SPACE ECONOMY & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Identifying Challenges Affecting the Formation of Knowledge-Based Businesses (With Emphasis on Development and Commercialization Scenarios in Rural Areas)

Hamdollah Sojasi Qeidari

Objective: This study aims to identify key challenges influencing the formation of knowledge-based businesses, with a focus on their development and commercialization in rural areas using the cross-impact matrix approach and scenario planning methodology.
Methods: This study is applied in its objective and employs a qualitative survey method. The statistical sample includes 75 rural business owners and 25 experts, selected based on the principle of theoretical saturation.
Findings: Using content analysis, 54 challenges were identified and categorized into six major groups: 1. Human Resource Management, 2. Taxation and Customs Regulations, 3. Marketing and Sales, 4. Licensing and Supervision, 5. Financial Issues and Market Supply & Demand, 6. Intellectual Property System. Among these, 44 challenges were validated using the fuzzy Delphi technique. The impact of key variables was assessed through MICMAC software, and future commercialization scenarios for rural knowledge-based businesses in Iran were generated using Scenario Wizard software. Out of the 12 identified scenarios, the seventh scenario was deemed the most optimal, as all key drivers were in a favorable state. However, two scenarios: 1. Utilizing customer surveys to understand consumer preferences (E2), 2. Leveraging multiple platforms and channels for advertising (F2) remained in an intermediate position.
Conclusions: The golden scenario extracted in this research revolves around training professional, problem-solving, and creative individuals to address destabilizing risks in the commercialization of rural knowledge-based businesses.

A Framework for the Team Resilience Model of Startup Founders in Iran

Hossein Rahimi Kolour

Objective: With the rise of the internet and information technology in recent decades, startups have emerged as a platform for creating new business opportunities based on innovative ideas. Since startups are closely tied to the technology sector, they have become a driving force in national economies. However, their high failure rate highlights the reality that failure is an inherent and inevitable part of the startup ecosystem. Given the limited resources and time available to startups, a single failed project can lead to the collapse of an entire business. Furthermore, the impact of global pandemics (COVID-19) and economic sanctions on Iran has caused several Iranian startups to struggle or fail. Therefore, the present study aims to develop a framework for the team resilience model of startup founders in Iran.
Method: This study is applied and exploratory in purpose and employs a qualitative approach using Grounded Theory. The research includes multiple case studies of companies such as industrial robotics firms, precision instrumentation businesses, and online appointment platforms that have successfully navigated the startup lifecycle and demonstrated resilience. The sampling process followed a snowball approach, continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved after 11 interviews. Data validity was ensured through participant review, while reliability was assessed using the test-retest method. The Holsti percentage agreement method was used to determine coding consistency, achieving an 82% match.
Findings: The study identifies seven key factors influencing the success or failure of resilience in Iranian startup teams, encompassing 20 underlying concepts. These factors are categorized within a paradigmatic model as follows: - Causal Factors: Individual and team-level factors; - Contextual Factors: Political, economic, and social conditions, organizational practices, cultural influences, and collective resources; - Intervening Factors: Organizational structure, group composition, task design, expectations, and communication; - Strategies: Agile leadership (maintaining performance and well-being) and resilience learning; - Outcomes: Team-based business resilience, including behavior management, strategic planning, learning, and cultural adaptation. Additionally, the study highlights that technical expertise, specialized knowledge, and individual skills within a team significantly contribute to either success or failure. Psychological attributes such as self-confidence, risk-taking, and a learning-oriented mindset in business were also identified as crucial elements in the startup resilience model.
Conclusion: The results indicate that while startup teams experience challenges and crises, these obstacles ultimately serve as learning opportunities, fostering positive experiences that enhance preparedness and resilience adaptability for future challenges.

The Role of Tourism in Developing Rural Businesses(case study: Hamedan county)

ebrahim fathinia

Objective: This study aims to identify tourism patterns in the development of rural businesses in Hamadan County and propose an optimal model for the role of tourism in fostering rural economic activities.
Methods: This research is applied in nature and follows a field-based, survey-oriented, and descriptive approach. Data were collected using both field studies and library research methods. The study examines 40 tourism experts across 40 villages, 440 rural households, categorized into three groups: experts, local residents, and business owners.
Findings: Tourism-related businesses in the study area lack balanced geographical distribution, though some business indicators have improved over time. Factor analysis identified five key factors influencing rural business development:

Social Factors (26.77% variance explained)
Tourism Factors (17.95%)
Managerial-Communication Factors (16.73%)
Economic Factors (16.16%)
Physical-Environmental Factors (7.21%)

Regression analysis showed that the model explains 92% of the variation, with 14 significant indicators. The most influential factors based on Beta coefficients were physical infrastructure, economic investment, and capital investment.
Conclusions: The results showed that the components of economic participation, investment, and physical activity are the best components and variables for predicting the dependent variable. Another result of the research indicated that the sales situation is in an unfavorable state and tourism businesses in general do not have a proper geographical distribution and are mainly located in the southwestern part of the region.

