IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v11y2024i1d10.1057_s41599-024-03188-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hesitant or determined? The influence of social and environmental factors on settlement decision-making of rural in-migrants: evidence from Dali, China

Author

Listed:
  • Yali Li

    (Tsinghua University
    Beijing Forestry University)

  • Ni Yan

    (Tsinghua University
    The University of Tokyo)

  • Haifan Cheng

    (Kunming University of Science and Technology)

  • Jing Luo

    (Central Academy of Fine Arts)

  • Zhengxu Zhou

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

The phenomenon of rural in-migration is emerging as a significant trend in various global hotspots, playing a crucial role in reshaping these rural areas from social and spatial perspectives. The decision-making process for rural in-migrants regarding settlement is complex. Although previous studies have acknowledged that settlement intentions are influenced by social and environmental factors, such as the economy, natural environment, and public service facilities, many have relied on a stated-preference approach to measure migrants’ settlement intentions. This method may overlook the inherent complexity and fluidity of the decision-making process. Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this paper formulates questions aligned with the three stages of decision-making to examine the settlement intentions of rural in-migrants. Employing multiple linear regression analysis, the study assesses the impact of social and environmental factors on the settlement decisions of rural in-migrants in four villages surrounding Dali, a renowned rural destination in southwest China that attracts a diverse range of migrants. The findings highlight the pivotal role of public service facilities’ quality in rural villages in the decision-making process, particularly among those who have already formulated settlement plans. Additionally, the research reveals that female in-migrants place a heightened emphasis on the quality of these facilities. Furthermore, a higher level of education correlates with a broader diversity of influencing factors. As migrants age, a wider range of considerations comes into play, with the natural environment emerging as a key factor for older in-migrants. This article emphasizes the equal importance of continuously improving public service facilities, strengthening economic vitality, and protecting rural natural landscapes to support the development of rural communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Yali Li & Ni Yan & Haifan Cheng & Jing Luo & Zhengxu Zhou, 2024. "Hesitant or determined? The influence of social and environmental factors on settlement decision-making of rural in-migrants: evidence from Dali, China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03188-x
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-03188-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-03188-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-03188-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jayati Ghosh, 2009. "Migration and Gender Empowerment: Recent Trends and Emerging Issues," Human Development Research Papers (2009 to present) HDRP-2009-04, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), revised Apr 2009.
    2. Douglas S. Massey & Ilana Redstone Akresh, 2006. "Immigrant Intentions and Mobility in a Global Economy: The Attitudes and Behavior of Recently Arrived U.S. Immigrants," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 87(s1), pages 954-971.
    3. Rappaport, Jordan, 2007. "Moving to nice weather," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 375-398, May.
    4. Andreas Ette & Barbara Heß & Lenore Sauer, 2016. "Tackling Germany’s Demographic Skills Shortage: Permanent Settlement Intentions of the Recent Wave of Labour Migrants from Non-European Countries," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 429-448, May.
    5. Bo Li & Qingfeng Cao & Muhammad Mohiuddin, 2020. "Factors Influencing the Settlement Intentions of Chinese Migrants in Cities: An Analysis of Air Quality and Higher Income Opportunity as Predictors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-18, October.
    6. Rory Coulter & Maarten van Ham & Peteke Feijten, 2011. "A Longitudinal Analysis of Moving Desires, Expectations and Actual Moving Behaviour," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(11), pages 2742-2760, November.
    7. van Dalen, H.P. & Henkens, C.J.I.M., 2013. "Explaining emigration intentions and behaviour in the Netherlands 2005-2010," Other publications TiSEM 511bab2c-f350-423e-9843-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    8. Shukui Tan & Yanan Li & Yan Song & Xiang Luo & Min Zhou & Lu Zhang & Bing Kuang, 2017. "Influence factors on settlement intention for floating population in urban area: a China study," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 147-176, January.
    9. Yanjiao Song & Nina Zhu, 2022. "Does Natural Amenity Matter on the Permanent Settlement Intention? Evidence from Elderly Migrants in Urban China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Ioan Sebastian Jucu & Sorina Voiculescu, 2020. "Abandoned Places and Urban Marginalized Sites in Lugoj Municipality, Three Decades after Romania’s State-Socialist Collapse," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
    11. Ilka Steiner, 2019. "Settlement or Mobility? Immigrants’ Re-migration Decision-Making Process in a High-Income Country Setting," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 223-245, February.
