The challenge of managing a farm business is becoming more like that facing other types of business. As this happens, general management principles that have proven useful to nonfarm managers are likely to prove useful to farm managers. This article explores the applicability of a simple general management model to farm management. The model is found to apply, and in the process helps dimension the complexity and integrated nature of decision‐making on the farm. Further research is called for to extend the application of the general management approach to farm management.