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.

INTRODUCTION

The phenomenon of leadership has been known for many years as an important element of innovation management theory dealt with by researchers from different countries. As Kinnunen [2] points out the research on innovation diffusion was started by Tarde, though slowed down by two world wars, was also taken up again by American researchers. Although Ryan and Gross are considered as pioneers of agricultural innovation diffusion research it was Rogers [7] who mainly contributed to creation of a scientific discipline dealing with the innovation diffusion theory. After World War II innovation diffusion research in Europe [1, 4, 8, 11, 12] was taken up as well as in Poland by innovation researchers [5, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16].

According to the investigations carried out in traditional societies the society leaders were considered the oldest family representatives and the most credible local leaders such as the priest and the teacher [10]. Nowadays in contemporary local communities the character of leadership is changing. Persons of higher economic and social status gain more and more influence on peoples’ attitudes and opinions. Leaders become persons who perform important social functions, especially in the local authorities. Also persons whose attitudes are the most innovative and creative are most appreciated by their environment. Economic successes are noticed almost immediately by the social system members and cause that for the observers the successful persons set an example to follow and indicate certain behaviour standards.

The phenomenon of management pattern imitation is also used in agricultural counselling as a way of affecting the environment. The counsellors achieve success in their work with farmers in their local environment if they are able to start permanent cooperation with the best producers and attract the local farmers to them. If this happens everybody will be able to use both the information received by the counsellor and the local leaders’ experiences. It is very important because as Rogers [7] shows most adaptors decide to introduce innovations if there is a possibility of checking the new solution in practice. For which the best place is a prosperous farm where an experienced farmer supported by the counsellor will introduce innovations for the first time.

RESEARCH METHODS

Research aiming at identifying and describing opinion leadership phenomenon in rural societies was carried out in July and August 2001 in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province*. It is a region which apart from the Wielkopolskie Province occupies the leading position in Poland as regards the agricultural production level. The presented survey results are a continuation of previously performed and published research results [14, 15, 16].

Respondents answered 38 questions included in earlier prepared survey forms. The obtained results were used to characterize the examined agricultural communities in respect of numerous features concerning information sources. They also were used for making hierarchical socio-metric charts of 5 villages of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region and separating persons being leaders in the examined places. The person who gained the most votes from the other community members was recognized to be the leader. On the presented socio-metric charts the choices of respondents are marked with arrows which specify who voted for whom. Therefore, the information between social system units flows in the direction reverse to the arrow indications. The names of persons participating in the survey were replaced by letter symbols for remaining respondents anonymous. Symbol X was used to mark a person from a different, most often neighbouring village.

Within the examined population of 5 villages 61 farmers participated in the survey. The persons responding to the questions were men in 95.1%, the remaining 4.9% were women. The most numerous group were respondents aged 41-50 (48.2%), then aged 31-40 (23.4%) and 51-60 (21.8%), whereas, the less numerous group were persons under 30 (6.6%). Most farmers of the examined group finished three-year specialized school, 69.1%. 23.1% had high school education, only 4.8% of the respondents had a university degree, whereas 3.0% finished only elementary school. Farmers having farms bigger than the Polish average farm (about 8 ha) took part in the survey. Detailed data concerning the size of farms owned by farmers who took part in the survey can be found in the examination results.

RESULTS

The performed research was aimed at identifying persons who have the most influence on opinions, attitudes and behaviour of other people in rural communities. Respondents indicated persons whose views they most respected. Most often persons performing some formal important social duties in the local community, thus representing it outside, were indicated by the respondents. These representatives had been previously elected by the members of their communities who trusted them with the position of village administrator or councillor. Among the leaders there were two councillors and two village administrators, only one leader did not perform any formal duty in his society. In Mały Mędromierz the leader who received the most – seven votes lived in another neighbouring village. During the survey he was the village administrator. Relatively many, that is, six votes were received by a farmer from the examined village marked with the letter J who himself, however, also indicated a person from a different village voted for by others (fig. 1). Six votes were also for the leader from Wielki Mędromierz who himself voted for a respondent with the symbol G who was appreciated by five more farmers (fig. 2). In the case of these two villages two persons in each received the same number of votes. In this situation both persons had significant influence on opinions, attitudes and behaviours of other people. Definitely one leader was chosen in Bladowo. He was a councillor in his parish. (fig. 3). Inhabitants of Jeleńcz village also voted for a councillor as an opinion leader (fig. 4), and similarly he achieved seven votes. A farmer most appreciated by people from Wiskitno was chosen by eight respondents and as the only one among the leaders did not hold any office (fig. 5). Thus, as the survey results reveal having the informal position of an opinion leader is closely connected with performing official duties in the community.

