Drivers of farmers' intention to use integrated pest management: Integrating theory of planned behavior and norm activation model

Extending the theory of planned behavior to predict the behavior of farmers in choosing low-water-intensive medicinal plants

Water scarcity has become a serious challenge in many parts of the world due to increasing demands and the impacts of climate change. The agriculture sector globally accounts for a major portion of water consumption, yet it also holds substantial potential for water conservation. Among the most effective ways to conserve water is to cultivate low-water-demanding crops, such as medicinal plants (MPs), instead of water-demanding crops (WDC). However, the voluntary participation of farmers, largely influenced by socio-psychological drivers, is crucial for successfully implementing most water conservation programs and needs to be addressed. Therefore, the main objectives of this paper were: (1) to identify the determinants that explain farmers' intention and behavior in cultivating MPs instead of WDC; and (2) to examine the effectiveness and performance of an extended version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in predicting farmers' intention and behavior toward cultivating MPs by innovatively incorporating four new variables into the original TPB model: perceived barriers, moral norms, compatibility, and relative advantage. The applicability of the theoretical framework was evaluated in the Sojasroud Plain, Zanjan province, Iran. The results of the structural equation modeling revealed that: (1) farmers' intention to cultivate MPs instead of WDC is significantly influenced by perceived barriers, moral norms, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control (the strongest predictor); and (2) farmers' behavior in cultivating MPs instead of WDC is predicted by relative advantage, compatibility, and intention (the most prominent determinant). The R2 values for predicting intention and behavior were 55% and 53%, respectively. Based on the results, some practical policies were proposed to increase the cultivation of MPs in the study area.

Enhancing work safety behavior through supply chain safety management in small and medium sized manufacturing suppliers

Enhancing work safety behaviors among Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Suppliers (SMMs) is crucial for establishing a more secure and efficient supply chain. Since the foundation of safety lies in positive prevention, it is crucial that SMMs adopt proactive and pro-social work safety behaviors that transcend mere compliance with standard regulations. Present-day diversified supply chain safety management apply varying degrees of pressures on SMMs. The effectiveness of such pressures, as well as their potential to spawn advanced safety behaviors in SMMs, is a matter of investigation. This research investigates the impact of Supply Chain Safety Management Pressure(SCSMP) on the SMMs' Work Safety Behaviors(WSB). A theoretical framework is constructed, grounded in institutional theory and theory of planned behavior, which earmarks three distinct dimensions of SCSMP: Coercive Pressure(CP), Mimetic Pressure(MP), and Normative Pressure(NP). The survey of 265 SMMs facilitated an assessment of the SMMs' Willingness for Responses(WR), which includes their Willingness for Adaptive Responses(WAR) and Willingness for Co-creative Responses(WCR). Subsequently, the resulting WSB entail Safety Compliance Behavior(SCB), Proactive Safety Behavior(PSB), and Pro-social Safety Behavior(PsSB). Among these, SCB is categorized as a basic safety behavior, while PSB and PsSB which emphasize voluntary, active, and cooperative actions, are classified as advanced safety behaviors. Our research findings underscore the substantial influence of the SCSMP in shaping WSB. WR serves as a critical intermediary, connecting external pressures with internal organizational practices. In particular, WCR is instrumental in the formation of advanced safety behavior. The theoretical contribution of this research is manifested in its enhancement of our comprehension regarding the determinants of WSB among SMMs. Furthermore, it addresses the literature gap in elucidating the effectiveness of supply chain safety management and the mechanisms behind the formation of WSB. The practical significance lies in elevating the overall safety standards throughout the supply chain and minimizing safety-related hazards among SMMs.

Towards environmental performance through responsible environmental intentions and behavior: Does environmental law cognition really matter among Chinese farmers

Rapid agricultural expansion, marked by unsustainable practices, has contributed significantly to environmental degradation globally. In response to China's escalating environmental concerns, recent environmental legislation has sought to disseminate information and promote awareness of environmental preservation among residents. This study aims to investigate the influential role of citizen environmental intentions and activist environmental intentions on responsible behavior for achieving environmental performance (EP). Moreover, the moderating influence of these environmental laws on the relationship between environment-protecting intentions and behavior, with a focus on legal cognition. Utilizing a population of 3150 farmers we select 603 farmers using simple random sampling and, this study applies the theory of planned behavior within a structural equation model framework. The findings affirm that farmers' perceived behavior control, personal factors, and attitudes directly impact both citizen and activist intentions, subsequently influencing both types of environmental-oriented behavior. Notably, the study identifies a stronger inward attitude effect compared to the outward attitude in both types of farmers' intentions. Additionally, legal cognition among farmers emerges as a crucial moderator, influencing the link between environmental intentions and behavior. The results suggest that as farmers become more familiar with environmental laws, the direct effect of their intentions on environmentally oriented behavior intensifies. Hence, the legal obligations play an essential role in shaping the farmers' pro-environmental behavior. This study aligns the individual level environmental intentions with farmer's law cognition for offering interesting insights to develop and implement imminent environmental policies. Hence, this study benefits to both practitioners and policy makers' contextualizing Chinese agricultural sector.

The impact of internet use and cognitive conflict on farmer IPM technology adoption: evidence from China

BACKGROUND

Integrated pest management (IPM) plays a crucial role in protecting agricultural environments and enhancing the quality of agricultural products. However, a major challenge in China is the conflicting understanding of IPM among farmers, leading to low adoption rates. This undermines farmers' ability to control pests and diseases while increasing risks to agricultural quality and safety. This study aimed to investigate the impact of cognitive conflicts on farmers' adoption of IPM in kiwifruit farms in Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces. Additionally, the study explored the moderating role of internet use in the relationship between cognitive conflicts and farmer adoption of IPM. Data were collected from 686 kiwifruit farms through field surveys in 2018. The binary Probit model and moderating effect models were used to assess the influence of internet use and cognitive conflict on farmer adoption of IPM.

RESULTS

The study found that cognitive conflicts significantly hindered farmers' adoption of IPM. Higher levels of cognitive conflict were associated with lower likelihoods of adopting IPM. Internet use and frequency had positive effects on farmer adoption of IPM, promoting its implementation. Moreover, internet use and frequency helped alleviate the inhibitory effect of cognitive conflicts on farmer adoption IPM.

CONCLUSION

This research enhances our understanding of cognitive conflicts among farmers when promoting IPM and provides viable strategies to improve the effectiveness of public sector promotion and stimulate farmers' willingness to adopt IPM. It emphasizes the importance of addressing cognitive conflicts and utilizing internet resources to enhance IPM adoption among kiwifruit growers in China. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

The model of norm-regulated responsibility for proenvironmental behavior in the context of littering prevention

Previous research suggests that descriptive norms positively influence proenvironmental behavior, including littering prevention. However, in some behavioral contexts, a weak descriptive norm may increase individuals' feelings of responsibility by signaling a need for action. We examined this effect in the context of litter prevention by conducting structural equation modeling of survey data from 1400 Singapore residents. The results showed that descriptive norms negatively predicted ascription of responsibility and were negatively related to littering prevention behavior via ascription of responsibility and personal norms. It also showed that strong injunctive norms can reduce the inhibitory effect of descriptive norms on ascription of responsibility. These findings were consistent with several hypotheses constituting the model of norm-regulated responsibility, a novel explanatory framework offering new insights and a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of social norms' influence on proenvironmental behavior.

