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Return and work in rural areas among youth: the roles of local infrastructure and entrepreneurial opportunity

Doan Thi Thuy, Pham Tien Thanh, Nguyen Hoang Chau Pha, Nguyen Thi Lan Anh

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy

ISSN: 1750-6204

Article publication date: 27 November 2024

Issue publication date: 21 February 2025

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Abstract

Purpose

A high-quality workforce plays an important role in rural development. However, many well-educated rural-born youths migrate to urban centers in search for better economic opportunity or living standard due to the socio-economic underdevelopment and a lack of good employment opportunity in rural areas. This migration potentially hampers economic activities in these areas. Therefore, encouraging these youth to return and work is important, demanding the attention of local governments. Accordingly, this research aims to examine the role of local infrastructure and entrepreneurial opportunity in enhancing their return-and-work intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from rural-born students studying in urban areas. The quantitative analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling, supplemented by qualitative methods.

Findings

Local infrastructure is positively associated with entrepreneurial opportunity and return-to-work intention. Furthermore, entrepreneurial opportunity is positively linked to return-to-work intention. These results indicate the mediating roles of entrepreneurial opportunity in the effects of local infrastructure on return-to-work intention.

Practical implications

This research offers policy implications for policymakers and local governments in developing countries, emphasizing the important roles of local infrastructure, and entrepreneurial opportunity. This can encourage well-educated rural-born youth to return and work in rural areas, thereby contributing to fostering rural development and revitalizing rural communities.

Originality/value

This research represents one of the early attempts to explore the complex relationships among local infrastructure, entrepreneurial opportunity and return-to-work intention in rural areas among well-educated rural-born youth.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research is funded by Ton Duc Thang University under grant number FOSTECT.2024.16.

Declarations of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Citation

Thuy, D.T., Thanh, P.T., Chau Pha, N.H. and Lan Anh, N.T. (2025), "Return and work in rural areas among youth: the roles of local infrastructure and entrepreneurial opportunity", Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 276-293. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-04-2024-0067

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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