FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION AND USE OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE Except where ...

181 Pages·2006·1.34 MB·English

FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION AND
USE OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Except where reference is made to the work of others, the work described in
this dissertation is my own or was done in collaboration with my
advisory committee. This dissertation does not include
proprietary or classified information.

____________________________________________
Anne Mims Adrian

Certificate of Approval:

____________________________ ____________________________
Thomas E. Marshall R. Kelly Rainer, Jr., Chair
Associate Professor George Phillips Privett Professor
Management Management

____________________________ ____________________________
Mark M. Clark Stephen L. McFarland
Visiting Assistant Professor Dean
Management Graduate School
FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION AND
USE OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Anne Mims Adrian

A Dissertation
Submitted to
the Graduate Faculty of
Auburn University
in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirement for the
Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Auburn, Alabama
August 7, 2006
FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION AND
USE OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Anne Mims Adrian

Permission is granted to Auburn University to make copies of this dissertation
at its discretion, upon request of individuals or institutions at their expense.
The author reserves all publication rights.

______________________
Signature of Author

______________________
Date of Graduation
iii
DISSERTATION ABSTRACT
FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION AND
USE OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Anne Mims Adrian

Doctor of Philosophy, August 7, 2006
(M.S., Auburn University, 1987)
(B.S, Auburn University, 1985)

181 Typed Pages

Directed by R. Kelly Rainer

While the potential for creating efficiencies are possible with precision
agricultural tools, the various combinations of tools, the steep learning curve of these
technologies, and the initial investment of each of the tools complicate farmers’
decisions to adopt these technologies. The purpose of this study is to create a model
that describes, explains, and predicts precision agriculture adoption. The research
takes a multi-disciplinary approach to studying precision agriculture adoption.
The proposed model is based on the Transtheoretical Model’s stage of change
and the decision making construct, decisional balance. Additionally, the constructs of
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precision agriculture self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, and perceived compatibility
are integrated in the adoption decision model. A survey instrument was created to
measure stage of change, decisional balance, precision agriculture self-efficacy,
perceived ease of use, and perceived compatibility. 261 surveys were used in this
study to empirically test the adoption-decision model. The results indicated that
decisional balance, which is the weighing of importance of the advantages and
disadvantages of using precision agriculture did, in fact, predict the stage of change.
Additionally, perceived ease of use influenced the decisional balance. Perceived
compatibility affected both decisional balance and the stage of change. The study did
not find support that precision agriculture self-efficacy directly influenced the stage of
change, but precision agriculture self-efficacy did indirectly affect stage of change
through decisional balance and perceived ease of use. Farm size also influenced the
stage of change, while off-farm employment and educational level did not affect the
stage of change.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Sincerest appreciation goes to my committee, Drs. Kelly Rainer, Mark Clark,
and Tom Marshall who have provided me encouragement, guidance, and support. I
value the knowledge that they contribute to the Information Systems field. Also, I
want to thank Dr. Junior Feild and Ms. Claire Field who offered the most genuine
form of friendship during my doctoral program. I especially want to express my
appreciation to the Computer Technology Unit. These colleagues are friends who
never complained about picking up the slack when I was away from the office.
I also want to thank the Auburn University Precision Agriculture Team,
particularly the agricultural Extension agents who have helped me understand
precision agriculture technologies and who have given me access to the clientele who
are the end-users of this technologies. Specifically, Ms. Shannon Norwood, Mr. Chris
Dillard, and Dr. John Fulton went beyond their professional duties to help me with this
research. I also appreciate the Department of Agronomy and Soils and the Alabama
Cooperative Extension System which provided grant funds to support this research.
Finally and most importantly, I want to thank my family. My husband, John,
and our three children, Kelly, David, and Haley, helped me stay “grounded”. They
were a steady source of love and support. I am also grateful for my parents, siblings,
and step-children who were always very encouraging during this process.
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Style manual used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, Fifth Edition

Computer software used: Microsoft Word 2003, End Note 8.0, Microsoft Excel
2003, SPSS 12.0.2, and AMOS 5.0
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................xii
LIST Of FIGURES.......................................................................................................xiv
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................1
Precision Agriculture Technologies....................................................................2
Yield Monitors.........................................................................................3
Targeted Soil Sampling...........................................................................4
Remote Sensing.......................................................................................4
Variable Rate Applicators.......................................................................5
Equipment Guidance Systems.................................................................5
Precision Agriculture Research...........................................................................6
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Studying the Precision Agriculture
Adoption Decision Process..........................................................................8
Summary............................................................................................................10
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................12
Development of a Precision Agricultural Stage of Change Model...................14
Stage of Change: The Transtheoretical Model..................................................16
Precontemplation...................................................................................19
Contemplation.......................................................................................20
Preparation.............................................................................................21
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Action....................................................................................................23
Maintenance..........................................................................................23
Decisional Balance............................................................................................24
Pros ........................................................................................................26
Cons.......................................................................................................34
Decisional Balance, Stage of Change, and Intention to Use Precision
Agriculture.................................................................................................35
Factors that Influence Decisional Balance and Stage of Change......................36
Perceived Compatibility of Precision Agriculture with Existing
Farming Operations and Practices..................................................37
Perceived Ease of Use...........................................................................38
Precision Agriculture Self-efficacy.......................................................40
Communications Behaviors...................................................................43
Socioeconomic Characteristics..............................................................45
Summary............................................................................................................47
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY..................................................................................51
Research Protocol..............................................................................................51
Measure and Instrument Development..............................................................52
Participants’ Use of Precision Agriculture Tools..................................53
Target Behavior.....................................................................................53
Staging Algorithm.................................................................................55
Decisional Balance................................................................................61
Perceived Ease of Use.......................................................................................67
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Perceived Compatibility of Precision Agriculture with Existing
Operations and Practices............................................................................68
Precision Agriculture Self-efficacy...................................................................69
Communications Behaviors...............................................................................70
Farm Size, Educational Level, and Off-Farm Employment..............................71
Knowledge of Precision Agriculture.................................................................72
Participants........................................................................................................72
Survey Procedure...............................................................................................73
Sampling Methods.............................................................................................73
Plan of Analysis.................................................................................................74
Missing Data..........................................................................................74
Descriptive Statistics.............................................................................74
Confirmatory Factor Analysis...............................................................75
Decisional Balance and Stage Correlations...........................................78
Structural Equation Modeling...............................................................78
Summary............................................................................................................79
CHAPTER 4 RESULTS................................................................................................80
Descriptive Statistics.........................................................................................80
Acres Managed......................................................................................81
Value of Sales........................................................................................83
Farm Status and Educational Level.......................................................84
Knowledge, and Use of Precision Agriculture Tools............................85
Communications Behaviors...................................................................88
Confirmatory Factor Analysis...........................................................................91
Stage of Change.....................................................................................92
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