1- University of Guilan
Abstract: (7 Views)
Introduction and Objectives: In contemporary development theories, microeconomic activities based on household units are recognized as one of the key mechanisms for achieving inclusive growth, economic resilience, and reducing regional inequalities. These activities, particularly in the field of food production and agricultural product processing, have considerable potential for creating sustainable employment and improving livelihood security due to their reliance on local resources, structural flexibility, and ability to integrate into local value chains. At the local level, such activities can not only generate household income but also provide an opportunity to make better use of individual skills, social capital, and existing agricultural capacities. However, the dynamism and survival of these units depend on the complex interaction of economic, social, institutional, and knowledge-based factors, which can be explained as development drivers. The existing research gap in the systematic prioritization of these drivers at the local scale highlights the necessity of the present study. Accordingly, the main objective of this research is to identify, structure, and weight the drivers affecting the development of these activities using fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approaches. Addressing this objective can provide a more accurate understanding of the real needs of actors in this field and offer a basis for designing supportive programs that are aligned with local conditions.
Materials and Methods: In terms of objective, this study is applied-developmental, and methodologically, it is classified as a descriptive-analytical study based on a quantitative approach. The statistical population consisted of 40 active participants involved in home-based production related to food products and agricultural product processing. Due to the limited size of the population, the census method (total enumeration) was employed. The selection of this statistical population enabled the perspectives of individuals engaged in the actual activities of production, sales, and management of home-based businesses to be directly incorporated into the analysis process. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire, designed based on a synthesis of theoretical foundations and the research literature, whose content validity was confirmed by academic experts and specialists in the field of entrepreneurship. In the modeling phase, the drivers were organized within a hierarchical structure comprising five main criteria and sixteen sub-criteria. To extract the relative weights and determine the priority of the drivers, the Fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (FSWARA) method was employed, which provides the capability to account for uncertainty and the subjective judgments of experts in complex decision-making environments. The application of fuzzy logic in this study was significant because many of the assessments related to the development of home-based businesses are inherently subjective, relative, and dependent on the experience of the actors.
Results: Among the criteria, “Marketing and Sales” holds the highest relative importance (21.52%) and ranks first, reflecting the special position of market-access mechanisms, digital advertising, and online sales platforms in the success of these businesses. After that, the “Education level” criterion ranked second and the “Economy” criterion ranked third. The “Social and Cultural” criterion, with a relative importance of 19.82%, and the “Legal and Institutional” criterion, with a relative importance of 17.54%, ranked fourth and fifth respectively. At the sub-criteria level, within the marketing dimension, “Abilities and skills of advertising and digital marketing” was identified as the top priority with a relative importance of 34.68%, which is highly significant in increasing customer access and enhancing competitiveness. In the economic dimension, “Access to urban and regional target markets” held greater importance than other components and even showed a relative advantage over financing. In the educational dimension, “Education level” with a relative importance of 25.37% and “Level of familiarity with health and safety standards” with a relative importance of 25.10% played the greatest role in improving quality and market acceptance. Furthermore, in the social and institutional dimensions, although the weight of the related criterion was lower, components such as “Family and social support for the business” and “Access and appropriate coverage for various types of business-related insurances” with relative importance of 35.07% and 35.37% respectively, were identified as key factors in reducing risk and increasing the sustainability of activities. Overall, the cumulative share of the top three criteria was estimated at over 62%, indicating that the main drivers are concentrated on the market, education, and economic dimensions.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the sustainable development of home-based businesses in the food and agricultural products sector necessitates the adoption of a systemic and integrated approach in policy-making and planning. A unidimensional focus on financial support or short-term interventions lacks the necessary efficacy in creating sustainable competitive advantage. In contrast, strengthening the synergy among various dimensions—including the development of human capital, facilitation of market access, enhancement of digital infrastructure, and improvement of the institutional environment—can lead to the formation of a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. From a theoretical perspective, the research findings corroborate the efficacy of integrating the sustainable livelihoods framework with the endogenous development approach in explaining the dynamics of this type of activity. From an applied perspective, policymakers can pave the way for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of these activities by designing targeted interventions in the areas of specialized skills training, development of e-commerce platforms, facilitation of linkages with local and extra-local markets, and expansion of supportive coverage. Furthermore, attention to social capital and informal support mechanisms can play a complementary role in increasing resilience and reducing the risk of failure. Ultimately, moving toward a market-oriented development model grounded in knowledge and technology proves effective as the optimal pathway for improving the performance of home-based businesses related to the food and agricultural product processing sector.
