Journal of Entrepreneurial Strategies in Agriculture

    In today's competitive world, the optimal use of environmental opportunities and the creation of sustainable competitive advantage are among the main concerns of companies. One of the most important techniques in creating a competitive advantage is competitive intelligence. The aim of this study was to design a competitive intelligence model in the food industry, so the combination of fuzzy Delphi method and interpretive structural modeling has been used. In this study, the opinions of 16 experts involved in the field of food industry in Tehran province who were selected by judgment and snowball technique were used. For component screening, the fuzzy Delphi method was used. Among the 39 identified indicators, the average de-fuzzy of the three indicators was less than 0.7, so 36 indicators were identified in the form of 6 components. Then, structural-interpretive modeling was used to level the identified components. The results of ISM showed that the components are in three levels and the foundation of competitive intelligence in the food industry is primarily the institutional and social components, the second component of competitors and the third strategic components, technology and market. Also, the results of MICMAC analysis showed that the components of institutional and social intelligence are in the independent cluster and the components of strategic intelligence, technology and market are in the dependent cluster and competitors' intelligence is in the autonomous cluster.
 

Extended Abstract
Background: The contribution of rural women to the economy of rural areas and the development of agricultural communities is widely acknowledged. Entrepreneurship development offers a promising solution to empower rural women, enhancing their efficiency and self-sufficiency. By economically empowering rural women, they gain the ability to make independent decisions and improve their household livelihoods. Rural entrepreneurship encompasses various aspects of employment and income generation within rural communities. It predominantly stems from agricultural and indigenous activities within villages. As a collective effort, entrepreneurship significantly impacts a community’s employment opportunities and income levels. Moreover, fostering entrepreneurship leads to long-term economic and social sustainability, enhancing resilience and competitiveness. The present study primarily aimed to identify the determinants of entrepreneurship development within microcredit funds operated by rural women’s cooperatives in Marvdasht County. This research was prompted by the pressing issue of sustainable livelihoods in rural households, which stands as a significant challenge in rural development. Addressing this issue can mitigate adverse outcomes, including rural outmigration. The study specifically focused on rural development within home-based businesses led by women who are members of microcredit funds. A central aspect explored was the mediating role of the business life cycle in this context. Analogous to the life cycle of a living organism, the business life cycle illustrates the stages from inception to decline. At each stage, implementing well-suited strategies can prolong the business’s existence and contribute to its growth and development. The research delved into various factors, including personality traits, the business environment, and government policies. Their impact was rigorously assessed on entrepreneurship development. Based on the findings, practical and policy-oriented solutions were proposed for the study area, aiming to foster sustainable entrepreneurial endeavors among rural women.
Methods: This applied research was conducted using a descriptive approach. The research method employed a survey, and the research instrument consisted of a semi-structured questionnaire with both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed by entrepreneurship experts at Shiraz University, and its reliability was measured by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The study population was selected from 375-unit home-based businesses that were members of Marvdasht County microcredit funds. The stratified random sampling method with appropriate allocation was conducted in this study. Initially, the population was divided into five distinct categories: greenhouse, processing industries, horticulture, animal husbandry, and aviculture. Subsequently, using the Krejcie and Morgan table, 190 individuals were randomly selected from these categories, ensuring proportional representation within the target population or sampling frame. SPSS₂₆ was utilized for data processing and inference of results. Additionally, the software Amos₂₄ was employed for path analysis results.
Results: Based on Pearson's correlation analysis, there were positive and significant relationships between the business life cycle and the supportive policy, incentive policy, management skills, independence, need for achievement, risk taking, self-directed education, family support, workforce, initial investment, and annual income variables. Moreover, the findings based on Pearson’s correlation showed positive and significant relationships between entrepreneurship development and business lifecycle, supportive policy, incentive policy, management skills, independence, need for achievement, risk taking, self-directed education, family support, education level, workforce, initial investment, and annual income variables. According to the results of the path analysis, the effects of variables, such as the life cycle, incentive policy, management skills, independence, control center, and seeking success were significant on entrepreneurship development, and the greatest impact on the entrepreneurship development variable belonged to the independence variable.
Conclusion: To identify the determinants of entrepreneurship development among rural women who are members of microcredit funds in Marvdasht County, the known research variables were assessed using statistical methods and path analysis. Based on the research findings, women’s independence has the most significant impact on their entrepreneurship development. This underscores the importance of women’s personality traits in business and its subsequent growth. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to their individual characteristics, particularly motivating them to take charge of their business destiny. Independence empowers women to make informed decisions about staying in or leaving a business when conditions warrant. To enhance women’s self-esteem and empower them to recognize their true social and economic standing, it is suggested to organize psychological counseling sessions and utilize responsible organizations to conduct motivational classes, group discussions, and awareness campaigns. Furthermore, the results of the path analysis model demonstrate that the business life cycle, a unique feature applicable to all businesses, has a direct impact on individual entrepreneurship development. It is recommended to identify the stages of business life cycles, enabling the implementation of appropriate training at each phase. This approach can foster women’s entrepreneurial activities and prevent premature dissolution, and unintentional abandonment of home-based businesses. Providing straightforward management skills training, counseling women on their economic business environment, facilitating connections among occupational groups to share firsthand experiences, establishing rural entrepreneurship hubs for discovering novel ideas, and fostering entrepreneurship among women are among the proposed strategies.