Intrinsic and contextual drivers of agribusiness career intentions: extending UTAUT2 with parental, gender and academic moderators

Purpose This study aimed to explore the factors influencing students’ career intentions in agribusiness, focusing on intrinsic motivation as a mediation variable and external variables such as parental involvement, gender and departmental background as moderator variables. This study applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) to analyze how motivational factors shape career choices in this vital economic sector. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was adopted, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from 425 students across various departments. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the relationships between UTAUT2 variables (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value and habit), intrinsic motivation and career intention. Moderation analysis was also conducted to assess the impact of parental involvement, gender and departmental background. Findings Performance expectancy and habit significantly influenced intrinsic motivation, with habits also showing a strong direct effect on behavioral intentions. The other UTAUT2 variables had no significant effects. Intrinsic motivation did not significantly mediate most relationships, except for a partial mediation between performance expectancy and behavioral intention. Moderation analysis revealed that parental involvement, departmental background and gender influenced several key pathways. Notably, two-parent agribusiness backgrounds strengthened some motivational pathways, while gender and department moderated the effects of habit and intrinsic motivation on students’ intentions. Female and business students reported lower behavioral intentions than their male and non-business counterparts. These findings underscore the contextual and demographic complexities that shape agribusiness career intentions. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to students in agribusiness and business programs, restricting generalizability to other fields. Self-reported data may introduce bias. Future research should use longitudinal designs and include diverse populations to explore evolving career intentions and external influences such as labor market dynamics. Social implications The findings provide valuable guidance for educators, career counselors and policymakers in designing targeted interventions to promote agribusiness careers. By fostering habitual engagement and considering the influence of family and gender, institutions can better support students in aligning their career aspirations with industry requirements. Originality/value This study extends the application of the UTAUT2 model to the context of career intentions in agribusiness, offering novel insights into how intrinsic and extrinsic factors interact to shape students’ career decisions. It also adds to the limited research on how familial and gender-based factors moderate these relationships.