ahmad basami

Psychological empowerment is one of the interesting topics of human resource management researchers and is one of the important factors for predicting and understanding organizational behavior. This research sought to identify the factors affecting the psychological empowerment of Iranian agricultural extension Specialists and the methodology of qualitative content analysis with conventional content analysis approach. According to necessity, the method of theoretical sampling (interview with managers and Specialists of agricultural extension was 16) and the data were analyzed using MAXQDA12 software. Based on the results of the interviews analysis, A total of 83 initial codes were extracted from the interview, which were formed in four categories including: Individual and personality factors that underlie psychological empowerment (with 5 subcategories), Organizational contexts related to psychological empowerment (with 7 subcategories), Psychological empowerment structures (with 6 subcategories), Environmental factors that underlie psychological empowerment (with 4 subcategories). At the end, there were Suggestions to the psychological empowerment of agricultural extension experts. Results of this study have practical implications for managers, policymakers and human resources planners in the agricultural extension system and academic communities.

Given the importance of performance as the main indicator of the success of businesses, it has always been of interest to researchers. In addition, social capital and entrepreneurial orientation are two important factors in predicting the performance of businesses. However, little is known about the mechanisms that benefit businesses from the interplay among these factors. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the mediating effect of entrepreneurial orientation in the relationship between social capital and business performance. The statistical population of the study included the owners of local poultry business units in the rural areas of Sistan and Baluchestan province in Iran with 360 active units in 2018, out of which 189 units were selected by simple random sampling as the statistical sample using Krejcie and Morgan table. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed as discriminant validity and convergent validity. Composite reliability measures showed satisfied reliability. The collected data was analyzed by structural equation modeling with partial least squares method (PLS-SEM). The study findings showed that the external network ties and social interaction had a positive and significant relationship with relationship quality; and also indicated that the proactiveness mediated the impact of relationship quality on the performance, innovativeness mediated the impact of relationship quality on financial performance, and risk-taking mediated the impact of relationship quality on non-financial performance of local poultry businesses.

This research was conducted in a mixed method, in order to promote the positive organizational behaviors of agricultural extension experts through psychological empowerment. In the qualitative section, interviews were conducted with 16 experts of agricultural extension, using purposive sampling method. By analyzing the content of the interviews, using MAXQDA12 software, indices of psychological empowerment including Meaning, Competency, Impact, Choice, Trust and positive organizational behaviors including sharing job experience behavior, Innovative career behavior, behavior related to maintenance and development of professional values, behavior of improving quality of agricultural extension Services, behavior of improving agricultural extension agility, and behavior of improving Public trust in agricultural extension  were derived in the form of a conceptual model. In the quantitative section, the statistical population of the study consisted of experts of agricultural extension in the whole country in 1397, among which 192 experts of agricultural extension were selected by stratified sampling method. The data collection instrument was a researcher's developed questionnaire of psychological empowerment and positive organizational behaviors. Finally, data analysis was done by SPSS and Smart PLS software. The results showed that psychological empowerment has role in promoting positive organizational behaviors. In general, the psychological empowerment explains 48.8% of the changes in positive organizational behavior of agricultural extension experts. The value of Q2 was 0.180 for positive organizational behavior construct, which supports the suitability of prediction model for the endogenous structure of positive organizational behavior of agricultural extension experts.

In order to develop rural tourism, the behavior of tourists should be studied. Since understanding tourists' behavior leads to providing scientific foundations for tourism marketing and management and increasing its efficiency. The main purpose present study was to investigate the effect of local food consumption value theory on behavioral intention of tourist through the mediating role of food destination image. The statistical population consisted of tourists (N= 1200) who visited Oramanat rural areas in spring and summer of 2019 and were served local foods. Using Krejcie and Morgan table and convenient and simple random sampling method, 295 tourists were selected as the samples. The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire which its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (0.708 - 0.838). Collected data analyzed by partial least squares method (PLS) of structural equation modeling. Findings showed that based on consumption value theory, tourists’ experience of local food had a positive and significant effect on their attitude towards local food, and all aspects of consumption value theory including health value, taste and quality value, price value, emotional value, social value, and epistemic value had significant positive effects on attitude. These values accounted for 61.7% of the variation in attitude toward local food. In addition, the results indicated that the attitude toward local foods have influenced tourists' behavioral intentions through the mediating role of the food tourism image.

