The present study was conducted in urban, peri-urban and rural localities of Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu. Data were collected personally from 150 dairy owning households hailing equally from urban, peri urban and rural areas. Family education status, herd size, input availability, market facilities, level of knowledge about improved dairy husbandry practices, economic motivation, scientific orientation, achievement motivation, self confidence and innovation proneness were found to have positive and significant relationship with management efficiency of overall sample of respondents, irrespective of the localities. Amongst situational and personal characteristics, family education status had positive and significant relationship with management efficiency among peri-urban respondents, whereas herd size and input availability were found to have positive and significant relationship with management efficiency of urban dairy farmers. The regression model showed 81.70 per cent variability in management efficiency among rural respondents followed by peri-urban (76.20%) and urban (70.80%) areas. The regression model fitted using ten independent variables had accounted for 74.60 per cent of variation in management efficiency among overall sample of respondents, irrespective of the localities. Locale wise, economic motivation was the most important variable that affected management efficiency of urban dairy farmers both directly and indirectly. Knowledge level about improved dairy husbandry practices had the maximum direct effect and scientific orientation showed maximum indirect effect on management efficiency of peri-urban respondents. In rural area, scientific orientation and achievement motivation exhibited maximum direct and indirect effects, respectively

Keyword: Management efficiency; Da