Attitudes of clients of Dutch pest controllers towards integrated pest management (IPM) and preventive measures in relation to rodent nuisance

BACKGROUND

Rodent management with lethal methods (e.g., rodenticides) comes with downsides for rodent welfare, the environment and non-target species. To reduce chemical use and prevent rodent nuisance, pest controllers in the Netherlands must work according to the principles of integrated pest management (IPM). A condition for the success of IPM is that there is sufficient engagement of all parties involved, including clients of pest controllers. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the attitudes of clients regarding rodent control, IPM and the application of preventive measures. Insight into their attitudes may contribute to a better implementation of IPM and with that to a more sustainable rodent management based on more effective prevention. An online survey among 248 clients of Dutch pest controllers from both the agricultural and other sectors was carried out.

RESULTS

Respondents from the agricultural sector had a relatively negative attitude towards IPM, the new IPM regulations in the Netherlands and had little confidence in prevention. In other sectors, respondents were more positive about IPM and had more confidence in prevention. The respondents from the latter subgroup had a similar attitude compared to Dutch pest controllers who participated in a previous survey.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the study provide information for the further development and practical implementation of IPM and preventive measures and with that a more sustainable and animal friendly rodent management. They can also be helpful for a better communication and cooperation between pest controllers and their clients. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Behavioral factors driving farmers' intentions to adopt spot spraying for sustainable weed control

Smart Farming Technologies enable plant-specific agrochemical applications which can increase the efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture. However, the uptake of Smart Farming Technologies remains slow despite their potential to enhance sustainable transformation of food systems. The design of policies to promote sustainable agricultural technologies requires a holistic understanding of the complex set of factors driving the adoption of innovations at farm level. This study has a focus on behavioral factors, such as pro-environmental attitude, personal innovativeness and moral norms. Based on an online study conducted in Germany, structural equation modelling is applied to test the predictions of an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behavior, using spot spraying, a smart weeding technology, as an example. The results confirm theoretical predictions and show that indicators of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have relevant effects on farmers' adoption intentions. The extended model revealed a medium-sized (small) direct effect of moral norms on the attitude towards spot spraying (adoption intention). Personal innovativeness had a small effect on adoption intention, whereas pro-environmental attitude did not exhibit a clear direction of impact. Methodological and policy implications derived from the results are discussed noting that the inclusion of indicators for moral norms can improve the predictive power of models used in future research in this field. Overall, initiatives aimed at facilitating the exchange of opinions and related moral norms as well as collaboration among peers may contribute to voluntary sustainable innovation as it enhances adoption intentions among farmers.

Exploring the factors influencing the intention to clothing and textiles recycling among Chinese college students': a study based on TPB and VBN

Recycling apparel and fabrics is essential for preserving resources and protecting the environment, providing considerable global advantages for ecology and society. This study sought to explore the participation of Chinese college students in the recycling of clothing and fabrics by combining the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Value-Belief-Norm theory (VBN), self-identity, school education, and perceived policy effectiveness to create a comprehensive model. A total of 1,027 valid samples were obtained through stratified sampling and random sampling, primarily sourced from Eastern China, and analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) utilizing AMOS. The results of the research suggested the following: (1) College students' biospheric values emerged as the most influential factor in predicting their inclination to participate in recycling behavior. (2) VBN (encompassing biospheric and altruistic values) and self-identity significantly contributed to shaping attitude and perceived behavioral control, which in turn impacted individuals' intention to participate in recycling. (3) School education exerted a stronger moderating influence than perceived policy effectiveness on the relationship between attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention. The comprehensive model proposed in this study demonstrated superior predictive capability in explaining college students' willingness to participate in clothing and textiles recycling. It has been proven to be practical and effective. Lastly, schools should promote the practice of clothing and textiles recycling, cultivate good values, and utilize the power of social influence to encourage college students to participate in clothing and textiles recycling. The government should improve relevant laws and regulations, collaborate with academia, and adopt measures like incentives to create a pro-environment atmosphere.

Factors influencing consumers' intention to donate blood: A South African perspective

The objective of this study was to determine the factors influencing consumer intention to donate blood in an emerging market setting. A quantitative research design was followed that entailed the collection of data from 308 non-donor respondents, using a self-administered online questionnaire. The conceptual model and hypotheses were analysed statistically, using SPSS to conduct reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, and personal norms had a positive and significant influence on consumers' intention to donate blood. Ascription of responsibility was the largest influencer of personal norms towards blood donation.

Understanding evolutionary process of public participation leveraging agent-based simulation: The case of waste incineration power projects

Public participation, as a vital way for conflict management, has attracted increasing attention. Although previous studies have examined the determinants of public participation, the evolutionary process of the participatory behavior has seldom been investigated. Based on the motivation-opportunity-ability theory, a concept model was constructed to illustrate individual behavior of participation in waste incineration power (WIP) projects. Data collected from a questionnaire survey was used to examine the important factors involved in the concept model that significantly influence public's willingness to participate in WIP projects. Thereafter, an agent-based simulation within a social network based on the opinion propagation dynamics was developed to simulate the change of the agents and several simulation experiments were implemented. It was found that with the dissemination of information and the interaction of opinions, the whole network tends to converge to a few central nodes, and the difference of degree of each node also increases gradually. The increase of interaction threshold and moral incentive significantly enhance average participation intention and the proportion of participants. The findings advocate for promoting information disclosure, strengthening opinion interaction between individuals, and emphasizing the internalization of moral sense into the individual's own sense of obligation. This study could enhance the understanding of evolutionary process of public participation in WIP projects and provide valuable suggestions for the promotion of sustainable development of environmental projects.

Modelling the mass adoption potential of food waste composting among rural Chinese farmers

As a safe alternative to hazardous agrochemicals, food waste compost could prevent human health hazards and environmental degradation. Food waste composting has not garnered much popularity among farmers given their sole dependence on synthetic fertilizers for high yields and commercial returns. Hence, this study aimed to identify the factors influencing farmers' adoption of food waste composting for regular use. Empirical data were collected from 399 farmers residing in different second-tier cities in China through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used to statistically examine the models and construct correlations. Based on the study outcomes, the perceived usefulness of food waste compost, awareness of the consequences, social influence, anticipated guilt, and attitude towards food waste composting substantially impacted food waste composting intention. Intriguingly, the perceived value of sustainability and ascription of responsibility did not have a significant impact on food waste composting intention, whereas food waste composting intention substantially influenced food waste composting behavior. The results of the multi-group analysis revealed differences in the relationship between awareness of consequences and food waste composting intention across genders and educational levels. This intriguing finding provides new avenues for future research and offers novel insights into the practical applications and promotion of food waste composting. These results will improve the relevant aspects among farmers for eco-friendly farming practices, innovate food waste management strategies, and mitigate environmental deterioration resulting from hazardous agrochemicals. This study expands the current body of literature by providing government regulators and other social enterprises with effective laws, policies, and strategy development guidelines for adopting natural composting on a large scale and enhancing the nutritional value of food to prevent unforeseen health risks caused by toxic chemicals.

