INDIVIDUAL ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY AND ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION IN SUCCESSORS OF RURAL PROPERTIES

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study sought to explore the association between the constructs individual absorptive capacity and entrepreneurial intention in successors of rural properties in a cooperative system. Originality/value: The contribution presented expands the field of entrepreneurship studies and family succession, as well as it brings elements for the management of rural properties. Empirically, the results offer new elements for managers of cooperatives and other similar organizations to formulate strategies to assist in the preparation of the successors’ dilemma. Design/methodology/approach: The design of the adopted method followed a quantitative approach, of descriptive level, of the type survey, and transverse section. The study included 84 successors of rural properties, who were participants in a Skills Development Program for the continuity of young people in the management of properties. Questionnaires were used to evaluate the constructs of individual absorptive capacity and entrepreneurial intention. The statistical analysis used the Kruskal-Wallis with the Dunn post hoc adjusted by the Benjamini-Hochberg FDR method, Spearman correlation, and modeling structural equations with estimation by Partial Least Squares. Findings: The main conclusion of the study suggests that the successors with greater perceived behavioral control assimilate and transform more knowledge with applicability potential in the succession management in rural properties. RESUMO Objetivo: Este estudo buscou explorar a associação entre os construtos capacidade absortiva individual e intenção empreendedora em sucessores de propriedades rurais em sistema cooperativista. Originalidade/valor: A contribuição apresentada expande o campo de estudos de empreendedorismo e da sucessão familiar, bem como traz elementos para a gestão de propriedades rurais. Empiricamente, os resultados oferecem novos elementos para gestores de cooperativas e outras organizações similares para formulação de estratégias, visando auxiliar no dilema do preparo de sucessores. Design/metodologia/abordagem: O desenho do método adotado seguiu abordagem quantitativa, de nível descritivo, do tipo survey e corte transversal. Participaram do estudo 84 sucessores de propriedades rurais, os quais foram participantes de um Programa de Desenvolvimento de Competências para continuidade dos jovens na gestão das propriedades. Utilizaram-se questionários para avaliar os construtos capacidade absortiva individual e inten