2020-1143 IJOI https://www.ijoi-online.org/ THE STUDY OF COUNTRY WOMAN’S INTENTION TO ADOPT AGRICULTURE IN MIDDLE TAIWAN Associate Prof. Dr. Yi-Yu Shih The Department of International Business, I-Shou University, No.1, Sec. 1, Syuecheng Rd., Dashu District., Kaohsiung County 84001, Taiwan, R.O.C. Prof. Dr. Ting-Yang Liu Graduate Institute of Human Resource and Knowledge Management, National Kaohsiung Normal University, No.116, Heping 1st Rd., Lingya District., Kaohsiung City 80201, Taiwan, R.O.C. Doctoral Student Wen-Hao Wu Department of Business Management, National Sun-Yat sen University, 70 Lienhai Rd., Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan, R.O.C. Adjunct Assistant Professor Dr. Ming-Feng Wu* Department of International Business, I-Shou University, No.1, Sec.1, Syuecheng Rd., Dashu District., Kaohsiung City 84001, Taiwan, R.O.C *Corresponding author: [email protected] Prof. Dr. Yung-Hsiang Lu Department of Bio-Business Management, National Chiayi University, No. 580, Sinmin Rd., West Dist., Chiayi City 600, Taiwan, R.O.C. Abstract Women are an important force input in the labor market. Especially in rural areas, country women not only bear both the household and economic burden, but are also a core force significant for community development. Their presence can be seen in rural 320 The International Journal of Organizational Innovation Volume 13 Number 3, January 2021 2020-1143 IJOI https://www.ijoi-online.org/ education, children's welfare, care for the elderly, medical care, community develop- ment and other public affairs. Therefore, it is an important topic for Taiwan's agricul- tural economy and community development to understand the factors that will affect the country women's input in agricultural production, and to empower ad assist the country women. After reviewing the relevant research on country women, this study proposed a framework combining psychological variables and mode of input in coun- tryside, trying to explain the basis that may affect the country women's engagement in agriculture. The opinions of 250 country women in Middle Taiwan were collected to serve as the basis of the analysis. In Mode 1, if we only consider the influence of background variables on the intention to adopt agriculture, the variables that will country women’s intention to adopt agriculture include: family income (β =.352), Number of children in the family (β = -.131), farm size (β = -.432), number of farm machinery owned (β =.539), and the explanatory power of the overall regression mode is .283. However, once the psychological variables are added, the family in- come and number of family members will become insignificant. Even if the influence of the educational level, farm size and number of farm machinery owned reaches the significant level, it is very weak. It shows that the introduction of psychological vari- ables will occupy most of the influence of the background variables on the intention to adopt agriculture. Obviously, psychological variables are the main factors that af- fect the country women's intention to stay in rural areas to adopt agriculture. Keywords: intention, TPB, agriculture, women. Introduction easy to be distinguished clearly, while women are the major family members Women have always been an in- participating in non-transactional activi- dispensable labor force in the labor ties. In many rural areas, women not market. Compared with ordinary women, only need to do household work, spend country women may play a more special time in farming in the field, but also par- role. Most of the women's labor supply ticipate in the development of public will focus on general work, leisure, and affairs of the community, making sig- household work, while country women nificant contributions to the local com- may cover a relatively wider range of munity's agricultural development, labor. The production activities of the medical services, rural education and family-style agriculture will generally be even the care of the elderly. combined with the transactional eco- nomic activities and livelihood activities According to a survey conducted (such as household work), which are not by Tseng (2000) on women who are en- 321 The International Journal of Organizational Innovation Volume 13 Number 3, January 2021 2020-1143 IJOI https://www.ijoi-online.org/ gaged in farming in Kaohsiung and input, educational level, agricultural ex- Pingtung, 45% of them want to develop perience, family support and other vari- sidelines due to the impact of Taiwan's ables have a significant impact on rural accession to the WTO on their own in- young farmers' intention to adopt agri- dustries; 51% of them think that them- culture. Huang (2004) took the non- ag- selves are the first choice if one of the ricultural labor force