جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « small » در نشریات گروه « جغرافیا »

Tourism industry has been affected by various crises over the years. Covid-19 has severely affected tourism in Iran, especially in Mazandaran. Small and medium-sized tourism businesses suffered the most hurt due to their limitations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting small and medium tourism businesses success in the post-Corona eras.

Design/methodology/approach: 

The method of this research is descriptive – analytical method based on survey. The tool used was a questionnaire with closed questions that its indicators have been collected by studying valid foreign sources and they have been approved by professors and tourism experts. The reliability level of the questionnaire was calculated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and then distributed among 177 tourism activists in Mazandaran province. SPSS and PLS3 software were used to analyze the collected data.

Findings show that there is a significant relationship between personal values and market-orientation. There is a significant relationship between personal values and customer orientation. There is no significant relationship between market-orientation and product performance. There is also no significant relationship between market-orientation and intangible assets performance. There is a significant relationship between customer orientation and product performance. There is also a significant relationship between customer orientation and intangible assets performance.

According to the results, suggestions show that it is important to place transparency and sharing of goals. It’s also important that government should support employees. The other important factors are integrated planning in the province, compliance with protocols, holding professional tours, etc.

Originality/value: 

For the first time, this research examines the factors affecting the small and medium-sized tourism businesses’ success in Mazandaran province during the pandemic.

Free zones are gateways to world markets by taking advantage of the potentials and opportunities of the domestic economy in international trade. If the goal of the country's development is to develop the areas outside the big cities so that it includes all the rural areas in addition to the cities, one of the most important efforts is to pay attention to the small towns and somehow determine and evaluate their role in the development of the region. is In this research, the role of Aras Free Trade Zone in the development of medium and small cities has been evaluated. The main purpose of the research is to investigate the role of the Aras Free Zone on the development of medium and small cities around. The collection of information was done in two ways: library and field. The statistical population studied are the residents of small and medium towns around the region. The reason for choosing this community is the impact of Aras Free Zone on the lives of these residents. 150 of these people were randomly selected; Also, Cochran's formula was used to estimate the sample size. Cronbach's alpha method was used to measure the reliability of the research. Factor analysis and Spearman's test were used for the analysis. According to the results obtained from the questionnaires and the analytical test, Aras Free Zone is an effective factor in the development of small and medium cities and has caused the economic and social development of these cities. Suggestions for further development of small and medium cities have been presented. 

Free zones serve as gateways to global markets, capitalizing on the potentials and opportunities of the domestic economy in international trade. If the country's development goal encompasses the expansion beyond major urban centers to encompass all rural areas as well, it is imperative to prioritize attention to small cities and delineate their role in regional development. Over the past few decades, one of the pivotal economic policies pursued by the country's decision-makers and policymakers has been the establishment and implementation of commercial-industrial free zones. This policy has been driven by various objectives, including enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy, gradual integration into the global economy, regional development, alleviating deprivation, attracting both foreign and domestic capital, creating new employment opportunities, acquiring advanced technology, and augmenting exports. Presently, metropolitan areas in developing countries are witnessing robust growth, absorbing the majority of the country's resources, services, and capital. Nonetheless, they grapple with a myriad of urban challenges such as housing shortages, escalating unemployment rates, marginalization, transportation issues, and deficiencies in other urban services, compounded by environmental degradation. Conversely, other areas within these countries, such as medium-sized cities, small towns, and rural regions, have lagged behind in development, experiencing stagnation and impediments to progress. Global experiences underscore the importance of addressing the problems of major cities and achieving spatial population distribution balance and regional development, with a strong emphasis on supporting small cities.The establishment of commercial-industrial free zones lags behind in many countries' measures and development plans for underdeveloped areas. Each new economic endeavor carries significant potential for the host region's development. Successful economic activities generate added value and profitability, serving as incentives to attract further investment, thereby increasing job opportunities for local residents. Hence, it is crucial to prioritize attention to small cities and assess their role in regional development. This research evaluates the role of the Aras Free Trade Zone in fostering the development of medium and small cities. The primary objective is to examine the impact of the Aras Free Zone on the development of the surrounding medium and small cities, namely the central part, Jolfa city, Hadi Shahr, and Siehroud part.

The research methodology follows a descriptive-analytical approach with practical objectives. Data collection involves documentary methods and field studies to explore the role of the Aras Free Trade Zone in the development of medium and small cities, utilizing interviews and questionnaires. Data analysis is based on existing data and survey results from residents of small and medium cities surrounding the region, chosen due to the impact of the Aras Free Zone on their lives. The statistical population consists of residents of small and medium cities in the vicinity, with 150 individuals randomly selected using Cochran's formula to estimate the sample size. Cronbach's alpha coefficient is utilized to ensure the reliability of the research, particularly useful for measuring the internal consistency of Likert-type scales. A pre-test with 10% of the sample population was conducted to validate the questionnaire, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated using SPSS software, confirming the questionnaire's validity with a coefficient exceeding 0.80. Data analysis employs the factor analysis model and Spearman correlation coefficient in SPSS software.

