Decision Making of Non-Agricultural Work by Rural Residents in Weifang, China

Since the 1990s, the rapid urbanization of China has been fueled by the massive movement of workers from the countryside to cities. Using descriptive statistics and binary regression analysis, we investigate the factors underlying rural residents' decision making to seek non-agricultural work, their work time, and work location based on data collected in Weifang, a city in the Shandong Province of China. The results show that economic factors play a pivotal role in rural residents' decision making to seek non-agricultural employment, full-time non-agricultural employment, or employment outside of their home county. Non-economic factors such as age, gender, social ties, education, access to arable land, geographical location, neighborhood effects, and self-perception are also significant factors in the decision-making process. The findings of this study shed light on future research regarding the impact of urbanization on rural residents. It also provides knowledge for future policy making on rural development and management.