Who behaves more pro-environmental in the national parks: A comparison of the tourist and the hiker

The intention of pro-environmental behavior (PEB) directly affects the sustainable development of protected areas, especially national parks, but few studies have done comparative research on tourist and hiker behaviors. This study explores the intention of tourists' and hikers' pro-environmental behavior based on theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation theory (NAM). Researchers surveyed 454 tourists and 466 hikers in Wuyishan National Park a structural equation modeling data analysis method. The results demonstrate that the TPB and the NAM were accurate in describing for tourists' and hikers' pro-environmental behavior in national park. However, for specific influencing factors, hikers' attitude, awareness of consequences, and assumption of responsibility were significantly different from those of the tourists. This study sheds light on how to better comprehend and advocate for PEB in national parks and proposes different management approaches to improve the PEB of tourists and hikers.

Determinants of contractor's construction and demolition waste recycling intention in China: Integrating theory of planned behavior and norm activation model

The abundant generation of construction and demolition waste (CDW) poses a threat to the sustainable development in China and recycling plays a vital role in complying with circular economy zero-waste goal. In this study, we first investigate the determinants of contractor's intention to recycle CDW by establishing an integrative model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the norm activation model (NAM) with rational and moral considerations. Based on the questionnaire data of 210 valid responses, structural equation modeling is employed to test the proposed hypotheses and analyze the integrative structural model. The results show that the integrative model with adequate reliability and validity fits the empirical data well and the explanation power is superior to that of initial TPB model and NAM model, demonstrating the appropriateness of merging TPB and NAM in the area of CDW recycling research. Moreover, it is found that personal norms are the most critical determinant enhancing the CDW recycling intention, followed by perceived behavioral control. Although subjective norms fail to directly affect the CDW recycling intention, they can significantly strengthen personal norms and perceived behavioral control. These findings provide useful insights for government to develop effective management strategies to motivate CDW recycling intention of contractors.

Integrating the norm activation model and theory of planned behaviour to investigate farmer pro-environmental behavioural intention

Sustainable agriculture requires cooperative and coordinated action across multiple sectors and policy domains. However, farmer-stakeholder behaviors and action remain pivotal to sustainable food system management in many rural development contexts. We assess farmer pro-environmental behavioral intention through the development and application of a novel integrated approach combining two dominant psychological theories of behavior change: the Norm Activation Model (NAM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). We apply this framework to targeted research with potato growers of Kerman Province in southeastern Iran, using survey data (sample n = 381) analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). The integrated NAM-TPB model provides insight into both pro-social and self-interested motivations for farmer pro-environmental behavioral intention, with the model explaining 77% of total variance. We found that three variables, Awareness of Consequence (AC), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), and Subjective Norms (SN) were the strongest indicators of pro-environmental behavioral intention. We recommend therefore that agricultural extension and state-led farmer education should first emphasize awareness-raising of negative environmental impacts of current farming practices within training programs, and second, improve social learning amongst farmer communities through sustained farmer community engagement, thus "stabilizing" a social norm of environmental protection amongst peer networks of agricultural workers.

The Covid-19 pandemic in context of climate change perception and resource-saving behavior in the European Union countries

The resource-saving behavior in the recent period is escalating particularly due to the energy and prices crises in all of the European Union (EU). The COVID-19 pandemic not only caused changes in health concerns but also in environmental awareness and behavior. Thus, this paper aims to reveal whether the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the resource-saving behavior, and how this pandemic changed the climate change perception and personal responsibility in the EU countries. Referring to two surveys conducted in all EU countries in 2019 and 2021, the results revealed that the level of climate change perception during this period significantly decreased in all EU. Meanwhile, the level of responsibility placed on the government to solve the climate change problem increased the most. A level of the personal responsibility increased negligibly. Considering resource-saving behaviors, only the lesser usage of disposable items from 2019 to 2021 increased statistically significantly. The results of an analysis of the main determinants of resource-saving behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic period revealed that personal responsibility and the climate change solution's benefit for health positively and significantly determined all the analyzed actions. The climate change perception and climate change solution's benefit for the economy statistically significantly influenced waste reduction, the purchase of efficient appliances, and the usage of pro-environmental transportation mode instead of personal cars. Health benefits instead of the economic benefits statistically significantly contributed to the resource-saving behaviors, except for actions that require more monetary investments. The satisfaction with the COVID-19 pandemic management had an insignificant negative impact on all resource-saving actions. Thus, the tools assigned to manage this pandemic did not motivate people to save natural resources.

Environmentally Responsible Purchase Intention in Pacific Alliance Countries: Geographic and Gender Evidence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The objectives of this research were: (1) to examine the influence of environmental awareness (EA), sustainable consumption (SC) and social responsibility (SR) on the environmentally responsible purchase intention (ERPI) of consumers in the member countries of the Pacific Alliance, namely, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru; and (2) to analyze whether there is a moderating effect related to the country of residence and gender of the consumer. The study was conducted under a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. The sample consisted of 1646 consumers: 24.4% from Peru (n = 402), 25.4% from Mexico (n = 418), 26.1% from Colombia (n = 401) and 24.1% from Chile (n = 397). Data analysis and hypothesis testing were performed using a multigroup Structural Equation Model (SEM). The results show a positive influence among environmental awareness (EA), sustainable consumption (SC) and social responsibility (SR) on environmentally responsible purchase intention (ERPI). Gender and country of residence were also shown to be moderating variables in these relationships. In conclusion, it can be affirmed that the participants of this study recognize the importance of acquiring environmentally friendly products. Among them, the female population is more aware of this issue. It is recommended new business models be created to provide products and services oriented to this market according to consumers’ tastes, desires and purchasing preferences; the proposals they have should be friendly to the environment and to society.

Using a unified model of TPB, NAM and SOBC to understand students’ energy-saving behaviors: moderation role of group-level factors and media publicity

Purpose

This study aims to integrate the theory of planned behavior (TPB), norm activation model (NAM) and stimulus–organism–behavior–consequences theory (SOBC) with the moderators to investigate the main determinants of energy-saving behaviors as well as how group-level factors and media publicity significantly facilitate the energy-saving intention-behavior linkage among dormitory students in higher education institutions (HEIs).

Design/methodology/approach

A valid sample of 325 dormitory students resided in universities of Vietnam and a three-step analysis approach via SPSS 28.0 and AMOS 25.0 were used to test the hypothesized model.

Findings

This study yields that external stimuluses (subjective norms and perceived behavioral control) positively and strongly stimulate energy–energy attitude, while internal stimuluses (ascription of responsibility, awareness of consequences) arouse personal norms. Both internal and external stimuluses were found to have serially mediation effects on energy-saving behaviors via attitude toward energy saving, personal norms and energy-saving intention. Remarkably, group interaction and media publicity exert prominent positive moderation effects on the energy-saving intention–behavior relationship.

Practical implications

The findings of this research can be valuable for HEIs and policymakers to inspire university students’ energy conservation behavior for sustainable development goals.

Originality/value

This study contributed to the proenvironmental literature by adopting the SOBC paradigm that strengthens the integration of TPB and NAM models to explore the main determinants of dormitory students’ energy-saving behaviors, explain the underlying mediation mechanisms of organisms and behavioral responses and illustrate the moderation role of group-level factors and media publicity.