Paradigmatic analysis of the development structures of small tourism businesses in the rural areas of Gilan

Farhad Javan

Objective: The most important objective of this research analyses the paradigmatic structure of the emerging tourism enterprises in small areas of Gilan in rural settings.
Methods: The present study, in terms of its objective, is applied, with an interpretive and analytical nature, and in terms of its methodology, it falls into the category of qualitative research. For data analysis, grounded theory and the FBWM (Fuzzy Best-Worst Method) model were employed. Data collection was carried out through both documentary and library studies, as well as interviews and questionnaires. The statistical population includes experts and elites in the field of tourism studies and rural tourism entrepreneurs in the targeted villages. A purposive sampling method (until saturation of results) was used, resulting in a final sample size of 35 participants.
Results: Categories causing rural residents' awareness of tourism jobs, banking credits, and rural interaction networks were found. Categories included informing rural residents, corruption and discrimination mitigation, integrated management, and efficient planning, which were found to be intervening structures. Providing infrastructure in villages, human capital development, reducing bureaucracy, and having flexible regulations were identified as contextual structures. Among the causal structures, the awareness hindering tourism jobs to rural residents had the highest weight (0.321) followed by the integrated management among the intervening structures, also received the highest weight (0.314). Among context structures, providing infrastructure on villages served the highest weight (0.320). In addition, four strategies were developed: meetings among the specialists, experts, and managers from organizations relating tourism with mobilization of small business in villages; an educational workshop held for rural residents to improve businesses and interaction with tourists; studies to research needs and infrastructures of tourism services in Gilan villages with a systematic approach; and support for active tourism businesses. As an outcome of this, three were identified: sustainable tourism in their economic, social, physical, and environmental dimensions in villages; change the direction of rural residents towards rural employment with a focus on tourism; and building a business model of tourism based on lived experiences of rural residents in Gilan.
Conclusions: It is evident that tourism businesses in rural areas have become a global phenomenon entailing multiple factors for responding their very needs to the tourists. Therefore, now it is necessary to understand the way small tourism businesses are being developed, for it deals with resolving such issues as increasing disparity, population explosion, and burgeoning unemployment in the rural setting of Gilan.

Examining the Attitudes of the Local Community to Participate in the Development of Agricultural Tourism (Case Study: Siyahkalrud Rural District)

mehdi hesam

Objective: Economic challenges and employment issues in rural areas have led to increased attention toward innovative forms of tourism, such as agricultural tourism. In recent years, agriculture in many regions of the country has faced difficulties, but leveraging existing agricultural capacities can facilitate the development of agricultural tourism activities and attract tourists as a complementary sector to agriculture. A crucial factor in this regard is the willingness of the local community to participate in the development of this type of tourism. Therefore, the present study investigates the extent of local community willingness to engage in the development of agricultural tourism in the Siyahkalrud Rural District of Rudsar County.
Methods: This study is applied in terms of purpose, employs both documentary and field methods for data collection with a quantitative approach, and is descriptive-analytical in nature. The statistical population consists of residents of rural settlements in the Siyahkalrud Rural District, comprising 1,942 households. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 385 households was selected. To analyze the data, various statistical tests were employed, including binomial tests, Friedman ranking tests, Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests.
Findings: The findings indicate that in all assessed indicators—including economic, social, infrastructure services and facilities, and agricultural tourism activities—the majority of respondents demonstrated a willingness above the average threshold (3). The results of the Friedman ranking test reveal that the highest-ranked indicator is agricultural tourism activities (3.21), followed by economic (3.19), social (1.85), and infrastructure services and facilities (1.75). Additionally, a strong positive correlation was observed among all indicators. The Mann-Whitney U test results show that women exhibited a higher willingness than men, single individuals were more willing than married individuals, and those with access to agricultural spaces were more inclined to participate compared to those without such spaces.
Conclusion: The study concludes that rural residents are primarily motivated by economic factors in their interest in developing agricultural tourism. However, social factors such as maintaining personal privacy and a lack of familiarity with agricultural tourism concepts have somewhat influenced their willingness. Nevertheless, with comprehensive planning, investment in infrastructure, community education, and the promotion of responsible tourism, it is possible to achieve sustainable agricultural tourism development in the region, ultimately contributing to the economic and social improvement of local residents.

