ندا علی یاری

The potential of beekeeping for fostering employment, economic growth, and sustainable livelihoods in productive regions is substantial. Boyar-Ahmad County possesses the necessary spatial and biological characteristics to initiate and develop beekeeping activities. However, beekeepers in this area face numerous challenges. This research seeks to assess these challenges and offer recommendations to promote the growth of beekeeping entrepreneurship. The study is applied in nature regarding its purpose and employs qualitative research methodology. Specifically, the classic 3-step Delphi technique was utilized. The expert panel comprised 30 professionals and senior experts from Boyar-Ahmad County. Through the Delphi process, 118 concepts were identified, which were then categorized into 25 subcategories and six main categories, outlining the challenges encountered by beekeepers in the region. The core categories identified in the study encompassed market-related challenges (such as issues with product marketability, unfavorable consumption market conditions, and limited export opportunities), support-related obstacles (including deficiencies in industry associations and unions, inadequate insurance coverage, weak regulatory frameworks, and insufficient government assistance), economic challenges (such as high operating costs, profitability constraints, and difficulties accessing credit), infrastructure limitations (including deficiencies in post-production and production facilities), environmental concerns (such as risks to the ecosystem, human impacts on the environment, habitat changes, threats from predators and hive intruders), and social factors (comprising awareness levels, quantity and quality of education, participation and collaboration, trust issues, stress factors, operational challenges, cultural influences, and security concerns). Overcoming these barriers, particularly in the areas of market access, protection, and economic viability, is crucial for the development of beekeeping in the region. The insights gained from this study can inform policymakers and stakeholders on the pressing issues faced by beekeepers and facilitate the implementation of measures to support their success.

The ultimate goal of many projects and programs implemented in rural areas is to improve the residents' quality of life. Due to resource limitations, policymakers should provide the most efficient route to distribute scarce resources on the path to people's needs and priorities. This can be achieved applying the results of related research as the input of the decision process. The present study is applied in terms of purpose and is an exploratory one which has been carried out using descriptive-comparative method. The statistical population consisted of all household heads residing in the historical-cultural tourism target villages (over 30 households) in Marvdasht County (2269 household heads). The sample size was determined 170 ones based on Cochran's formula and a simple random sampling method was applied. Additionally, in order to compare, 170 household heads were selected in non-target tourist villages as a control group. The ranking of the indicators was conducted according to the Morris model (D.I. coefficient) and the degree of dispersion of the studied indicators was determined using the coefficient of variation (C.V.). The results of D.I. showed that the objective quality of life of tourism target villages with a coefficient of (0.49) is in a relatively suitable condition and non-targeted tourism villages with a coefficient of (0.39) are in an unfavorable condition. Comparison of (C.V.) revealed that tourism has increased the residents' quality of life in such a way that it has the greatest impact on the indicators of physical, local livelihood and environmental sustainabilit; and environmental dimension

Nowadays, the unemployment crisis has had irreparable effects as a fundamental problem on all the economic, social and cultural aspects of the community. So that the stability and destruction of some governments depends on solving the unemployment crisis. The issue of economic development has always been one of the main concerns of countries. There are two factors that affect development, productivity and entrepreneurship. Today, many social science researchers consider entrepreneurship as an effective strategy to fight poverty and save wealth in low-income societies. Comprehensive development can never be achieved without rural development. Therefore, rural policymakers have focused on developing small businesses, local entrepreneurs and regional business associations. Rural entrepreneurship is one of the most important issues discussed in the field of entrepreneurship in recent years and the most effective solutions for unemployment reduction, poverty reduction, immigration prevention, income diversification, agricultural and non-agricultural production increment, livelihood risk reduction, sustainable food security increment and is the most important source of innovation and job creation. It is also one of the main pillars of growth and development in developing countries, which is as an engine for economic development. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in promoting entrepreneurship as a means of stimulating local economic growth and development y. It is essential to know what makes people successful in becoming entrepreneurs. Policies are also needed in order to increase the entrepreneurial capacity of a community which has the greatest effect on the level of entrepreneurial activity.

The purpose of this study was to identification of factors affecting entrepreneurship in rural areas of Shiraz County. The present research is applied in terms of purpose and analytical descriptive in terms of data analysis conducted as a survey in this research. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was evaluated and confirmed through interviews with experts and its reliability through a pre-test (Cronbachchr('39')s Alpha ranged from 0.688 to 0.959). Data were collected randomly from 177 rural households living in Dasht-e-Arjan District of Shiraz County. Collected data was analyzed by different statistical methods such as Factor Analysis, k-means cluster analysis, diagnostic analysis and stepwise regression analysis.