Multifunctional agriculture as a new paradigm for agriculture and rural development has been considered by the world as a response to social, economic, and environmental challenges. Current mixed method research used the Q-method to examine and explain farmers’ mental patterns regarding  extension of multifunctional agriculture. In the qualitative step, the purposeful and snowball sampling methods were used to interview 11 academic experts. Analyzing data collected with MAXQDA12 software led to the extraction of 61 statements. 48 statements were selected as the Q sample. In the quantitative step, after collecting data from sorted Q statements by 16 farmers with multifunctional farms (N= 21), this data was analyzed using Q factor analysis in SPSS25 software. The result showed that 16 farmers surveyed had four mental patterns regarding extension of multifunctional agriculture, including Proponents of understanding the importance and benefits of multifunctional agriculture and limitations of productivist agriculture, Proponents of multifunctional agriculture facilitation and encouragement policies and extension and education factor, Proponents of farmers’ entrepreneurial skills and community demand for multifunctional agriculture, and Proponents of farm characteristics. These patterns account for 84.20% of the total variance. The first mental pattern (26.86%) and the second mental pattern (23.51%) explained a greater share of the total variance.

Current mixed method research which used the Q-method to examine and explain agricultural extension managers’ Mental patterns regarding psychological empowerment of employees. The main idea Q-method is identify Mental thoughts hinking, opinions, attitudes, and beliefs of people about the phenomenon under examination. The participants (N=12) included Agricultural Extension managers that were selected through purposive sampling. To collect data, some deep interviews were administered .Given the appraisal and summarization of concourse, 60 short statements were selected as Q phrases and after a survey of experts, 41 Q samples were selected. Gathered information was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using VARIMAX rotation. Semantic analysis showed that 4 distinct subjective patterns in psychological empowerment of agricultural extension staff were distinced by participants which could account for 81.49 percent of total variance. These 4 subjective pattern were called as “conductive Mental of context factors empowering ", “conductive Mental of environments factors empowering” “conductive Mental of structural factors empowering” and “conductive Mental of Individual Factors empowering”. The importance and priority of the identified factors were determined based on subjective patterns. By interpreting each of these patterns, suggestions were made to implement them.

The purpose of this descriptive – correlation research was to investigate factors influencing job burnout among Jihad-e Keshavarzi organization specialists in Kurdistan province. The statistical population of the study consisted of all Jihad-e Keshavarzi organization specialists (N=449). Using the Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table and proportional stratified random sampling technique, 220 specialists selected as research sample. Questionnaire was the main tool for data gathering. The validity of the questionnaire was verified through the judgment of a panel of academic staffs in agricultural extension and education department in Tarbiat Modares University and some specialist of Jihad-e Keshavarzi organization in Kurdistan and Zanjan Provinces. To assess the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients calculated for the main scales of the questionnaire (0.81 to 0.91). The data were analyzed using SPSS win software. Using the Maslach’s (2001) scale revealed that experts experienced moderate degrees of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. The findings revealed that among independent variables, age, work experience, job satisfaction, work over load, role ambiguity, Job control and work under load had significant relationship with job burnout. Regression results revealed the effective variables in job burnout including job satisfaction, role ambiguity, work experience, work over load and work under load. These variables could explain about 23 percent of job burnout variances.

This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting intention of citizens toward participating in activities related to development and protection of green spaces in Tehran. The research was descriptive-correlation and survey method was used. The statistical population of this study consisted of all citizens in Tehran. Using proportional and stratified random sampling، 626 citizens were selected as research sample. Questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts from Tehran Municipality and faculty members of agricultural extension and education in Tarbiat Modares University. A pilot test was conducted to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach''s alpha was estimated between 0. 87-0. 91. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. Based on the research results، the intention for participation in protection and development of green space activities of 54. 1 percent of the citizens were at a high level. There were significant differences between the different regions regarding the participation of the citizens. In this regard، the citizens of semi-marginal areas have more intention toward participating in green space protection. There were positive and significant relationship between number of received seedlings، number of reference for getting seedlings in recent years، citizens'' perception of green functions، awareness of the destructive factors of green space، attitude towards investment in developing green and education of citizens، and protection and development of green space. Stepwise regression analysis showed that four variables included attitude towards investment in development and conservation of green space، citizens'' perception of green functions، number of received seedlings and education are effective on intention toward participation.

The objective of the present study is to examine the factors influencing farmers’ attitude towards land consolidation of Gholbolagh dam downstream farmers. This is a descriptive-correlational survey which is carried out in 2011. Based on Bartlett table, the sample size is equal to 120. A questionnaire is designed and its validity assessed by faculty members of Extension and Agricultural Education Department from Tarbiat Modarres University. Chronbach's alpha reliability test is used to determine the reliability of multi-item indicators and for different parts is ranged between 0.76 to 0.85. Several factors relate to farmers attitude to the land consolidation project: level of education, farmers’ satisfaction with project, economic, motivational, extension-training, socio-cultural factors and factors inherent to the project. According to stepwise regression analysis, four factors explain 66.4 percent of variance in farmers’ attitude; factors inherent to the project, economic and motivational factors and level of education.