Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 PhD in Educational Management, Associate Professor, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
3 PhD Student in Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction and Objective: In the modern era, the development of information and communication technologies has influenced many aspects of human life, complicating and obscuring environmental conditions, rules of engagement, and competitive landscapes. Consequently, organizational survival and sustainability depend on innovation, creativity, and the development of new products and processes. Entrepreneurship stimulates economic growth and creates a favorable economic environment for a nation. This is why governments have prioritized the promotion of entrepreneurship. According to the 2020 Global Entrepreneurship Index report, Iran's entrepreneurship ecosystem is underdeveloped, with an overall entrepreneurship score of only 268. Among the 47 countries in the Middle East region evaluated in this report, Iran ranks 32nd. Given these circumstances, this study aims to formulate a model of factors influencing the development of public-sector entrepreneurship within the Agricultural Jihad Organization of Ilam City, with a focus on enhancing entrepreneurship policy development and achieving entrepreneurial outcomes. It is worth noting that previous research has rarely addressed the formulation of a model for entrepreneurship development within public organizations. This study seeks to identify the variables influencing public-sector entrepreneurship development, presenting them in a model that emphasizes the role of government and is tailored to the specific conditions of the province, while addressing the challenges associated with designing an entrepreneurship development model.
Materials and Methods: This study employs a mixed-method approach, using a survey for data collection and is applied in its objective. In the qualitative phase, the research population included 11 professors and experts actively involved in entrepreneurship in Ilam province. They were selected through purposive sampling, and data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with thematic analysis, continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. The quantitative phase's population consisted of 215 managers and postgraduate-level experts from the Agricultural Jihad Organization and affiliated institutions in Ilam province. Using Cochran's formula, a sample of 138 participants was selected through simple random sampling, and questionnaires were distributed among them. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics (structural equation modeling) were utilized, using SPSS23 and Amos23 software.
Findings: The reliability results (Cronbach's alpha) for the research variables were above 0.78, and the composite reliability (CR) coefficient was also above 0.78. The normality (K-S test) of each variable showed a significance level greater than 0.05. Based on thematic analysis, the indicators were categorized into nine components, and confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that factor loadings for the items were greater than 0.50 and were significant at a 95% confidence level. Convergent validity among the research variables was confirmed based on the average variance extracted (AVE), which was satisfactory. Structural equation modeling was used to validate the relationships between the constructs. According to the model output in the standard estimation mode in Amos, the explanatory relationships of the variables for public-sector entrepreneurship development were confirmed, and the proposed model demonstrated good fit.
Conclusion: The findings from the semi-structured interviews, analyzed using thematic analysis and structural equation modeling, confirmed a model consisting of nine components: religious factors, strategic planning, entrepreneurship development policy vision, mission of entrepreneurship policy development, support and sponsorship for entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial values, short-term entrepreneurship goal-setting and planning, entrepreneurship development policy, and entrepreneurship policy-making and development. This model is valuable for policymakers, managers, and stakeholders in entrepreneurship development, especially planners in public organizations like the Agricultural Jihad Organization of Ilam.
The proposed model serves as a foundational framework for other institutions, enabling organizational managers to design, implement, and evaluate entrepreneurship development models that align with the micro- and macro-level realities of their organizations and the country as a whole. Public-sector entrepreneurship and related policies represent a complex, multidimensional phenomenon influenced by numerous factors, requiring a systematic, realistic, and long-term approach for implementation at both the organizational and national levels. By addressing the components of this model, organizational capabilities and limitations can be better managed, which may pave the way toward entrepreneurship development within the Agricultural Jihad Organization.
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