The results showed that based on the entrepreneurial situation, entrepreneurs could be divided into three clusters, called cluster 1 "non-entrepreneurs", cluster 2, "medium entrepreneurs" and cluster 3, "high level entrepreneurs". Also, the level of rural entrepreneurship in the study area is high (mean score= 3.42). According to the results, the determinants of the level of entrepreneurship in the study area includes: Responsive age, level of literacy, economic status, knowledge level, social status, environmental status, sense of place, innovation and pragmatism. Based on the results, the level of entrepreneurship in the studied region is high. This result shows the villagerschr('39') highly capability of entrepreneurship which itself confirms the need for research on its affecting factor. Therefore, according to the high level of rural entrepreneurship in the region, the need to create a suitable platform for entrepreneurial activities is tangible. Based on the results, the economic factor is the most important factor that determines the level of entrepreneurship in the studied region, which other researchers also emphasize on its importance. Entrepreneurs in the studied region, in particular, residents of the village of Chehel Cheshmeh, have provided their own funds with the use of their own capital and their relatives, as well as the accumulation of rural residentschr('39') micro capital and investors in creating employment, and are occupied to such jobs as, raising native chickens, beekeeping, fish breeding, cultivating medicinal plants, processing agricultural products and packaging. The importance of this factor confirms that by creating more favorable economic conditions, it is possible to provide a suitable platform for the development of entrepreneurship in the region. Therefore, it is suggested creating favorable conditions in this field by offering favorable banking facilities in the region, the provision of raw materials and equipment at reasonable prices, lowering input prices, using sufficient machinery and equipment, and choosing brand for the production unit or the product. Another important factor is the level of knowledge. Therefore, the level of knowledge plays an important role in transforming villagers into potential entrepreneurs. By improving knowledge in the region, the background to increase the villagerschr('39') level of entrepreneurship is provided and the status of entrepreneurship will be promoted to a higher level. Therefore, increasing the level of knowledge through the provision of information by media such as radio and television, training workshops in order to get familiar with absorbing customers, advertising and marketing techniques, get familiar with efficient banking networks and supportive plans, get familiar with tax laws, imports and exports, pricing and profitability, get familiar with the principles of innovation, technologies and new methods, and introduce the potential and actual opportunities of the environment are essential. Also, based on the results, variables including age and level of literacy have a negative effect on the level of entrepreneurship. In particular, in the village of Chehel Cheshmeh, this effect is obvious and all the inhabitants of the village except old people and educated people are employed and occupied with the entrepreneurial business using the potential of the village. Hence, it seems essential to create the appropriate conditions in order to attract and act of these people in the field of entrepreneurship. In this regard, it is recommended that the planners set applied content of the courses and academic activities, as well as in line with the development of entrepreneurship and acquisition of skills in this field.

Tourism is known as the number one and the largest industry in the 21st</sup> century. Over recent decades, the residents’ quality of life has attracted the attention of planners. Given the importance of the concerned issue and the lack of related scientific research as well as the great importance of increased knowledge about positive and negative impacts of tourism on the quality of life in rural areas, this research aimed at conducting a comparative study of subjective quality of life in the historical-cultural tourism target and non-target villages in Marvdasht County of Iran. For this purpose, a descriptive analytical method was used. The data gathering tool was a valid researcher-made questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranged from 0.78 to 0.89). Based on the findings, the average score of residents' subjective quality of life in the tourism target villages in the factors including property, local livelihoods and cost, and nutrition and health were significantly higher and in the local community and physical factors were significantly lower than that of the residents of tourism non-target villages. Totally, the tourism target villages were at higher levels in terms of the economic and social dimensions of subjective quality of life and at a lower level in terms of the environmental dimension, compared with those of the tourism non-target villages. However, in general, the residents' subjective quality of life in the tourism target villages experienced a more favorable situation than the residents in the tourism non-target villages.

 This survey research was conducted with the aim of assessing the rural residents' support for tourism development and their effective factors in the tourism target villages in the Central District of Firoozabad County.

The statistical population of this study was resident household heads. Using Bartlett Table, 155 households were studied by simple random sampling method. The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire which its validity and reliability were confirmed.

 Based on the findings, the residents were categorized into two groups of committed supporters and passive supporters according to their support for tourism. The results of the logistic regression model showed that the perception of social, economic and environmental impacts is directly (positively) significantly predictive of the residents' support for tourism development. The highest coefficient of the logistic regression model was related to the perception of social impacts (with a coefficient of 10.661) as compared to the economic impacts (with a coefficient of 8.659) and the environmental (with a coefficient of 7.683). In addition, in 95.5% of the cases, the function can correctly measure levels of support for rural tourism. The accuracy of the model was also confirmed through the ROC curve.

Difficulties in completing the questionnaires due to the number of the tourist arrivals and people's occupations, the reluctance of some households to respond because of the distrust resulting from the location of the village in the palace privacy, and the problems encountered in this regard, which were resolved by the researchers' frequent visits to the area and acquiring the villagers' trust.

 In addition to improving the resident's perceptions of environmental impacts, further attention must be paid to improving the residents' perceptions of economic and social impacts.

 The development of tourism industry is heavily dependent on the participation and support of local residents. Improving the residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism will lead to more residents' support for the industry, thereby, be paid more by tourists in the area, and recommend destinations to others and their desire to return to the area.