The role of structural social capital in driving social-oriented sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship

Abstract

Sustainable agriculture and structural social capital (SSC) have emerged as critical players in socioeconomic recovery and sustainable food supply chains. Therefore, implementing transformation toward sustainable agriculture is necessary, considering situational conditions are crucial prerequisites. However, studies have yet to thoroughly examine the role of this social capital (SC) type in influencing sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship (SAE) under the socially impacted supply chain perspective. We clarify these critical knowledge gaps with the variable of facilitating conditions (PFCs) investigated as a mediator. To do so, this research adopts (1) established theoretical lenses in the form of SC and social entrepreneurship (SE) theories and theory of planned behavior (TPB); (2) a mixed-methods approach in the form of in-depth interviews and the survey; and (3) structural equation modeling using data collected from 416 agricultural entrepreneurs in Vietnam. This structural approach helps rigorously evaluate causal relationships based on a reliable scale validation process due to incorporating measurement error and correlated measurement error into the model ignored by some other popular approaches (e.g., regression equations). This research contributes to (1) the reconciliation of scales of the existing constructs, (2) the development of a new scale (i.e., PFCs to SAE), and (3) the discovery of relationships among SSC, PFCs, TPB's components, and intention to SAE (i.e., ISAE). The result shows the critical role of SSC in driving ISAE, and thus, it significantly contributes to the existing SC, TPB, and SE literature. It is also helpful for socially driven agricultural entrepreneurs in developing countries amid ongoing challenges.