Explaining the ranchers' behavior of rangeland conservation in western Iran

Rangeland are one of the most important natural habitats for the protection of living and non-living organisms. Degradation of rangeland is one of the biggest threats to biodiversity loss. Ranchers', as the most important key stakeholders who have a direct relationship with rangelands, have put a lot of pressure on the rangeland sector in recent years, so that this natural habitat has been destroyed. Therefore, existing rangelands must be preserved to protect biodiversity. One of the most important strategies to protect rangeland is to change the behavior of ranchers to friendly and ecological behaviors in the environment. In this regard, this study was conducted with the general aim of explaining the ranchers' behavior of rangeland conservation in western Iran. The main research tool was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In this study, value-belief-norm (VBN) was used to identify research variables. The results showed that ranchers have used different behaviors to protect rangelands and egoistic behaviors are the main cause of the destruction of this natural habitat. In addition, the results of this study showed that the framework used was an efficient theory because it explains 53.9% of rangeland conservation behavior. Finally, in this study, based on the research findings, applied policies for the protection of natural rangelands were presented so that in addition to rangeland conservation, biodiversity can also be preserved.

Factors Contributing to Citizens' Participation in COVID-19 Prevention and Control in China: An Integrated Model Based on Theory of Planned Behavior, Norm Activation Model, and Political Opportunity Structure Theory

Chinese citizens' participation in COVID-19 prevention and control has made great contributions to the successful fight against the pandemic. The factors that have impacted citizens' participation have rarely been reported based on both social-psychological and political environmental theories. This paper presented a study to explore the determinants of Chinese citizens' participation in COVID-19 prevention and control based on a combined model of the theory of planned behavior, the norm activation model, and political opportunity structure theory. A dataset involving 463 respondents from Harbin in northeast China was acquired and analyzed. The results showed that the comprehensive model explained 62.9% of the total variance in citizens' participation behavior. The openness to public participation not only significantly directly influenced citizens' participation but also indirectly affected participation behaviors through attitude and perceived behavioral control, both of which were important mediators and had the greatest overall impacts. The awareness of consequences and subjective norms were crucial antecedents to the activation of other influencing factors. Personal norms indirectly affected participation behavior through the mediation of attitude. The empirical results showed the comprehensiveness, effectiveness, and high explanatory power of the postulated model. The study also provides both new theoretical perspectives for explaining public participation and useful practical implications for future policy development in promoting citizens' participation in public health emergency management.

Study on influence factors of public participation willingness in substation project based on integrated TPB-NAM model

Public infrastructure, such as substations, is crucial for the advancement of the economy and society. However, the “not in my backyard” phenomenon is causing concern among the population, and these two things are at odds with one another. This study aims to investigate the driving mechanism that influences participation willingness of the public in order to promote the construction of substations, so the study proposes an integration model based on the planned behavior theory and the normative activation theory. Moreover, a structural equation model is created using the two dimensions, namely, social altruism and personal egoism, while data of 568 questionnaires are used for empirical research in combination with the “Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory” method; these data are collected in the surrounding areas of three 110kV substations in Jiaozuo city, China. The key factors that affect participation willingness of the public are discussed, and the study demonstrates that the model is most significantly impacted by public trust, which is an a priori variable. Furthermore, the direct path coefficient of personal norms on participation willingness is the largest, which confirms that increased moral responsibility has a beneficial effect on project execution, and subjective norms contribute to the improvement of the assessment model overall since they are the main variables with the largest centrality degree in the system. The findings of this research better our understandings about the mechanism of “not in my backyard” and offer practical implications for its dissolution. On the basis of this, we present pertinent policy proposals for the “not in my backyard” effect that develops during the construction of public infrastructure.

NAM and TPB Approach to Consumers' Decision-Making Framework in the Context of Indoor Smart Farm Restaurants

The movement toward smart farming, which has productivity and eco-friendly roles, is emerging in the foodservice industry in the form of indoor smart farm restaurants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the consumer decision-making processes in the context of indoor smart farm restaurants. The investigational framework was designed around the norm activation model (NAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), with the moderating role of age. In particular, this study merged NAM and TPB to assess the effect of awareness of consumption consequences on consumers' attitudes as well as the role played by subjective norms in the formation of personal norms. Data were collected from 304 respondents in South Korea. As a result of structural equation modeling, the proposed hypotheses of causal relationships were generally supported, excluding only the relationship between subjective norm and behavioral intention. The moderating role of age was identified in the relationships between (1) subjective norm and attitude, and (2) personal norm and behavioral intention. This study presents not only theoretical contributions as the first empirical study on consumer behavior in the context of indoor smart farm restaurants but also presents practical suggestions from the perspective of green marketing.

Cyber-entrepreneurial intention among students in Public Universities: evidence from an Emerging Country

This paper aims to investigate the factors affecting cyber-entrepreneurial intentions among final-year students of public universities in Malaysia utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Theory of Self-Efficacy (TSE). The quantitative survey-based research method was adopted to conduct the study using both final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students from business and management schools to test the proposed research framework. A total of 364 useful responses were received to be analyzed for this study. Results showed that attitude toward entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial creativity, entrepreneurial knowledge, entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and opportunity recognition were positively correlated with cyber-entrepreneurial intentions except for personal innovativeness in technology and subjective norm, which was insignificant. This study provides insights into the way individual's intention towards cyber-entrepreneurship could be ameliorated as a career choice, particularly for final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students of business and management schools in Malaysian public universities. It helps determine appropriate approaches to direct the government, educators, and policymakers. The findings from this study invaluably contribute to the existing literature by establishing correlation between TPB and TSE and inquiring into their ultimate influences on cyber-entrepreneurial intentions.

Knowledge and Farmers' Adoption of Green Production Technologies: An Empirical Study on IPM Adoption Intention in Major Indica-Rice-Producing Areas in the Anhui Province of China

As a comprehensive technology with social, economic, and ecological benefits, integrated pest management (IPM) is crucial in fundamentally alleviating the environmental pollution caused by traditional high-input agriculture. Based on the random-sampled data of 981 farmer households in major Indica-rice-producing areas in Anhui Province, this study analyzes the impact of agricultural production knowledge on farmers' willingness to adopt IPM technology through logit models, considering integrated knowledge and categorized knowledge. The results indicate that integrated agricultural production knowledge significantly increases farmers' willingness to adopt IPM technology. However, pest-management knowledge was the only one out of four specific disciplines that significantly individually affect farmers' adoption intention. The more knowledge farmers acquire about pest management, the higher intention they have to adopt IPM. Some demographic and household characteristics also significantly influence their willingness. Based on these results, we suggest that increasing farmers' agricultural production knowledge, especially knowledge about pest management, is essential in promoting IPM technology. Besides this, IPM technology should be promoted purposely and consciously, combined with farmers' individual and family characteristics.

Drivers of Farmers’ Intention to Use the Digital Agricultural Management System: Integrating Theory of Planned Behavior and Behavioral Economics

China’s fishery industry has national and international relevance whose aquaculture production accounts for more than 60 percent of the world’s total aquaculture production. But the average amount of pesticides used per hectare in China is roughly five times of the world average. The abuse of chemical fertilizers and drugs has brought chronic, long-term, and cumulative harm to both human beings and environment. The digital agricultural management system should be adopted to reduce non-negligible environment pollution and the quality and safety risks of aquatic products. So, it is essential to understand the factors that may influence the adopting intention of this digital management approaches. The present study aimed to examine the adopting intention of farmers toward the digital agricultural management system using two theories–the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the behavioral economics–as the research framework. The population was composed of farmers in the provinces of Guangdong province in south China of whom 219 farmers were sampled with stratified random sampling technique. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data, and it was revealed that this research framework could potentially predict intention. And we observed that the two biased belief of availability bias and loss aversion bias can be the main predictive influence factors of responsible behaviors in adopting the digital agriculture management system, which highlights the importance of framing recommendations in terms of losses rather than gain may be more effective to increase farmers’ intention to adopt the digital system on their farms.

