The impact of locus of control and motivations in predicting entrepreneurial intentions among farmers: a field research

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explain the impact of locus of control (LOC) and motivations on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) among agri-entrepreneurs in the region of Western Greece. Design/methodology/approach - The study was conducted in 2019 in the Western Greece region. Primary data were collected through a survey. A researcher-administered questionnaire was the data collection instrument while the individual farmer was the unit of analysis. Many data analysis methods were applied: a validity and reliability test, exploratory factor analysis, regression analysis, Kruskal–Wallis test and correlations. Findings - The results show that the proposed model explains almost 33% of the variance for the EI. Internal LOC and pull motivations have a positive relationship with the intention of entrepreneurship. EI in the agricultural sector is more dependent on LOC, motivations, age and level of education than gender and type of holding. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study provide several theoretical and practical contributions, which can be useful for other researchers. Originality/value - This research study adds to the existing literature of the EI by using a different type of sample compared to previous contributions. Mostly EI studies used student sample to measure intentions. The present study extends the antecedents of intention by using a sample of existing agri-entrepreneurs. Farmers are one of the best potential segments, and as a result, this research will help predicting how the intention process of existing entrepreneurs works, especially in the primary sector.