Doctoral School Sustainable Development II Impact of farmer’s individual behaviour on the production of environmental services.

Through their work farmers have to gain revenues and earn profits but they also produce goods and services, which are not marketable despite an existing demand. Above that some production methods aren’t paid for sufficiently. In order to have these goods and services produced and these methods applied in a way that suits the needs of society it is necessary, to establish appropriate circumstances. If more knowledge about motives, intentions and causes for decisions on farms is available, it would be possible to improve these circumstances. In some cases, farmers accept a loss of profitability in order to produce in a more environmentally friendly way- which is claimed by society. This research should clarify why some farmers take foremost profit maximisation aspects into consideration and why others base their decisions on different and multiple reasons. The first part of the research will be a qualitative Interview round with experts which should offer insights into the decision processes on farms and also help to make certain research aspects of the study clearer. Based on the results and the usage of Q-Methodology a typology of environmental attitude and behaviour styles of Austrian farmers will be created. Describing the different types or farming styles should provide further insights into motivation and the reaction of farmers to certain measures, in order to establish circumstances which facilitate enhanced or at least constant providing of environmentally sound practices.