The role of peer influence and norms in organic farming adoption: Accounting for farmers' heterogeneity

Understanding the evidence-based elements that impact the adoption of organic farming is advantageous for the proper management of such adoption. Our research examines the influence of socio-psychological factors in promoting organic agriculture in Vietnam, including peer influence, social norms and personal norms. Cluster analysis is applied to account for individuals' heterogeneity in environmental beliefs regarding adopting organic farming. We find that peer influence, such as the frequency of communication and the existence of organic farming neighbors, are critical components of organic agriculture. Moreover, social and personal norms could also play a key role in incentivizing environmentally concerned farmers to convert to organic farming. Therefore, policymakers should encourage neighborhood collaboration, establish a channel for farmers to promote interaction between farmers and promote farmers' recognition of the importance of organic agriculture to effectively drive them toward the sustainable adoption of organic farming.

The role of farmers’ green values in creation of green innovative intention and green technology adoption behavior: Evidence from farmers grain green production

Grain for Green Project (GGP) is one of China’s important ecological restoration projects. The key rationale of this Program is to decrease soil erosion and develop ecological conditions. The agricultural sector is putting efforts to promote green innovation and production among farmers to achieve the targets of ecological restoration projects. However, farmers’ green values could play a constructive role in building green innovative intention and green technology adoption behaviors. Based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), the present study investigates the association between farmers’ green values and green technology adoption behavior. For empirical investigation, the current study assumes that farmers’ green values positively correlate with green innovative intention and green technology adoption behavior, respectively. Further, this study proposes that green innovative intention positively impacts green technology adoption behavior. The present study also aims to determine the mediating role of green innovative intention in the relationship between farmer green values and green technology adoption behavior. This study also attempts to check the moderating role of health consciousness in the relationship between farmer green values and green innovative intention and the relationship between farmer green values and green technology adoption behavior, respectively. For empirical analyses, the present study gathered data from303 farmers in China through a structured questionnaire method using a convenient sampling technique. The present study applied partial least square structural equation modeling for empirically examining hypotheses using Smart PLS software. The findings confirmed that farmers’ green values have a positive association with green innovative intention and green technology adoption behavior, respectively. The results further verified that green innovative intention positively correlates with green technology adoption behavior. The finding also authenticated that green innovative intention positively mediates the relationship between farmers’ green values and green technology adoption behavior. The moderating role of health consciousness in the relationship between farmers’ green values and green innovative intention is also confirmed by the results of this study. However, the findings revealed that health consciousness does not moderate the relationship between farmers’ green values and green technology adoption behavior. This study’s findings serve the literature by providing empirical insight on the importance of farmers’ green values for green innovative intention and green technology adoption behavior. Moreover, the findings also have important theoretical and practical implications.

The influence of social capital on farmers’ green control technology adoption behavior

Relying on social capital to promote farmers’ adoption of green control technology is of great significance for the governance of rural environment and the realization of sustainable agricultural development. Based on the survey data of 754 farmers in Shandong Province, this paper uses the Probit model and the instrumental variable method to empirically analyze the impact of social capital on farmers’ green control technology adoption behavior. The results show that: social capital has a promoting influence on farmers’ green control technology adoption behavior; the influence of the three dimensions of social capital on farmers’ green control technology adoption behavior is in turn social norms, social networks, and social trust; social networks play an enhanced moderating role in the process of social trust and social norms promoting farmers’ green control technology adoption behavior; education level, the number of family labor force and annual family income level have a significant positive impact on farmers’ green control technology adoption behavior, while age has a significant negative impact. Therefore, the government should make full use of social capital to promote farmers to adopt green control technology.

Exploring the Effect of Individual and Group Level Factors on the Level of Rural Residents' Domestic Waste Sorting: Evidence from Shaanxi, China

Rural residents are the main agents of rural domestic waste-sorting; their level of sorting directly relates to the improvement of their rural living environment and the construction of "beautiful countryside". Considering the data of 943 rural residents in Shaanxi Province, China, this study incorporates the factors at the individual and group levels and explores how personal norms and mianzi, which is the individual's reputation and social status, at the individual level and social capital at the group level impact the level of rural residents' domestic waste-sorting through an Ordered Probit model. The results show that personal norms and mianzi at the individual level play an important role in improving the level of rural residents' domestic waste-sorting. Meanwhile, social capital (i.e., social networking, social trust, social participation, and social norms) at the group level has significant positive impacts on the level of rural residents' domestic waste-sorting. Furthermore, mianzi plays a moderating role between personal norms, social capital, and the level of rural residents' domestic waste-sorting, respectively. These findings are useful for the Chinese government to formulate a policy about enhancing the level of rural residents' domestic waste-sorting to ease the rural environmental problem.

Development of an online pan-European Integrated Pest Management Resource Toolbox

The IPM WORKSIPM Resource Toolbox (Toolbox) has been developed as an interactive, online repository of integrated pest management (IPM) resources. Populated with high priority resources for farmers and their advisors during the project, its structure enables additional resources added over time. The repository is a public interactive website, available to anyone looking to access, understand, and implement IPM. Built on an open-source content management system, the toolbox is designed to require minimal post-production site maintenance and support, while being easily expanded to integrate resources from future initiatives. To ensure an efficient but comprehensive website design, population, maintenance, a survey of target user needs was conducted. Different type of IPM stakeholders, both internal and external to the IPMworks project, ranked the key requirements for the Toolbox, such as practical information about diseases and pests' management and economic thresholds: 343 feedbacks and answers from a survey of 10 questions, carried out across Europe in four languages, provided the key elements and foundation for the IPM Resource Toolbox website development and specification. The Toolbox resources are explained in different languages, with images, divided by topics, with the possibility to find additional details and accessible by smartphone.

How negative anthropomorphic message framing and nostalgia enhance pro-environmental behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: An SEM-NCA approach

Although extensive research has been conducted on promoting pro-environmental behaviors among consumers, little is known about whether and how negative anthropomorphic message framing (NAMF) and nostalgia affect pro-environmental behavior. To provide a framework for explaining pro-environmental behavior, this study integrates protection motivation theory, the stimulus-organism-response model, and message framing. To create the model of the influences on pro-environmental behavior, NAMF was employed as the external stimulus; the sense of environmental responsibility, environmental empathy, perceived threat, and perceived vulnerability as the psychological and cognitive response factors; pro-environmental behavior as the final decision of consumers; and nostalgia as the moderating variable. An online questionnaire was distributed and 380 usable questionnaires were collected using convenience sampling and analyzed using two complementary approaches: partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). PLS-SEM results showed that pro-environmental behavior was significantly affected by NAMF (β = 0.313, t-value = 5.583), environmental responsibility (β = 0.207, t-value = 3.994), and perceived threats (β = 0.252, t-value = 4.889). Meanwhile, an increase in nostalgia increased the effect of NAMF and environmental responsibility on pro-environmental behavior. The NCA results revealed that NAMF (d = 0.108, p < 0.001) and perceived threat (d = 0.209, p < 0.001) were key factors of pro-environmental behavior. In addition, for high level of pro-environmental behavior (>80%), NAMF (12.1%) and perceived threat (39.6%) are required. Finally, we offer several suggestions based on the results of our empirical research. For example, marketing and service offerings should be tailored to the needs of masses with different nostalgic tendencies to enhance their pro-environmental behaviors.