returning to agri- family members has to find a part-time culture as the object and explored the job or transfer from agriculture; 63% of factors affecting their choices to return them hope to transfer their jobs or find a to adopt agriculture. The results showed part-time job through the employment that the choice of returning to adopt ag- guidance, special cultivation and other riculture is influenced by personal char- activities organized by the government. acteristics such as "age" and "educa- As for the purpose of part-time work, tional level", as well as other factors like Khandker (1988) investigated the labor "whether to keep asking about the work participation of married women in information of non-agricultural sector Bangladesh and found that their own after returning", "the difference in places wage rate and husband's educational to which they return" and "the number level had a positive effect on the labor of dependent population in the peasant participation rate of women. Bokemeier household" and Garkovich (1987) found that Wang (2009) found that psycho- women’ attitude toward role identity will logical factors, including work values, significantly affect the degree of their can affect people's adoption of agricul- participation in agricultural work. Liu ture; Wernick and Lockeretz (1977/1980) (2001) found that women’s labor choice initiated the research on the impact of will be affected by such explanatory farmers' planting motivation on the variables as the livelihood mode of farm choice of agricultural production mode families, women's wage rate and per- and output; Conacher and Conacher sonal characteristics (such as educa- (1982), Willer and Gillmour (1992) tional level, age, life stage). Liu (2001) found that farmers’ choice of farming surveyed 245 farmers in Taiwan, and method will be influenced by their af- found that farm livelihood, women's in- fection toward the land and their care to come and personal characteristics may the environment, both of which belong affect women's labor choice. to the broad level of attitude. Therefore, Other relevant studies on farmers' this study also continues to explore the choice include: Wang (2009) found that impact of attitude on the intention to work values, work satisfaction, work adopt agriculture, and whether there are 322 The International Journal of Organizational Innovation Volume 13 Number 3, January 2021 2020-1143 IJOI https://www.ijoi-online.org/ other important influencing factors. responsibility to their families, con- sumers and the land (Cranfield, In this regard, this study further re- Henson & Holiday, 2009); farmers’ viewed the relevant studies and found knowledge and experience (Golledge that attitude is an important factor af- et al., 1972; Gold, 1980; Kates, fecting farmers' psychology and farming 1962); attitude (Best, 2008). behavior (including continuous adoption of agriculture or choice of planting 2. Farmer’s background factors: Part methods), (Conacher & Conacher, 1982; time or full-time, farm scale and the Dubgaard & Sorensen, 1988; Fisher, length of transfer time (Duram, 2000; 1989; Beus & Dunlap, 1990/1991; Lockeretz, 1995); age, educational Milder et al., 1991; Duram, 1997/2000; level, social customs and culture, Best, 2008). Besides, although farmers sources of agricultural information, may also be attracted to continue or re- curiosity about farming, flexibility turn to adopt agriculture by economic and risk tolerance (Bultena & factors (Fisher, 1989; Bruckmeier et al., Hoiberg, 1986; Korsching & Hoban, 1994; Lockeretz, 1995; Duram, 2000; 1990; Lockeretz, 1997; Regouin, Jansen, 2000; Padel, 2001; Rigby et al., 2002). 2001), yet, compared with attitude, such 3. Health and food safety considera- economic factors have less influence tions: Farmers' attention to them- (Burton et al., 1999; Lohr & Salomons- selves, their families and consumers son, 2000; Pietola & Lansink, 2001; (Lockeretz & Madden, 1987; Fisher, Darnhofer et al., 2005). 1989; Milder et al., 1991; Duram, In addition to the attitude and eco- 2000); food safety considerations nomic incentives, other factors affecting (Milder et al., 1991). farmers' adoption of agriculture include: 4. External environment: Including psychological factors, farmer’s back- modern technology, social customs ground, health and food safety consid- and culture (social contexts), agri- erations, and external environment. cultural policy and system (institu- 1. Psychological factors include: tional settings), agricultural product farmers’ psychological and cognitive channel, market structure and fi- differences or preferences for adop- nance (Duram, 2000; Fairweather, tion of agriculture (psychological 1999; Darnhofer et al., 2005). differences) (Austin et al., 2001; Therefore, to sum up, the fac- McGregor