In the examined population of 5 villages, from among 61 farmers there were indicated 11 leaders altogether in three categories (production, organization, opinion), including five opinion leaders. Two of them had a university degree (18.2%), five graduated from high school (45.5%), four graduated from three - year specialized school (36.3%). Unlike other farmers none of the leaders had only elementary school finished. In this group 2.0% of the surveyed graduated from the university, high school was finished by 18.0% of the farmers, whereas 76.0% had merely elementary education completed. The figure 6 contains detailed data on this subject. On the basis of the presented data it can be stated that the leaders‘ qualifications are higher than those of other farmers. Obtained results confirm the former research results [6, 16].

The research reveals that the farms of chosen leaders were larger than those of the respondents. The average size of the Polish farm is about 8 ha, however, within the group of leaders there were farms not smaller than 20-30 ha, although only 27.3% of leaders’ farms were of this category. Only one leader (9.1%) had a farm of the size 30-40 ha, whereas the others (63.6%) had 40 ha farms. However, farms of other farmers ranged from small (10 ha) up to big ones (40 ha), the latter being only 12.0%. Detailed data presented in figure 7. 100.0% of the leaders had successors, and within the remaining population the index was 78.0%. Thus, only 22.0% of the examined farmers had successors.

The age of the leaders was similar to the age of the total examined population, however, in the group of leaders there were more experienced persons, aged 51-65 (36.3%) than in the group of other farmers (20.0%). There were no people under 30 among the leaders. The most numerous group were leaders aged 41-50 (45.5%), similarly as in case of other respondents, among whom there were (46.0%) of farmers within this age. In the group of people aged 31-40 the percentage of leaders was lower (18.2%) than of their imitators (26.0%). Data concerning the age of the examined population were presented in fig. 8.

New solutions spread thanks to the adaptors’ willingness to search for the latest information and novelties. In a rural society there is always a certain group of people who are more interested in innovations and recent achievements than most of other members of the social system. According to carried out research these are leaders who feel the need to acquire latest information in 100.0%. The other respondents had slightly different attitudes. Among them 40.0% of the population did not have any doubts, 46.0% were less decided, and 14.0% did not see such a necessity (fig. 9).

In order to search for new information leaders of the examined villages most eagerly reach for specialist magazines, such as: TopAgrar, Farmer, Trzoda Chlewna. They also use information coming from television as well as from advisors. For the other farmers the basic information source is television, further magazines and newspapers, and advisors to a smaller degree. Lectures, trainings and shows organized by agricultural advisory centres were indicated as other sources of information. Neither neighbours, except for leaders, nor books or the radio were indicated as sources of significant information. Persons with university degree equally appreciate (33.3%) the advisor, television and newspapers. However, respondents with high school education considered: television (50.0%), newspapers (42.9%), and the advisor (7.1%) as the basic source of information. Similar results were also registered among persons who graduated from three-year specialized school, whereas farmers with elementary education chose television in 100.0%. The higher education of the respondent is the more he\she appreciates the advisor as a source of information. The lower education of the respondent is the more he\she appreciates television as a source of information. Detailed data have been presented in table 1.

Respondents judged also the value of information coming from the above mentioned sources using a five-point scale. The highest value was given to news broadcasted on television, found in newspapers, and coming from advisors. According to the other farmers most valued was information from television, from the neighbour and newspapers, whereas this coming from advisors was of lower value. Detailed information has been presented in the table 2.

The results indicate that for the leaders the most valued is the information coming from sources outside the community. Imitators, however, appreciate more information coming from the inner sources of the social system where they live such as the neighbour. The research confirmed earlier observations of [3, 12] pointing out a big role of mass media. Both for the leaders and for their imitators television is a very important information source. In the innovation diffusion processes personal relationships between the community members are of great importance, although for the leaders it is the advisor who is the most valued partner for them as he can provide them with the most precious knowledge. However, for the other adopters this is rather a leader or a neighbour that is a person from their own social system.