Driving mechanism of subjective cognition on farmers’ adoption behavior of straw returning technology: Evidence from rice and wheat producing provinces in China

Straw burning is one of the important causes of environmental pollution in rural China. As an important green production technology, straw returning is beneficial to the improvement of rural environment and the sustainable development of agriculture. Based on the improved planned behavior theory, taking the survey data of 788 farmers in Shandong, Henan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces as samples, this paper uses a multi-group structural equation model to explore the driving mechanism of subjective cognition on the adoption behavior of farmers’ straw returning technology. The results show that behavioral attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, which represent subjective cognition, all have significant driving effects on farmers’ intention to adopt straw returning technology. Behavioral intention plays a mediating role in the process of subjective cognition driving farmers’ adoption behavior of straw returning technology. Government support has a moderating role in the path from farmers’ behavioral intention to behavioral response. The subjective cognition of different types of farmers has a significant driving effect on the adoption intention of straw returning technology, but the driving strength weakens with the increase of the degree of farmers’ concurrent occupation. This study provides guidance for improving the government’s straw returning policy and regulating straw returning behavior.

Farmers' willingness to adopt geographical indication practice in Indonesia: A psycho behavioral analysis

The paper examined the factors influencing farmer’s willingness to adopt GI (geographical indication) practices in the Indonesian coffee sector from a psycho behavioral perspective. Specifically, the paper examined the psychological factors influencing the willingness of farmers to adopt GI. The study combined (1) the Planned Behavior (TPB) theory and (2) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework. The following psycho behavioral factors were constructed and tested: subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), attitudes toward behavior (ATB), perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived economic benefit (PEB). The study also investigated the effects of sociodemographic factors on these psycho behavioral constructs. The survey was conducted in two geographical indication coffee territories in Indonesia that involved 178 farmers who are perceived as willing to adopt GI practices and procedures. The relationship between constructs was investigated in which structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. The obtain data were analyzed using WarpPLS 7.0. The study finds that attitude toward behavior, perceived behavioral control, and perceived economic benefit, as important factors influencing the willingness to adopt GI practices. The subjective norm did not affect willingness to adopt GI practices. Farmers’ knowledge mainly affected perceived behavioral control and willingness to adopt GI practices and procedures.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Morocco: Applying the Health Belief Model

To identify factors that influenced Moroccans’ intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine, a cross-sectional survey among a Moroccan sample was conducted based on Health Belief Model constructs. Participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, cues to action, and intention to receive vaccine data were collected and analyzed using a structural equation model (SEM). The survey was completed by 3800 individuals; 57.2% were men, 44.5% were aged 30 to 44, and 44.6% were married. After controlling for confounders, being a woman and having a chronic disease were associated with higher acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The strongest predictor for the intention of receiving a vaccine was participants who were married. Most of the HBM constructs were shown to be significantly associated with vaccine acceptance. Susceptibility and Benefits were the strongest predictors of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine (standardized path coefficient, SPC = 0.23), followed by Severity (SPC = 0.22). Conversely, given the negative correlation between barriers and intention (SPC = −0.08), it is necessary to maintain a high level of transparency regarding the vaccines’ safety. Our study provides guidance for an implementation of vaccination strategies, intending to bolster the overall COVID-19 immunization program.

Farmers' Intended Weed Management after a Potential Glyphosate Ban in Austria

Glyphosate is controversially discussed because of its alleged harmful effects on human health and the environment. Although it is approved until December 2022 in the European Union, the Austrian government discusses a national ban. Research on farmers' intentions to deal with upcoming pesticide policy changes is limited and planned responses to a national glyphosate ban may inform accompanying measures and the development of weed management alternatives. Therefore, we have conducted 41 qualitative semi-structured interviews with farmers to explore their intended weed management if glyphosate-based herbicides were no longer available in Austria. The interviews were systematically analyzed, whereby the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with its three social-psychological constructs served as guidance, i.e., attitude toward the planned behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control toward the planned behavior. We grouped farmers based on differences in their behavioral intentions toward glyphosate-free weed management, and identified four types of farmers by assigning group-specific attributes of the TPB constructs to the groups of farmers with similar behavioral intentions. Given a national glyphosate ban, the farmers intend to implement either mechanical or chemical alternatives, which would be solely applied or combined with changes in cultivation. Attitude toward the planned behavior, descriptive norms, and perceived behavioral control affect behavioral intentions, whereas injunctive norms do not differ much between the interviewed farmers. What unites the four types of farmers is that they would rather accept a glyphosate ban, if weed management alternatives with similar effectiveness and costs were available.

Effect of Farmland Scale on Farmers' Application Behavior with Organic Fertilizer

The application of organic fertilizer is an important measure for improving the quality of agricultural products and realizing the sustainable development of agriculture. The original small-scale family business model in China is no longer suitable for the development of modern agriculture. Large-scale agricultural business has become the mainstream trend, accompanied by the increasingly active land-transfer market. It is, therefore, necessary to determine whether farmland scale influences farmers’ organic fertilizer applications in China. Based on the analysis of the influence mechanism of farmland scale on farmers’ organic fertilizer application behaviors, empirical tests were conducted using survey data from 812 citrus farmers in Sichuan Province, China. The results show that the large-scale farmers are more likely to apply organic fertilizer and increase the application intensity than small-scale farmers and that the heterogeneity of farmers also affect their organic fertilizer application behavior. The results suggest that the government should encourage farmers to conduct moderate-scale management and promote their application behavior with organic fertilizer by improving awareness, strengthening education and training, and providing financial support.

The Effect of Religiosity on Pro-environmental Behavior Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Iranian Rural Female Facilitators

Religiosity is one of the most prominent and extensive social factors influencing one’s behavior; however, there is a lack of research analyzing the religiosity impact on pro-environmental behavior, particularly for women in rural areas. To narrow the research gap, this study established a theoretical research model by incorporating religiosity into the Theory of Planned Behavior to explore factors affecting rural female facilitators’ pro-environmental behavior. The extended Theory of Planned Behavior model was consequently tested by empirical data collected from 110 rural female facilitators in Qom Province in the center of Iran. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that subjective norms and environmental attitude were positively and significantly related to pro-environmental intentions. In addition, pro-environmental intentions and perceived behavioral control were found to be significantly associated with pro-environmental behaviors. The results revealed that there was a direct and indirect relationship between religiosity and pro-environmental behaviors via perceived behavioral control. In addition, there was an indirect relationship between religiosity and pro-environmental intentions via subjective norms and environmental attitudes. Therefore, this study revealed that religiosity as social pressure plays an important role in determining pro-environmental intentions and behaviors among rural female facilitators in Iran. Thus, in order to promote pro-environmental behavior, the religiosity aspects should be considered and people should be stimulated to act in a more environmentally friendly mode via religious prism.