Price Transmission Mechanism in the Market of Selected Fishery Products (Bivariate GARCH Model)

Hossein Amiri

Objective: This study aims to examine price transmission dynamics and assess the extent of price transmission between wholesale and retail levels in the seafood market.
Methods: The study employs the bivariate GARCH model and the Houck model to analyze the symmetry and asymmetry of price transmission in selected seafood markets, including trout, silver pomfret, common carp, white pomfret, anchovy, croaker, cold-water fish, warm-water fish, and shrimp. The analysis is based on monthly data from 2011 to 2019.
Findings: The results indicate that the hypothesis of symmetric price transmission is only confirmed in the short term for silver pomfret and croaker, while it is rejected for other products. Conversely, in the long term, the hypothesis of asymmetric price transmission is confirmed for trout, silver pomfret, and croaker but rejected for the other seafood products. Additionally, for trout, silver pomfret, and croaker, the short-term price transmission elasticity is higher than the long-term elasticity, suggesting that price changes are fully transmitted from the wholesale to the retail level. However, for anchovy, common carp, white pomfret, and shrimp, short-term price transmission elasticity is lower than long-term elasticity, aligning with findings from the Reziti model.
Conclusion: It is recommended that relevant authorities take measures to protect both producers and consumers by supporting existing sales cooperatives. This can be achieved through proper cultural promotion, training, and providing necessary facilities to facilitate timely purchasing and direct distribution of seafood products to consumers. Such actions would not only help stabilize market prices but also create export opportunities and prevent excessive market margins and price fluctuations.

Designing a model of influencing factors on the development of rural entrepreneurship with a meta-analysis approach

Hossein Karimzadeh

Objective: Entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in job creation, wealth generation, and economic growth, serving as a key driver of community development. However, the emergence of rural entrepreneurship requires the establishment of a supportive ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurial activities. This study aims to identify the factors affecting rural entrepreneurship development through a meta-analysis approach, utilizing CMA3 software.
Method: This study analyzed all relevant research articles published in Iranian academic journals over the past 12 years. Using keyword-based searches in credible scientific databases, 13 research articles and 2 university dissertations met the inclusion criteria. The final meta-analysis incorporated 11 key factors and 343 variables.
Findings: The results indicate that out of all identified variables:

175 variables were repeated at least 50 times in different studies.
8 variables (16%) had a low effect size (<0.3).
37 variables (74%) had a moderate effect size (0.3–0.5).
5 variables (10%) had a high effect size (>0.5).

Among the 11 main influencing factors, 7 factors were the most frequently cited:

Individual Factors (Competitiveness, enthusiasm, and ambiguity tolerance);
Economic Factors (Production & marketing, access to financial support);
Social Factors (Place attachment, NGOs, economic security);
Environmental Factors (Access to land & water, suitable natural conditions);
Infrastructure Factors (Physical infrastructure, business environment, market access);
Educational Factors (Entrepreneurial training);
Institutional Factors (Institution-building, media coverage, entrepreneurship laws).

Conclusions: The meta-analysis approach highlights that rural entrepreneurship is shaped by multiple interrelated factors. This study integrates findings from diverse research to prioritize key influencing factors based on effect size, leading to the development of a comprehensive rural entrepreneurship model.

The Impact of Adaptation Strategies on the Livability of Rural Households in Coping with Drought (A Case Study of Bavi County, Khuzestan Province)

Seyed Mohammad Javad Sobhani

Objective: A precise understanding of adaptive capacity in rural communities allows for the implementation of strategies tailored to different climatic conditions and the capabilities of rural populations. These strategies help reduce drought-related damages and enhance livability. This study aims to identify the impact of adaptation capacity components on the livability of rural households in the face of drought.
Method: A quantitative survey approach was used to collect and analyze data. The study employed a questionnaire as its primary data collection tool, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using SmartPLS software to determine the impact of adaptive capacity factors on rural household livability under drought conditions. The target population were all rural farming households in Bavi County, Khuzestan Province and the Sample size was 347 household heads, selected using systematic sampling.
Findings: The adaptation strategy matrix identified five key drought response measures used by farmers: 1. Changing planting schedules, 2. Modifying harvest times, 3. Using savings, 4. Bartering goods, 5. Engaging in non-agricultural activities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results confirmed that five key hypotheses including knowledge, utilization level, availability of resources and inputs, access to resources, and advisory services had a positive and significant impact on rural household livability during drought conditions.
Conclusion: To enhance rural households' resilience to drought, the study recommends:

Investing in knowledge and skill development for farmers,
Recognizing the importance of agricultural extension services in smart decision-making,
Improving access to resources, and
Implementing effective adaptation strategies.