Decision Making with the Use of Digital Inclusive Financial Systems by New Agricultural Management Entities in Guangdong Province, China: A Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology-Based Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Abstract

In the context of China’s rural revitalization and expanding digital economy, this study aims to elucidate how digital financial inclusion technologies can better allocate financial resources across newly evolved agricultural entities—such as family farms, farmers’ cooperatives, and agricultural enterprises. By employing structural equation modeling (SEM) based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), we identify key determinants affecting farmers’ credit availability. Our results emphasize the overwhelming role of Digital Financial Inclusion Technology Applications (DAs) in a wide range of financial variables, particularly credit availability (CA). Notably, performance expectation did not exert a significant impact on credit availability, while variables like effort expectation, facilitating conditions, and especially social influence were significant contributors. As for social impacts, social influence emerged as a multifaceted enabler, encouraging collective support within farmer communities and thereby facilitating credit accessibility. In conclusion, our study reinforces the critical influence of DAs in molding the financial landscape and recommends targeted interventions that leverage these technologies and social dynamics to boost financial inclusion and drive rural prosperity.