Development Status and Perspectives of Crop Protection Machinery and Techniques for Vegetables

Diseases and pests are important factors in vegetable cultivation; they not only affect the growth and appearance of vegetables but also affect the yield and quality. The disease and pest control of vegetables is dominated by chemical sprays, for now. As a result, the excessive use of pesticides has been a crucial factor of pesticides’ non-point source pollution, and it is also the main cause of excessive pesticide residues in vegetables. Therefore, the design of efficient plant protection machinery and technology has become an urgent demand in order to ensure the quality and safety of vegetables. In this review, the machinery and technologies for vegetable protection are introduced from the aspects of chemical control and physical control. In the aspect of chemical control, handheld sprayers, self-propelled or track sprayers, fixed-pipe spray systems, vertical and horizontal boom sprayers, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and vegetable seed treatment techniques are introduced. In the aspect of physical control, soil physical disinfection, pest trapping technologies and ozone sterilizers are introduced. Finally, the existing problems and perspectives of pesticide application sprayers and physical control equipment for vegetables are summarized. This paper can provide references for vegetable growers and researchers.

The Changes in Climate Change Concern, Responsibility Assumption and Impact on Climate-friendly Behaviour in EU from the Paris Agreement Until 2019

Climate change is one of the primary environmental problems broadly discussed in the Paris Agreement. In the literature, authors mainly focused on the changes in climate change concern. However, it is more important to answer whether the changes in concerns and responsibilities affect climate-friendly behaviour. Therefore, this study's objective was to analyse the changes in climate change concern, personal responsibility, and climate-friendly behaviour in EU-28 from 2015 (the launch of the Paris Agreement) to 2019 and evaluate how these changes contributed to separate actions. The changes in climate change concern and personal responsibility were statistically significant (F value). During the analysed period, the purchase of energy-efficient appliances increased the most. Meanwhile, the usage of environmentally friendly transport alternatives decreased. The determinants of changes in climate-friendly behaviour were identified using the multiple linear regression model. Results showed that changes in climate change concern significantly and positively affected waste management and choice of energy supplier which offers a greater share of energy from renewable sources and purchased of low-energy homes. Meanwhile, personal responsibility significantly and positively influenced switching energy suppliers but had a negative effect on home insulation. Furthermore, residents who performed high-cost behaviours (purchase of low-energy homes) also switched energy suppliers and insulated their homes. Therefore, the results indicated that the benefit and cost of behaviour (time, money) are very important aspects to promote climate-friendly behaviour. This study suggested that policymakers should raise public awareness about climate change and take all efforts to reduce the cost of high-cost behaviours and enable the possibilities to perform climate-friendly behaviour.

Hotel Guests' Psychological Distance of Climate Change and Environment-Friendly Behavior Intention

Climate change is certainly a global problem that negatively affects all nations, and thus all humans, on the globe. Nevertheless, little is known about people's perceptions of climate change and its effects on people's attitudinal and behavioral responses to climate change. The present study successfully addressed how hotel guests' environment-friendly behavior intention is formed through their self-perception as a member of the global community and their psychological distance of climate change. An online survey was used to collect quantitative data from hotel guests to verify the hypotheses. Our test results supported all the hypotheses in our conceptual model. Consequently, the findings of this study satisfactorily explained how hotel guests form their intention to engage in environment-friendly behaviors while they are staying at hotels.

Behavioral intention model for green information technology adoption in Nigerian manufacturing industries

Purpose

Greenhouse effects and the need for cost savings necessitate that an organization's information technology (IT) managers design IT equipment acquisition and service provisioning policies to reduce carbon footprint and cost. Analyzing the influencing factors that influence stakeholders' attitudes toward adopting green information technology (Green-IT) is an important input in designing these policies. In essence, the research aims to investigate into the relationship between these factors and how they influence policy-makers' behavior in Nigerian manufacturing industries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study develops a model based on the norm activation model (NAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TBP) to investigate the factors that influence decision-makers' intention in adopting Green-IT. A quantitative approach using a survey method is carried out to gather opinions of IT decision-makers using a random sampling technique. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique is applied to test the structural model and measurement model.

Findings

The study's findings support the use of the behavior model for Green-IT adoption. The study's finding indicates that subjective norms, perceived behavior control (PBC), manager's attitude, personal norm (PN), awareness of adverse consequences and the ascription of responsibility (AR) positively influence intention to adopt Green-IT.

Research limitations/implications

The development and validation of the model are the study's theoretical contributions. The study reviewed the existing literature on the utilization of Green-IT to better understand the intention to adopt Green-IT in Nigeria. It added to the literature by identifying factors that can influence it as well as theoretical underpinnings that can fit the intentions of decision-makers. The scientific community and the industrial companies would have the chance to investigate how this integrated behavioral intention model promotes the use of Green-IT. The research predictors explained about 70.20% of the variance in the behavioral intention to adopt Green-IT.

Practical implications

Research offers practical implications and recommendations for top management practitioners of the manufacturing industries. Business leaders can use the results of this study to develop an effective strategic IT policy for the successful adoption of Green-IT practices for enhanced productivity. The study found that decision-makers' Green-IT attitudes had a substantial impact on their behavioral intention to adopt Green-IT. The study highlighted the importance of the top management attitude toward green products to facilitate the adoption of Green-IT practices in manufacturing industries in Nigeria. Thus, the positive and significant attitude of policy-makers is a necessary tool toward the successful adoption of Green-IT. Therefore, to foster an environmentally sustainability friendly atmosphere, Nigeria's manufacturing industries shall strive to strengthen the decision-makers' attitude toward practicing Green-IT in their respective domains. The findings showed that AR, AQ, environmental concern (EC), perceived behavior and perceived behavior are critical factors to be considered in an organization.

Social implications

According to the findings, an individual's Green-IT attitude has a substantial impact on the environment as social behavior. As a result, the positive and essential attitude of the social sector is a key tool for efficient Green-IT implementation. Nigeria's social activists must try to create awareness campaigns to boost decision-makers' attitudes toward implementing Green-IT in their various regions to develop a friendlier environment. Thus, the identified factors can be of great help to the social sector in designing and implementing successful environmental-friendly policies that could support the adoption of Green-IT practices.

Originality/value

The current research look at Green-IT adoption in manufacturing industries of West African countries. The study offers practical implications and recommendations for top management practitioners of the manufacturing industries, government policy-makers and organizations to enhance the use of Green-IT for mitigating environmental degradation. Recommendations for future research are stated as concluding remarks.

What factors affect the water saving behaviors of farmers in the Loess Hilly Region of China?

Water shortage has become one of the most serious challenges faced by humans. Thus, improving water use behaviors and saving water are critical. In this paper, based on the extended Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, we used the structural equation model and the survey data of 558 households in the Loess Hilly Region to analyze the key factors affecting water saving behaviors of farmers. The domestic water consumption of farmers in Loess Hilly Region is mainly for diet and personal hygiene. The water-saving behaviors of farmers are significantly affected by their willingness, knowledge and age. Personal habits, policy incentives, egocentric values and biospheric values indirectly affect the willingness to save water by acting on personal water-saving norms. Gender and annual household income also have a significant impact on water-saving willingness of farmers. The estimation results of multi-group structural equation model and full-sample structural equation model are generally consistent, and there are significant differences in the influence of gender and water source adjustment variables on water-saving behaviors among different hypothetical paths. Among them, female, cellar water and well water groups have the greater impact on water-saving behaviors. These results provide references for policy makers to formulate effective rural water-saving strategies. Policymakers should strengthen the propagandize of water-saving knowledge and skills, popularize knowledge about water resources and ecological environment changes, encourage farmers to develop good water use habits, and actively promote the subsidy system for water-saving appliances. Then they should establish a supervision and management mechanism of water resources to stimulate farmers to save water, which realize the sustainable use of local water resources.

