Volume 12, Issue 2 (12-2025)
J Entrepreneurial Strategies Agric 2025, 12(2): 76-89 |
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Mehtari Arani M, Bagheri A, Baghbani Arani A. (2025). The Impact of Digital Strategy and Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Performance of Rural Women's Cooperatives in the Cities of Kashan and Aran- Bidgol. J Entrepreneurial Strategies Agric. 12(2), 76-89. doi:10.61882/jea.2025.416
URL: http://jea.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-416-en.html
URL: http://jea.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-416-en.html
1- Department of Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (193 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Due to the rapid advancement of technology, service companies and cooperatives are increasingly moving toward digital value creation and internetization to remain competitive and adopt adaptive and innovative strategies to respond to rapid changes, environmental uncertainties, and most importantly, customer and market needs at the right time and place. Accordingly, the present study attempts to examine the impact of entrepreneurial orientation and digitalization on the performance of rural women's cooperatives in Kashan and Aran & Bidgol counties.
Methods: The general descriptive-survey method was used in this study. The statistical population of the study was the managers of rural women's cooperative companies in the cities of Kashan and Aran Bidgol in 2023, 104 people of which were selected as the sample size by the simple random method. The data collection tool was a questionnaire with 22 items, including the components of entrepreneurial company performance, level of digitization, entrepreneurial orientation, and digitalization perspective. The validity of the construct was examined by extracting the mean variance using the factor loading. Reliability was measured using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the composite reliability coefficient with SPSS software. Moreover, the structural equation method and Smart PLS software were used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses of this study.
Results: The reliability of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha and the composite reliability coefficient. The values of both coefficients for the research constructs were greater than 0.8. In addition, the convergent and divergent validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. Furthermore, the results of the general model test indicated that the fit was confirmed using the goodness-of-fit index. The results of the model analysis showed that the coefficients related to the path of the studied variables had a high level of significance (P < 0.05). As such, digitalization had a positive and significant effect on the performance of Kashan and Aran and Bidgol rural women's cooperatives, with a path coefficient of 0.691 and a significance coefficient of 868.19. In addition, entrepreneurial orientation had a positive and significant effect on the performance of these companies in the aforementioned counties, with a path coefficient of 0.408 and a significance coefficient of 602.10. The results of examining the indirect effects of the research variables showed that the level of digitalization could moderate the relationship between the two variables of entrepreneurial orientation and the performance of the rural women's cooperative, with a significance coefficient of 6.004. Based on the significance coefficient of 221.8 between the digitalization strategy and entrepreneurial orientation variables, which represents the moderating variable with the performance of the rural women's cooperative, it can be concluded that entrepreneurial orientation moderated the positive and significant relationship between digitalization strategy and the performance of rural women's cooperative companies in the aforementioned counties. According to the findings of this study, rural women's cooperative companies in the counties of Kashan and Aran and Bidgol can help improve companies’ performance by adopting an entrepreneurial orientation and moving toward digitalization.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the digitalization perspective has directly and positively affected the performance of rural women's entrepreneurial cooperatives in the cities of Kashan and Aran and Bidgol. In explaining this issue, it can be claimed that focusing on the digital strategy helps the company effectively use various opportunities, discover new markets, and attract customers by offering its products. In addition, focusing on this type of innovation makes the company accountable to customers and technological conditions and requirements. By creating digital opportunities and reducing costs, as well as optimizing customer services, the managers of these companies will be able to better assess the risks associated with their profitability. A clear perspective on digitalization will facilitate, integrate, and accept new digital tools and shift toward the use of digital services and Internet tools. In addition to the digitalization index, entrepreneurial orientation also had a positive and significant effect on the performance of the aforementioned companies. Entrepreneurial orientation refers to the decision-making styles, practices, and behaviors of managers that lead to new business development in new markets with new goods or services. Therefore, entrepreneurial orientation can improve a company's tendency or inclination toward innovation and risk-taking and provide employment conditions and economic growth for the company. In addition, this can also lead to social and cultural successes for the rural women's cooperatives in the mentioned counties. In addition, the findings indicate that cooperatives that combine entrepreneurial orientation with a strategic perspective on digitalization and a high level of digitalization, as well as those that combine a strategic perspective on digitalization with entrepreneurial orientation, have higher levels of performance in their entrepreneurial companies. By providing innovative solutions, especially by creating digitalization opportunities and better assessing risks related to profitability, these companies have a greater ability to explore new market segments and attract customers.