Contacts of advisors with the local community leaders are the basic condition of the proper course of innovation spreading processes. A professional advisor is therefore a precious source of information concerning the latest knowledge and he is often the initiator of innovation implementation in the rural society. Mutual acceptance and a proper choice of farmers to cooperate with the advisor can significantly accelerate new solution diffusion and modernization of the country. As the research results show more examined leaders than the other farmers saw the need to intensify contacts with the advisor. On the other hand, fewer leaders in comparison with other respondents did not express a desire to increase such contacts. The leaders were satisfied with the contacts with their agricultural advisors and they did not need to increase their frequency (45.5%), expressing their opinion rather in a decided way, or saying rather no. However, 54.5% of leaders saw the necessity to increase the contacts with advisors expressing their opinion more decidedly or answering rather yes. The other farmers (38.0%) declare such a need in a more or less decided way, whereas 52.0% do not see such a necessity (fig. 10).

Willingness to search for information about new things is directly connected with pro-innovative attitudes of adaptors and readiness to make changes on their farms. The research shows dependence between the level of education and intentions to introduce such changes. It can be stated that the higher level of education of the examined person is the more willing he\she is to make innovations on his\her farm. All farmers with university degree expressed decidedly such intentions; high school graduates were more hesitant though they were more ready to introduce such innovations. However, among the respondents with only three-year specialized school who were dominant in the examined group there appeared attitudes against innovations and the attitudes approving of innovations and changes were less popular. Among farmers with elementary education there were no decided supporters of changes, whereas, attitudes of all of the examined people were rather for or against changes (table 3).

CONCLUSIONS

Contemporary transformations of rural areas involve many activities of both their inhabitants and various institutions and organizations at the regional and central level. However, even the greatest financial support will have no effect if the rural communities themselves are not able to create patterns of active behaviour. For the development of rural areas not only financial support matters but also existence of an elite group of leaders, that is people who will be able to involve themselves in acting on behalf of their communities to such an extend that they will be considered to be reliable, respected, trustworthy and deserving to be imitated by others. Today the Polish village needs leaders in order to be able to change effectively and take up more and more challenges. It needs people who are open-minded and will go beyond the so far existing limits of knowledge and skills. It needs patterns that will be examples to follow, and which will prove that success is possible to achieve. This pattern must support involvement in social activities, good relations between the community members and an active way of living and working.

Within the research project the socio-metric structure of 5 villages of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region has been defined thanks to which the social status of the farmers has been established. It enabled to separate informal leaders of rural communities as opinion leaders. As it turned out the respondents votes for informal opinion leaders corresponded with the community formal hierarchy as the persons voted for held also some offices. The presented charts of socio-metric position of 5 villages of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region enable to make some important observations. The indicated opinion leaders most often considered a person from another community as being important or a person from their own environment who was more innovative but did not enjoy trust or respect of the community. The same was done by the imitators for whom the leader voted for by the villagers was not an important person.

The indicated leaders were owners of farms larger than farms of the other farmers. Leaders were better educated than the other farmers and all of them had successors unlike their imitators. Having a successor can be a factor motivating to maintain the property in a good condition and to increase the potential of the possessed farm. Attempting to take a better care of the owned farm can be at the same time a factor facilitating obtaining the position of a leader in the society. The owner’s efforts are certainly noticed by neighbours who contribute to the high evaluation of his\her behaviour and the condition of his\her farm. Farmers realize that in order to be competitive on the home market and for the farmers from the EU it is necessary to introduce constant changes to the production processes. The research shows that there is dependence between the education level and intentions to introduce such changes. Thus, it can be stated that the higher the education level the more willingness to make innovations on the farm. Plans and aims can not be realized without acquiring and improving knowledge. As the research shows the desire to obtain new information was greater among the leaders than the other farmers. More definitely positive opinions were those of the leaders rather than of their imitators, and no negative opinions were noted in this group contrary to the group of other farmers. Research results indicate that for the leaders the information sources coming from outside the community are the most valued, whereas the imitators appreciate also inner sources of information, coming from the society they live in. For the leaders the information from television, newspapers and advisors was the most valued. In the opinion of the other farmers the most important information was from television, the neighbour and from newspapers.

According to the research TV is a very important source of information for all the persons, regardless their social status. Along with the education level decrease the importance of television as a source of information increases. The appreciation of the advisor as a source of information rises with the education level of the respondents, the higher it is the more valued the advisor is as a source of information. As the research shows more examined leaders see the need to intensify contacts with the advisor than the other farmers. The next important information sources for them are newspapers and television. The remaining farmers choose television and newspapers as the most important information sources and the information coming from the advisor is less valued by them.

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*Surveys were carried out by Sabina Pilarska.

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