Farmers’ Proactive Behaviour An Overview about Theoretical Bases and Factors Affecting Sustainability

Abstract

This chapter shows a review on the extant literature on the most used socio-psychological theories employed by scholars to investigate this topic. Second, through applying an exploratory case study, carried out on a sample of wineries working in the Canton of Ticino (Switzerland), the present work intends to gather more knowledge about which factors affect wine managers’ behaviour towards the adoption of more sustainable practices into their business. The case study has been preceded by a theoretical contribution based on the two most widespread theories used in research field: Stakeholders Theory (SHT) (Freeman, 1984) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991). The decision to integrate the SHT to a more socio-psychological one is due to the need to investigate the topic from a double perspective. On the one hand, the SHT allows us to gather knowledge on the effect stakeholder’s pressure has on the adoption of sustainable practices by farmers; on the other hand, the TPB ensures to understand the individual factors affecting the decision-making process towards sustainable practices.