Southeastern Arizona Ranchers’ Everyday Life Experiences and the Influence in Adoption of Innovative Drought Practices

Abstract

Southeastern Arizona ranchers’ biggest climate related concern is drought, and it can impact their everyday ranch practices. By using two theoretical frameworks, Schein’s (2010) hierarchy of organizational culture and Sociology of everyday life (Alder et al., 1987; Mars, 2020) the study was able to identify how everyday ranch routines will impact the rancher’s willingness to adopt innovative drought practices. The two research questions that guided the study are 1) how does drought management influence Southeastern Arizona ranchers’ everyday ranch practices, and 2) how, if at all do Southeastern Arizona ranchers’ everyday life routines influence their willingness to adopt innovative drought management practices? After interviewing and conducting direct observations with four ranches located in Southeastern Arizona there were four themes that directly impacted ranchers’ decision-making. Short-term persistence and generational sustainability, problem-driven ingenuity and resourcefulness, environmental synergy, and everyday interactions and community involvement provide insights into the innovative characteristics of the ranchers. With drought and other climate related factors threatening ranching operations it is important to know how ranchers' decision-making will be influenced on the everyday level.