Participatory Action Research: The Linkage Point between the Research and Action in the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Cooperatives Management

Cooperatives have a very important and effective role in popular participation and community empowerment through the entrepreneurship strategy and sustainable businesses development in the rural development process. Doing this role requires attention to education and research in the management structure of this social organization with the presence of all the organs and members of rural cooperatives. From another aspect, Participatory action research is a scientific method for systematic definition and description of the real world problems and it helps to design and implementation of appropriate solutions in various fields significantly. The purpose of this research was to investigation of the philosophy, concept and characteristics of participatory action research and its role in the development of education and research related to the field of rural entrepreneur cooperatives. This is a review article and the library method and targeted literature review in related domestic and international essays and books have been used to gather information. According to results, Action research method unlike the other methods that research and action are two completely separate areas, address both subject in a cycle process simultaneously. Focusing on the issue, the emphasis on practical action and change, mutual cooperation, trust and attention to the common standards of the researcher and the demandant for change and evolution (cooperative members) and group participation makes up while finding ways to solve the problem and empowering the local community, the new knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship are created in the agricultural cooperatives. Therefore, in response to the fundamental question of the research, it can be said that because of the proximity and conceptual similarity between the cooperatives’ principles and the theoretical infrastructures of participatory action research, this paradigm is a suitable model for implementation in the management of rural entrepreneur cooperatives.