Study On The Influence Of Personal Characteristics On Farmers’Entrepreneurship

As a typical agricultural country, the vast majority of Thailand people are engaged in agriculture and agriculture-related production activities. Entrepreneurial behavior is essential for promoting economic growth, solving employment problems and improving a country’s overall economic development. Peasant entrepreneurship is the most important breakthrough for improving farmers’income, solving rural labor forces’employment and other social problems. However, prevous studies on entrepreneurial behavior of farmers are focused a macro level, and concerned little about the impact of farmers’characteristic on entrepreneurial behavior, therefore, this paper uses Thai farmers as an example to study the influence of personal characteristics on entrepreneurial behavior.This study first reviews classic literatures and theories on farmer entrepreneurship and personal characteristics, and then we concluded the researches related to the influence of personal characteristics on farmers’entrepreneurship at home and abroad. On this basis, this paper starts from the theories of entrepreneurial behavior and personal charicatersitics, and builds a research framework of personal characteristics’influence on entrepreneurial behavior of Thai farmers and put forward sevral research hypothesis combined with the study purpose and content of this paper. Finally, we use a variety of analysis methods, such as descriptive statistical analysis and logit regression to study analyze the impact of the need for achievement, lotus of control, risk aversion and self autonomy on farmers’ entrepreneurial behaviors by applying the data of Thailand farmers in four different regions.Reearch results of this study indicates that the sample’s age, family background and business experience as well as need for achievement, lotus of control, risk aversion and self autonomy and other aspects of personal characteristics significantly affect their entrepreneurial behavior. Age and risk aversion have a significant negative impact on farmers’ entrepreneurial while family background, business experience, need for achievement, lotus of control and self autonomy will have a significant positive impact. Study of this paper will contribute to academic research and can provide assistance to governments and policy makers. On the academic side, the study determines the effects of personal characteristic on entrepreneurial behavior and provides detailed information of Thai farmers’entrepreneurship. In terms of policy implications, the findings of this paper can be used as guidance to encourage potential farmers to become entrepreneurs. Therefore, it is usful to support Thai farmers’ entrepreneurship and improve the overall economic development of Thailand.