Farmers' intention to reduce pesticide use: the role of perceived risk of loss in the model of the planned behavior theory

Numerous studies have examined how farmers are involved and behave in the use of pesticides, but what drives farmers' intention to diminish pesticide applications is mostly unknown. This study explored farmers' intention to minimize pesticide use, through the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and an adjusted form of the TPB, with perceived risk of loss as an additional variable to the original model. On a scale from 1 to 5, intention to reduce pesticide use had the lowest score of all variables (2.36), indicating that most farmers did not show intention to reduce pesticide use. Only 15.2% of the farmers were willing to reduce pesticide use, while 8.3% were undecided. Moreover, 58.2% of the farmers had high levels of perceived risk of loss by the reduction of pesticide use, which explained 37.3% of farmers' intention. From the three variables of the TPB, attitudes had the highest score (3.34), indicating slightly favorable attitudes toward pesticide reduction, while perceived behavior control had the lowest score (2.70), indicating poor control of pesticide reduction. Also, the three basic variables of the TPB were positively correlated (P < 0.01) with farmers' intention to reduce pesticides, while a negative correlation (P < 0.01) was noted between intention to reduce pesticides and perceived risk of loss. The three basic variables of the TPB were significant predictors of intention, capturing 54.7% of the variation in farmers' intention. Adding perceived risk of loss as a construct to the TPB improved the predictive ability of the original model. Poor control of pesticide reduction (high-perceived barriers) and high perceived risk of loss drive farmers' intention to reduce the use of pesticides. Advancing alternative crop protection methods focusing on agro-ecology and integrated pest management should be included in the work of extension services.

Intention to reduce food waste: A study among Malaysians

Malaysia, also known as a food haven, is currently facing an excessive food waste problem which poses a threat to the environment. The objective of this research is to study the factors that affect the behavioral intention of Malaysians to reduce food waste. This study employs the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Norm Activation Model (NAM) to better understand the behavioral intention of Malaysians toward reducing food waste. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using 352 self-administered survey questionnaires. Data collected were analyzed through PLS-SEM analysis. The results show that awareness of consequences (AC) and ascription of responsibility (AR) influence personal norms, while attitude, perceived behavioral control, and personal norms (PN) have significant effect on behavioral intention (BI) to reduce food waste. Furthermore, PN partially mediates the relationship between AC and BI as well as AR and BI. This study offers critical insights which will benefit the Malaysian Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and other related parties in recognizing factors influencing the intention to reduce food waste which can be adopted to develop practical solutions to curb food waste in Malaysia.Implications: This study offers critical insights to the Malaysian Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other related parties in recognizing factors influencing the intention to reduce food waste which can be adopted to develop practical solutions to curb food waste in Malaysia.

Drivers of Residents’ Home Composting Intention: Integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Norm Activation Model, and the Moderating Role of Composting Knowledge

Home composting is judged as an effective municipal waste management option in which household contribution is essential, but it has a low adoption. The objectives of the study were to determine the factors that influence home composting intention and identify the moderating role of composting knowledge in the model, using the combined model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM). A structured questionnaire was applied to a sample of 367 residents of Isfahan city, Iran, randomly selected. Data were analyzed using cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, PLS-SEM, and PLS-MGA. Cluster analysis grouped the three clusters based on the constructs of the integrated model, and this result was confirmed by discriminant analysis. Findings show that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control can predict the intention to compost. Study results confirmed the positive effect of awareness of the consequences of composting on ascribed responsibility to compost at home, of responsibility to the personal norm, and of the personal norm on intention to compost at home. Furthermore, it was observed that composting knowledge moderates the relationship between subjective norm and behavioral intention, and the one between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention. The integrated model had more predictive power than the TPB model. The fit statistic of the integrated model was good and 71% of the variance for intention behavior toward home composting. The insights on factors affecting residents’ intention to compost obtained from this study can be used in measures and programs that reinforce and stimulate home composting.

MAROCOVID: Snapshot Monitoring of Knowledge and Perceptions of Safety Behaviors during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Morocco

To assess whether knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic predicted changes in behaviors among the general Moroccan population, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted between 30 March and 20 April involving a total of 14,157 participants. The statistical analysis of the data included univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Our results suggest that less than ten days after the Moroccan government announced "Health state of Emergency" response to the COVID-19 outbreak, public knowledge, attitude and responses to the pandemic were relatively high. More than half the respondents (63.2%) reported that they complied with more than five of nine recommended safety measures, including avoiding going out (93.2%), and frequent handwashing with soap and water (78.2%). Factors associated with an increased likelihood to adopt safety measures included perceptions that COVID-19 was a human health risk, the pandemic will continue for a long time, availability of clear information, and a lack of medicine. The largest predictor of safety behavior change was age; participants older than 55 were more likely to adopt recommended safety behaviors. Although knowledge and perception among the general public was reasonable, more encouragement from government via health education programs is needed to maintain appropriate behaviors.

A Proposed Conceptual Framework on the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices: The Role of Network Contact Frequency and Institutional Trust

To promote environmental changes in agriculture, the use of sustainable agricultural practices was considered to be crucial. Several factors have been identified that affect farmers in their decision to implement sustainable agricultural practices effectively. Despite this, the rate of adoption of sustainable agricultural practices remains below the planned level, and it is important to know how to solve this issue. In this paper, we propose a model based on the theory of planned behavior and the norm activation theory with the integration of network contact frequency as a mediator and institutional trust as a moderator to fill “the intention-behavior” gap.

Pesticide taxes or voluntary action? An analysis of responses among Norwegian grain farmers

This paper analyses two strategies to reduce the use of pesticides in grain production. We study Norwegian farmers' willingness to voluntarily forego income by reducing pesticide use as well as their responses to a doubling of the pesticide price (through increased pesticide taxes). We use mixed methods including an experiment, a survey and focus group discussions. The experiment shows that most farmers are willing to sacrifice some income to reduce environmental risks by using less pesticide. According to the survey, they are, at the same time, relatively insensitive to a 100% price increase on herbicides and fungicides. While the response to the price increase probably would have been stronger if differentiated between chemicals, our research indicates potential benefits from supporting voluntary action. Value orientations and agronomic conditions influence the stated responses in both circumstances. Respondents emphasizing environmental values are more willing to voluntarily reduce pesticide use and show a greater response to the economic incentive than farmers emphasizing economic outcome and issues such as clean fields. A hypothesized willingness to reduce pesticide use voluntarily to strengthen the reputation of the sector was, however, rejected. Farmers appear to have few alternatives to pesticides, but increased knowledge about the alternatives that do exist, seems able to promote some change. Our findings suggest that the extension service should put greater emphasis on these options, even if they may have negative effects on income.