Do integrated services enhance willingness in urban balcony agriculture? Microdata evidence from China

Introduction With the rapid progress of urbanization and rising material affluence fostering spiritual needs, balcony agriculture has gradually become a focus of urban residents in China. Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, this study explores the impact and underlying mechanisms of integrated services on urban residents’ willingness to participate in balcony agriculture. Methods Theoretical model construction combined with empirical analysis was employed. Data were collected via a structured survey of urban residents to examine the relationships between integrated services, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and participation willingness, and analyze the moderating effects of spatial conditions on these links. Results Integrated services have a significant positive impact on residents’ willingness to engage in balcony agriculture. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use mediate the relationship between integrated services and participation willingness. Spatial conditions exert a moderating effect on the links between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and participation willingness. Discussion Integrated services play a pivotal role in fostering residents’ participation in balcony agriculture; strengthening perceived usefulness and ease of use enhances their participation willingness, and optimizing spatial conditions amplifies this effect. Policy implications include encouraging enterprises to focus on customer education and training, optimize supply chain logistics, and provide one-stop shopping and other integrated solutions to support the sustainable development of balcony agriculture.