Sustainable Technological Incorporation in Aquaculture: Attitudinal and Motivational Perceptions of Entrepreneurs in the Northwest Region of Mexico

Abstract

The northwest region of Mexico stands out as one of the areas with the greatest contribution to the national aquaculture industry, which has led its producers to reconsider the need to innovate in the processes of technological incorporation in sustainable ways. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the attitudinal and motivational context perceived in aquaculture companies in the region, related to the innovation, competitiveness and support programmes. By means of Likert scaling, it was possible to identify aspects of both domains that would facilitate the development of technological innovation within aquaculture. Such an escalation also showed the need to intensify efforts, with the participation of the state, public and private universities, as well as non-governmental organisations, to develop strategies and policies that facilitate the incorporation of innovative technologies. The research design is structured under a descriptive-explanatory approach, with a cross-sectional format, in which 108 surveys were applied. These surveys were designed using the Likert scale and validated with the McDonald’s Omega method, with ω = 0.773. Cronbach’s α and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were employed, showing a correlation between the items of the construct and its subcategories. The values of the covariance of the items obtained through the exploratory analysis show that 56% of the items have a correlation greater than 0.05. This indicates that there is a positive attitude and motivation towards the implementation of technological innovation in aquaculture in the study region, with participation from all three levels of government.