    12. Hendrik P. van Dalen & Kène Henkens, 2013. "Explaining emigration intentions and behaviour in the Netherlands, 2005-10," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 67(2), pages 225-241, July.
    13. Sun, Jiuxia & Ling, Ling & Huang, Zhuowei (Joy), 2020. "Tourism migrant workers: The internal integration from urban to rural destinations," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    14. Douglas S. Massey & Ilana Redstone Akresh, 2006. "Immigrant Intentions and Mobility in a Global Economy: The Attitudes and Behavior of Recently Arrived U.S. Immigrants," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 87(5), pages 954-971, December.
    15. K. Jayaraman & Shin Yuin Khu & Shaian Kiumarsi, 2019. "Emigrants' motivation business model for intention to participate in the Malaysia My Second Home program," International Journal of Services and Operations Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 33(2), pages 187-207.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tao Xu, 2022. "The Effect of Health Change on Long-Term Settlement Intentions of International Immigrants in New Destination Countries: Evidence from Yiwu City in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Ilka Steiner, 2019. "Settlement or Mobility? Immigrants’ Re-migration Decision-Making Process in a High-Income Country Setting," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 223-245, February.
    3. Junjie Gao & Lyubing Feng & Xianguo Yao, 2021. "Information Transmission Mechanism of Inequality of Opportunity and Effort on Settlement Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Philippe Wanner, 2021. "Can Migrants’ Emigration Intentions Predict Their Actual Behaviors? Evidence from a Swiss Survey," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1151-1179, September.
    5. Thomas, Rebecca L. & Chiarelli-Helminiak, Christina M. & Ferraj, Brunilda & Barrette, Kyle, 2016. "Building relationships and facilitating immigrant community integration: An evaluation of a Cultural Navigator Program," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 77-84.
    6. Els Bekaert & Amelie F. Constant & Killian Foubert & Ilse Ruyssen, 2021. "Longing for Which Home: Evidence from Global Aspirations to Stay, Return or Migrate Onwards," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 21/1028, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    7. Karin Amit & Ilan Riss, 2014. "The Subjective Well-Being of Immigrants: Pre- and Post-migration," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 119(1), pages 247-264, October.
    8. Andreas Ette & Barbara Heß & Lenore Sauer, 2016. "Tackling Germany’s Demographic Skills Shortage: Permanent Settlement Intentions of the Recent Wave of Labour Migrants from Non-European Countries," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 429-448, May.
    9. Junfeng Wang & Shaoyao Zhang & Wei Deng & Qianli Zhou, 2024. "Metropolitan Expansion and Migrant Population: Correlation Patterns and Influencing Factors in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, January.
    10. Xin Lao & Hengyu Gu, 2020. "Unveiling various spatial patterns of determinants of hukou transfer intentions in China: A multi‐scale geographically weighted regression approach," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1860-1876, December.
    11. Sarinda Taengnoi, 2014. "Economic man and social woman: Determinants of immigrants' life satisfaction," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(3), pages 1530-1549.
    12. Laura Monteiro & Michael Haan, 2022. "The Life Satisfaction of Immigrants in Canada: Does Time Since Arrival Matter more than Income?," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1397-1420, September.
    13. Isilda Mara & Michael Landesmann, 2013. "The steadiness of migration plans and expected length of stay: based on a recent survey of Romanian migrants in Italy," Norface Discussion Paper Series 2013007, Norface Research Programme on Migration, Department of Economics, University College London.
    14. Qinyi Jiang & Yuanyuan Wang & Xiaomei Ye & Xinger Li & Weimin Pan & Yuqu Wang, 2024. "Human Capital, Life Satisfaction, and the Floating Population’s Urban Settlement Intention in Cities—A Case Study of Six Cities in the Pearl River Delta," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-23, June.
    15. Elisa Barbiano di Belgiojoso & Eralba Cela & Stefania Maria Lorenza Rimoldi, 2022. "The Effect of Migration Experiences on Wellbeing Among Ageing Migrants in Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 553-579, June.
    16. Zermina Tasleem & Sohail Ayaz Muhammad & Mohd Na’eim Ajis & Nor Azizah Zainal Abidin, 2022. "Pakistan to Malaysia: What Expectations Behind Migration?," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 569-590, June.
    17. Ren, Jianyu & Xu, Zhitao & Hu, Mingzhi, 2023. "Digital economy and settlement intention of migrants in urban China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    18. Guido Friebel & Miriam Manchin & Mariapia Mendola & Giovanni Prarolo, 2018. "International Migration Intentions and Illegal Costs: Evidence from Africa-to-Europe Smuggling Routes," Working Papers 393, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Nov 2018.
    19. Gina Potarca & Laura Bernardi, 2021. "The Intermarriage Life Satisfaction Premium," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1413-1440, March.
    20. Patrick J. Carr & Daniel T. Lichter & Maria J. Kefalas, 2012. "Can Immigration Save Small-Town America? Hispanic Boomtowns and the Uneasy Path to Renewal," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 641(1), pages 38-57, May.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03188-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.