The Influence of Social Network on Chinese Farmers' Entrepreneurial Intention: The Moderating Role of Gender and Government Working Experience

Abstract

The entrepreneurial initiatives undertaken by farmers represent a crucial mechanism for attaining the strategic objectives associated with rural revitalization. Furthermore, the entrepreneurial endeavors of farmers serve as an intrinsic catalyst for the advancement of rural economic development. This study synthesizes existing theoretical frameworks and reviews relevant literature concerning the research subject. It specifically examines the guidance offered by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Theory of Entrepreneurship, highlighting their contributions to understanding the research object. It investigates the influence of social network on the entrepreneurial intention of farmers in rural China, with a particular focus on the the moderating role of gender and government working experience. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, data were collected from a valid sample of 548 farmers. The independent variable examined is social network, while the dependent variable is the farmers' entrepreneurial intention, with gender and government working experience serving as the moderating variable. The research results show that first social network has positive and significant effect on farmers' entrepreneurial intention. Second, both gender and government working experience have moderating effect in social network and farmers' entrepreneurial intention. While the findings hold significant implications for academia, policymakers, and regulatory bodies, future research could benefit from employing mixed methods approaches. Such methodologies would enable the integration of qualitative insights, which offer depth and context, with quantitative data that enhances breadth and generalizability. Additionally, future studies could explore variations across different demographic groups to provide a more nuanced understanding of the phenomena under investigation.