Abstract
The changing role of veterinarians in the global market is a current topic of debate and discussion. Few countries including South Africa have formally examined the changing dynamics of this profession. Therefore, the present study addressed 2 objectives. The 1st was to examine basic information about veterinarians in South Africa including their age, gender and distribution across provinces, the percentage whose practice was urban, rural or periurban, the numbers working with specific animal species, and the extent of business management and skills previously gained. The 2nd objective was to obtain opinions and insights from veterinarians in South Africa about the challenges and opportunities facing their business practices to better understand what they considered important dynamics to their businesses today. Several areas of business on which they were questioned and which were included in this study were: marketing, vision, human resources, leadership, financial management, ethics, competition, day-to-day operations, interpersonal skills and information management. This is the 1st known survey to employ a questionnaire to gain insights and opinions from veterinarians about business management skills.
Highlights
Interest in the current global market for veterinarians is a topic of continued debate and discussion[5,17]
The 1st was to examine basic information of veterinarians in South Africa, including their age, gender and distribution across provinces, the percentage whose practice was urban, rural or periurban, the numbers working with specific animal species and the extent of business management and skills previously gained
MATERIALS AND METHODS A multidisciplinary model of veterinary business practice was developed in the current study using the modules comprising the 2001/02 Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Master of Business Administration (MBA)[12]
Summary
Interest in the current global market for veterinarians is a topic of continued debate and discussion[5,17]. Our collective (veterinary) professional future is in flux and the fundamental ways of how we work[5]. This USA report identified 6 issues which could improve the economic health of the profession. These were: veterinarians’ income, economic impact of large numbers of women in the profession, global demand for all categories of veterinary services, efficiency of the delivery system, supply of veterinarians, and skills, knowledge, aptitude as well as attitude of veterinarians and veterinary students. ADepartment of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. CGordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria, 26 Melville Road, Illovo, Sandton, South Africa.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
