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Showing 2 results for Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Atieh Soleymani, , Saied Karimi,
Volume 10, Issue 36 (8-2021)
Abstract

Introduction
In recent years, a group of researchers have believed that entrepreneurial activities lead to environmental degradation. However, some researchers have argued that despite the negative effects of some entrepreneurial activities on society and the environment, entrepreneurs still play an important role in guiding business activities towards sustainability, especially social and environmental sustainability. In particular, relying on the capacities and capabilities of rural communities, recognizing new opportunities and growth of innovations adapted to local community condition can reduce these negative effects and also create opportunities for sustainable employment, income generation and sustainable development in rural areas. Researchers refer to sustainable entrepreneurship as a catalyst and a major impetus for sustainable development. In recent decades, sustainable entrepreneurship has been a growing research stream and it is time to pay more attention to sustainable entrepreneurship in the literature. Among the areas that need more detailed and in-depth study in sustainable entrepreneurship is among the research fields that needs more rogue and in-depth investigations. This is about a set necessary factors in order to integrate sustainability in entrepreneurial businesses. Furthermore, it is relevantly more important in rural areas due to the direct relationship of most of rural businesses with natural resources. Accordingly, the present study discusses the requirements and conditions for sustainable development in entrepreneurial activities in rural areas and seeks to provide a suitable integrated model for entrepreneurship development in rural areas based on sustainable rural development and sustainable entrepreneurship.
 
Methodology
The present study aims to design a comprehensive model of sustainable entrepreneurship development in rural businesses and identify the strategies essential for achieving entrepreneurial sustainability using a qualitative research approach and grounded theory. The statistical population of this study consisted of outstanding entrepreneurs with characteristics such as knowledge and experience in the field, willingness and sufficient time to participate in the research and effective communication skills in Hamedan Province. In this study, 10 people were selected and in-depth interview was used as the main data collection technique. Data was analyzed in a sequence of open coding, axial coding and selective coding. In order to increase the validity of this research, we selected research participants from outstanding entrepreneurs who both work in the field of rural and agricultural businesses, and also have sufficient scientific knowledge on sustainable development issues and the process of entrepreneurship development and rural business creation. In-depth interviews were used to collect and record the required information. In order to verify and avoid research bias, the model and the result obtained by the research team were continuously compared with the aim and checked if there is any part in the report and model that indicates a potential bias by the researchers? Based on these checkups, some reflections were considered in the process.
 
Discussion and conclusion
According to the results of the present study, the model of sustainable entrepreneurship development in rural businesses in a narrative manner and based on a ground theory is as follows: Regarding to our understanding of sustainability and its aspects as well as the requirements for entrepreneurial businesses to adhere to responsible environmental, socio-cultural and ethical actions in order to achieve sustainability and fulfill their obligations to society and the environment.  The findings show the development of rural business activities towards principles and values of sustainability requires strengthening individual factors of business owners and employees, organizational and environmental factors of enterprises.  In other words, provided that such conditions and factors are given, the growth and development of behavioral patterns based on sustainability in various economic, social and environmental dimensions in rural businesses will be possible. Internalization of such behavioral patterns also requires appropriate measures and strategies implementation such as empowering relevant institutions, enhancing media performance, continuing policies to promote sustainable entrepreneurship, strengthening cultural contexts, applying supportive policies, facilitating the access to credit and capitals, and developing educational programs, and human resource management strategies to establish responsible values in the organizational culture. Institutionalizing sustainability patterns in rural entrepreneurial businesses will lead to more sustainable rural economic growth, job creation, environmental adaptation, ensuring future access to key natural resources, satisfying social groups, achieving competitive advantage, cost savings, and improving product quality.

Mohammad Alizadeh Tooli, Bijan Rahmani, Rahmatullah Monshizadeh, Pegah Moridsadat, Mohammad Taghi Razavian,
Volume 10, Issue 36 (8-2021)
Abstract

Introduction
Rural areas in the country, today, suffer from myriad challenges such as poverty, latent unemployment, environmental degradation, inequality in the distribution of opportunities and resources between urban and rural areas, which indicates the failure of former rural development strategies to provide successful solutions to address them. Therefore, sustainable entrepreneurship development targeting sustainable rural development tend to be an appropriate strategy. Sustainable entrepreneurship in a specific geographical area, such as the coastal villages of Qeshm Island resonates many rural areas of the country. Despite the numerous natural and economic potentials, they face with many challenges. Due to lack of comprehensive planning and lack of systemic vision, the coastal villages of Qeshm Island are like other rural areas of the country are currently in a poor situation and faces many problems such as poverty, widespread youth unemployment, water shortages, migration, inadequate infrastructure, etc. Nonetheless, the formation of cooperatives (production, distribution and sale) facilitate rural economic activities. Local organizations, on the other hand, are possible through the formation of competitive and endogenous small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in the industrial and service sectors. This can be an appropriate and logical answer to the issues which is along with the development of the agricultural sector.
 In these companies, villagers are central to the decisions. The existence of cooperatives, especially actors in this field, as well as obtaining their opinions on sustainable entrepreneurship in coastal villages can be helpful. This study explores the requirements for sustainable entrepreneurship from practitioners’ point of view.

Methodology
The present study was conducted in order to meet the requirements for sustainable entrepreneurship, which is one of the main concerns. Not only will this improve the level of development of rural communities, but also it helps exploit agricultural lands as one of the most important assets of villagers and national capital in the best way. The analysis of the questionnaire data was done using two software Spss20 and Amos. First, ANOVA, t-test for independent groups, Pearson correlation, and regression were conducted using Spss20 software. Then, goodness of fit test for measuring latent variables of the research, confirmatory factor analysis was used. In addition, in order to test the relationships between latent variables in the conceptual model of the research, structural model analysis was used for path analysis using Amos software. Structural equation modeling is an approach that includes two stages, namely the measurement model and the structural model. The first stage, the measurement model, examines the validity, reliability and relevance of the latent variables of the research using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In the second stage, the structural model evaluates the hypotheses about the relationship between the latent variables (structures) of the research.

Discussion and conclusion  
Sustainable entrepreneurship approach in terms of comprehensiveness and attention to the principle of sustainability via combining these assets and resources provides mechanisms for employment and secure the income, and by ignoring the elimination and restrictive methods, local communities will be led to optimal exploitation of natural resources. Entrepreneurial assets concentrate on local basic resources. These assets are presented in the form of a five-dimensional model including human, natural, social, physical and financial capital. The present study was conducted in order to meet the requirements for sustainable entrepreneurship, which is one of the main concerns. Not only will this improve the level of development of rural communities, but also it helps exploit agricultural lands as one of the most important assets of villagers and national capital in the best way. To answer this question, a survey was conducted from the community of cooperative experts. Firstly, after reviewing the questionnaires and analyzing the relationship between variables and testing the hypothesis, the result was obtained. Rural development of Qeshm indicates that sustainable entrepreneurship = educational component * 0.28 + socio-cultural component * 0.25 + physical infrastructure component * 0.17 + financial capital component * 0.30 + production-marketing component * 0.37. According to the survey conducted based on the respondents, the most impact is the economic component and the least impact is the knowledge-skills component. Therefore, the greatest impact is related to factors such as profitability, investment, financial strength of users, land prices, different land uses in creating new job opportunities, tourism boom, access to new technologies, diversification of household income, provision of infrastructure by the government, product insurance, the effectiveness of existing laws and regulations, improving government programs and policies, reducing the risk of various land uses.
 


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