Attitude toward innovation and its implications for rural community development in Mexican peasant organizations

ABSTRACT

Resistance to change and a negative attitude toward innovation (ATI) are attributes often associated to rural communities. Studies on rural ATI focus on technological adoption, but sociopsychological aspects are little explored. This article identifies the factors influencing the ATI in Mexican peasant organizations, using a systemic model with an individual sphere (affective and cognitive components), a social sphere (social capital, information, cultural values) and a territorial sphere. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 123 members of six peasants organizations in a tropical region. In the individual sphere, results showed a balance between affective and cognitive components. In the social sphere, high social capital and good information access promote a positive ATI, while cultural values do not appear as relevant barriers. Practical implications include the stigmatization eradication of rural communities as non-innovative, and their recognition as sensitive subjects building their ATI facing risks in adverse territorial contexts.

KEYWORDS:

• Rural community development
• attitude to innovation
• rural innovation
• community environment
• transdisciplinary research

Acknowledgments

This study was part of the project “Toward rural innovation in forgotten territories: a transdisciplinary approach in the Bajo Balsas (Michoacan)” financed by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT; PN2017/5435). The elaboration of this paper was supported by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) under the General Directorate of Academic Personnel (DGAPA), with a sabbatical and postdoctoral scholarships for Ana L. Burgos and Octavio T. Barrera-Perales, respectively. The authors thank Balsas Group A.C, ejidos El Baral and Juntas de Poturo, and cooperatives Capirito-Las Anonas, Guadalupe de Oropeo, Nuevo Oropeo and Pescadores de Oropeo in the Municipalities of La Huacana and Churumuco (Michoacán) that actively participated in the project. Rosaura Páez-Bistrain contributed greatly to the co-design and implementation of participatory activities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT) [PN2017/5435]; General Directorate of Academic Personnel (DGAPA) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) [Sabbatical and postdoctoral scholarships].