Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
2005
Volume 8
Issue 4
Topic:
Economics
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Zawisza S. , Pilarska S. 2005. OPINION LEADERSHIP AND INFORMATION SOURCES IN AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION DIFFUSION PROCESSES (ON THE BASIS OF SELECTED VILLAGES IN THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE PROVINCE IN POLAND), EJPAU 8(4), #28.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume8/issue4/abs-28.html

OPINION LEADERSHIP AND INFORMATION SOURCES IN AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION DIFFUSION PROCESSES (ON THE BASIS OF SELECTED VILLAGES IN THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE PROVINCE IN POLAND)

Sławomir Zawisza, Sabina Pilarska
Department of Advisory in Agribusiness, University of Technology and Agriculture in Bydgoszcz, Poland

 

ABSTRACT



The survey of 5 Kujawsko-Pomorskie villages carried out in 2001 in Poland shows that in rural communities there are hierarchical formal and informal structures and the inhabitants are able to separate and indicate their leaders. Most of the informal opinion leaders also perform some formal duties. Farmers who are considered to be leaders of the local community own farms with more potential than other persons, they are better educated than others, they do not differ in respect of age from their imitators although the position of a leader is most frequently occupied by people aged more than 50 than 30-40. The examined leaders have successors which may motivate them even more to maintain their farms at a good level. Leaders compared with other farmers value more outside sources of information, and they feel more need to introduce changes, they are also more interested in getting familiar with novelties. Leaders of the examined populations more often than the other farmers declared a need to intensify cooperation with advisors. The research proved that TV is a very important source of information for all the people regardless their social status. The lower the education level is the more valued television is as a source of information. Advisors are more appreciated by better educated respondents. The higher education of the farmers the more they appreciate advisors as information sources and the more willing they are to introduce innovations to they farms.

Key words: village, farmers, leaders, information, innovation, diffusion.


Sławomir Zawisza
Department of Advisory in Agribusiness,
University of Technology and Agriculture in Bydgoszcz, Poland
Prof. S. Kaliskiego 7 building 3.1, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
email: zawisza@mail.atr.bydgoszcz.pl

Sabina Pilarska
Department of Advisory in Agribusiness,
University of Technology and Agriculture in Bydgoszcz, Poland
Prof. S. Kaliskiego 7 building 3.1, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.