., Macqueen, K., & Guest, G. (2005). Qualitative research methods: A data collector’s field guide. Durham, NC: Family Health International
Master Settlement Agreement. (1998). National Association of Attorneys general. Retrieved http://web.archive.org/web/20080625084126/http://www.naag.org/backpages/naag/tobacco/msa/msa-pdf/1109185724_1032468605_cigmsa.pdf
Mathis, G. L., & Snell, W. M. (2012). Tobacco in transition: An overview of sixty-six years of partnership between producers, processors and politicians. Essays in Economic & Business History, 25.
Norris, F. H., Stevens, S. P., Pffefferbaum, B., Wyche, K. F., & Pfefferbaum, R. L. (2008). Community resilience as a metaphor, theory, set of capacities, and strategy for disaster readiness, Am I Community Psychology, 127-150.
Northouse, P. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Reich, J. W., Zautra, A. J., & Hall, J. S. (2010). Handbook of adult resilience. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Reissman, C. (1993). Narrative analysis. Newberry Park, CA: SAGE Publications.
Schickele, R. (1954). Agriculture policy: Farms programs and national welfare. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Snell, W. M. & Chambers, O. (1991, June). Buying and selling burley quota: What factors should farmers consider? AEC-76, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky. Retrieved from http://dept.ca.uky.edu/agc/pub_author.asp?author=Snell%2C+Will
Tiller, K. (2000a). Tennessee Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Agricultural Policy Analysis Center. Retrieved from http://apacweb.ag.utk/tobacco/tnms/031000.pdf
Tiller, K. (2000b). Tobacco production in Tennessee: An Economic Perspective. University of Tennessee Agricultural Policy Analysis Center. Retrieved from http://www.agpolicy.org/pubs/ch2.pdf
Tiller, K., Feleke, S. T., and Starnes, J. H. (2010). Exits Among U.S. Burley Tobacco Growers After the End of the Federal Tobacco Program. Journal of Extension and Applied Economics 42, 2: 161-75. doi.org/10.1017/S1074070800003382
Tindall, G. (1967). The emergence of the new south 1913-1945. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press.
Womach, J. (2004). Tobacco quota buyout proposals in the 108th Congress. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service: Library of Congress. Retrieved from https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL31790.html
Wong, L. (2004). Developing adaptive leaders: The crucible experience of operation Iraqi freedom. Carlisle, PA: U.S. Army War College, Special Studies Institute. Retrieved from https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2004/ssi_wong.pdf
Yeargin, B. (2008a). Remembering North Carolina Tobacco. Charleston, SC: The History Press. Yeargin, B. (2008b). A History of North Carolina Tobacco. Charleston, SC: The History Press.
Yeargin, B. & Bickers, C. (2015). A history of burley tobacco in east Tennessee and western North Carolina. Charleston, SC: The History Press.
