Behavioural Determinants of Youth Co-operative Engagement

Abstract

Purpose -Youth Co-operative Engagement is notably low in Tanzania, and less is known about it. This study aims to address this issue by analysing the behavioural determinants of co-operative engagement among university students, with the goal of improving their engagement with co-operatives. Design/methodology/approach- Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and empirical studies, the study developed a framework to analyse the behavioural determinants of Co-operative Engagement (CE). The model and hypotheses employed a SMART PLS-SEM to analyse data that were purposively collected from 400 University Students in Tanzania, using a cross-sectional survey strategy. Findings–The analysis revealed that Attitude to co-operatives, Subjective Norms, Competence, and Perceived Behavioural Control have a direct positive and significant influence on co-operative engagement. The study employed university students who have received cooperative education, thus, there is a scope for the inclusion of diverse categories of youths without cooperative education experience, thereby improving the generalizability of findings within the youth population. Originality/value –The study identified important behavioural predictors of Co-operative Engagement. The findings are valuable to Co-operative Promotion Authorities, Co-operative Societies, Co-operative Education Institutions, and policymakers.