Materials and Methods: In terms of objective, this study is applied-developmental, and methodologically, it is classified as a descriptive-analytical study based on a quantitative approach. The statistical population consisted of 40 active participants involved in home-based production related to food products and agricultural product processing. Due to the limited size of the population, the census method (total enumeration) was employed. The selection of this statistical population enabled the perspectives of individuals engaged in the actual activities of production, sales, and management of home-based businesses to be directly incorporated into the analysis process. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire, designed based on a synthesis of theoretical foundations and the research literature, whose content validity was confirmed by academic experts and specialists in the field of entrepreneurship. In the modeling phase, the drivers were organized within a hierarchical structure comprising five main criteria and sixteen sub-criteria. To extract the relative weights and determine the priority of the drivers, the Fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (FSWARA) method was employed, which provides the capability to account for uncertainty and the subjective judgments of experts in complex decision-making environments. The application of fuzzy logic in this study was significant because many of the assessments related to the development of home-based businesses are inherently subjective, relative, and dependent on the experience of the actors.
Results: Among the criteria, “Marketing and Sales” holds the highest relative importance (21.52%) and ranks first, reflecting the special position of market-access mechanisms, digital advertising, and online sales platforms in the success of these businesses. After that, the “Education level” criterion ranked second and the “Economy” criterion ranked third. The “Social and Cultural” criterion, with a relative importance of 19.82%, and the “Legal and Institutional” criterion, with a relative importance of 17.54%, ranked fourth and fifth respectively. At the sub-criteria level, within the marketing dimension, “Abilities and skills of advertising and digital marketing” was identified as the top priority with a relative importance of 34.68%, which is highly significant in increasing customer access and enhancing competitiveness. In the economic dimension, “Access to urban and regional target markets” held greater importance than other components and even showed a relative advantage over financing. In the educational dimension, “Education level” with a relative importance of 25.37% and “Level of familiarity with health and safety standards” with a relative importance of 25.10% played the greatest role in improving quality and market acceptance. Furthermore, in the social and institutional dimensions, although the weight of the related criterion was lower, components such as “Family and social support for the business” and “Access and appropriate coverage for various types of business-related insurances” with relative importance of 35.07% and 35.37% respectively, were identified as key factors in reducing risk and increasing the sustainability of activities. Overall, the cumulative share of the top three criteria was estimated at over 62%, indicating that the main drivers are concentrated on the market, education, and economic dimensions.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the sustainable development of home-based businesses in the food and agricultural products sector necessitates the adoption of a systemic and integrated approach in policy-making and planning. A unidimensional focus on financial support or short-term interventions lacks the necessary efficacy in creating sustainable competitive advantage. In contrast, strengthening the synergy among various dimensions—including the development of human capital, facilitation of market access, enhancement of digital infrastructure, and improvement of the institutional environment—can lead to the formation of a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. From a theoretical perspective, the research findings corroborate the efficacy of integrating the sustainable livelihoods framework with the endogenous development approach in explaining the dynamics of this type of activity. From an applied perspective, policymakers can pave the way for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of these activities by designing targeted interventions in the areas of specialized skills training, development of e-commerce platforms, facilitation of linkages with local and extra-local markets, and expansion of supportive coverage. Furthermore, attention to social capital and informal support mechanisms can play a complementary role in increasing resilience and reducing the risk of failure. Ultimately, moving toward a market-oriented development model grounded in knowledge and technology proves effective as the optimal pathway for improving the performance of home-based businesses related to the food and agricultural product processing sector.
Keywords: Home-Based Business, Local Value Chains, Empowerment, Fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (FSWARA), Women', s Entrepreneurship.
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