Background: Due to the rapid advancement of technology, service companies and cooperatives are increasingly moving toward digital value creation and internetization to remain competitive and adopt adaptive and innovative strategies to respond to rapid changes, environmental uncertainties, and most importantly, customer and market needs at the right time and place. Accordingly, the present study attempts to examine the impact of entrepreneurial orientation and digitalization on the performance of rural women's cooperatives in Kashan and Aran & Bidgol counties.
Methods: The general descriptive-survey method was used in this study. The statistical population of the study was the managers of rural women's cooperative companies in the cities of Kashan and Aran Bidgol in 2023, 104 people of which were selected as the sample size by the simple random method. The data collection tool was a questionnaire with 22 items, including the components of entrepreneurial company performance, level of digitization, entrepreneurial orientation, and digitalization perspective. The validity of the construct was examined by extracting the mean variance using the factor loading. Reliability was measured using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the composite reliability coefficient with SPSS software. Moreover, the structural equation method and Smart PLS software were used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses of this study.
Results: The reliability of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha and the composite reliability coefficient. The values of both coefficients for the research constructs were greater than 0.8. In addition, the convergent and divergent validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. Furthermore, the results of the general model test indicated that the fit was confirmed using the goodness-of-fit index. The results of the model analysis showed that the coefficients related to the path of the studied variables had a high level of significance (P < 0.05). As such, digitalization had a positive and significant effect on the performance of Kashan and Aran and Bidgol rural women's cooperatives, with a path coefficient of 0.691 and a significance coefficient of 868.19. In addition, entrepreneurial orientation had a positive and significant effect on the performance of these companies in the aforementioned counties, with a path coefficient of 0.408 and a significance coefficient of 602.10. The results of examining the indirect effects of the research variables showed that the level of digitalization could moderate the relationship between the two variables of entrepreneurial orientation and the performance of the rural women's cooperative, with a significance coefficient of 6.004. Based on the significance coefficient of 221.8 between the digitalization strategy and entrepreneurial orientation variables, which represents the moderating variable with the performance of the rural women's cooperative, it can be concluded that entrepreneurial orientation moderated the positive and significant relationship between digitalization strategy and the performance of rural women's cooperative companies in the aforementioned counties. According to the findings of this study, rural women's cooperative companies in the counties of Kashan and Aran and Bidgol can help improve companies’ performance by adopting an entrepreneurial orientation and moving toward digitalization.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the digitalization perspective has directly and positively affected the performance of rural women's entrepreneurial cooperatives in the cities of Kashan and Aran and Bidgol. In explaining this issue, it can be claimed that focusing on the digital strategy helps the company effectively use various opportunities, discover new markets, and attract customers by offering its products. In addition, focusing on this type of innovation makes the company accountable to customers and technological conditions and requirements. By creating digital opportunities and reducing costs, as well as optimizing customer services, the managers of these companies will be able to better assess the risks associated with their profitability. A clear perspective on digitalization will facilitate, integrate, and accept new digital tools and shift toward the use of digital services and Internet tools. In addition to the digitalization index, entrepreneurial orientation also had a positive and significant effect on the performance of the aforementioned companies. Entrepreneurial orientation refers to the decision-making styles, practices, and behaviors of managers that lead to new business development in new markets with new goods or services. Therefore, entrepreneurial orientation can improve a company's tendency or inclination toward innovation and risk-taking and provide employment conditions and economic growth for the company. In addition, this can also lead to social and cultural successes for the rural women's cooperatives in the mentioned counties. In addition, the findings indicate that cooperatives that combine entrepreneurial orientation with a strategic perspective on digitalization and a high level of digitalization, as well as those that combine a strategic perspective on digitalization with entrepreneurial orientation, have higher levels of performance in their entrepreneurial companies. By providing innovative solutions, especially by creating digitalization opportunities and better assessing risks related to profitability, these companies have a greater ability to explore new market segments and attract customers.
Keywords: Digitalization strategy, Entrepreneurial orientation, Innovation, Performance of women's entrepreneurial institutions, Rural cooperatives
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