The establishment of successful free zones has the potential to attract capital from cities of any size and dimension, leading to optimal management practices, mitigating cultural, social, and service-related issues, fostering peace and comfort, implementing justice, and boosting morale through participation. However, small and medium cities encounter their own set of challenges. Without appropriate plans and strategies to address urban management issues at national, regional, and local levels, these problems persist. Neglecting the development of small cities and lower-tier urban areas while focusing solely on high-level plans and investments exacerbates disparities, leading to imbalanced population distribution nationally and regionally. This imbalance poses a significant challenge for governments, as achieving balanced spatial development is crucial for national economic and social progress. Urban centers, characterized by their strength and prosperity, tend to repel labor and population, attracting more resources and opportunities, while peripheral areas, including small cities and rural regions, often struggle with poverty and underdevelopment. Addressing these disparities is essential for fostering sustainable and inclusive growth.

The results reveal that out of the 34 indices utilized in this study, 12 factors were identified, all possessing high eigenvalues, collectively explaining 68.7% of the variance. The first factor, with an eigenvalue of 3.911, elucidates 11.5% of the variance and exerts the most significant influence among the 12 factors, primarily within the economic domain. The second factor, comprising four indices, has an eigenvalue of 3.172, explaining 9.3% of the variance, ranking second. The third factor encompasses three loaded indices with an eigenvalue of 2.645, accounting for 7.8% of the variance. The fourth factor, composed of four indices, has an eigenvalue of 2.272 and explains 6.6% of the variance. Factors five through twelve have eigenvalues of 1.118, 0.971, 0.449, 0.223, 0.873, 0.394, 0.240, and 0.141, respectively, indicating lower variances. Based on the results, various components such as employment generation, income increase, economic development of small and medium regions, social development of small and medium regions, rapid provision of infrastructure, increase in domestic production and handicrafts, improvement in green spaces and tourist destinations, increased income from transport services, improved public services in surrounding areas, and rapid service delivery to small and medium regions around the Aras Free Trade Zone were identified. The findings demonstrate an increased dependency of small and surrounding areas on the Aras Free Zone.Furthermore, the correlation coefficient test employing Spearman's correlation coefficient between the development of the Aras Free Zone and the development of small and medium cities revealed a significant and positive relationship, indicating that an increase in one leads to a corresponding increase in the other. Therefore, the development of the Aras Free Zone has significantly contributed to the economic and social growth of small and medium cities, including the central district, Jolfa city, Hadi Shahr, and Siehroud part. Additionally, it has led to reduced migration from these cities to other areas, attributable to employment opportunities and economic growth and development in small and medium cities.

One of the effective approaches to enhance the motivation of rural communities is to engage in entrepreneurial activities within the domain of rural tourism. In order to accomplish this objective, it is crucial to identify captivating destinations, evaluate the present condition of rural societies, and recognize the inherent talents and abilities of the rural inhabitants. The primary purpose of this study is to identify the prospects for the establishment of small and medium-sized enterprises focused on tourism within the villages of the Shemiranat region.

This descriptive-analytical research has a practical perspective in relation to its objectives. The statistical population comprises the villages situated in three rural districts, namely Lavasan bozorg, Lavasan Koochak, and Rudbar Qasran, which selected through the employment of spatial cluster sampling method. Furthermore samples were chosen based on their availability and utilizing the snowball method, resulting in a total sample size of 313 participants. Data collection was conducted using field studies and a researcher-made questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the data collection tools were determined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and content validity method. The gathered data was subjected to analysis employing the T-paired test within the SPSS 22 software.

The findings of the study revealed the identification of 6 indicators and 84 components, which were recognized as potential opportunities for the advancement of small to medium-sized enterprises in the examined villages. These opportunities were assessed by means of a questionnaire. Following an expert review, the number of components reduced to 80. The questionnaire's validity was substantiated by the application of Cronbach's alpha coefficient, yielding a value of 0.85. Among the opportunities for tourism development, the following categories were deemed suitable: economic, social-cultural, infrastructural-opportunity, spatial, psychological, and attractive opportunities. Based on the T-paired test, the most crucial opportunities were determined to be the attractive, psychological, and infrastructural ones.

The villages of the Shemiranat region offer noteworthy prospects across multiple dimensions for the advancement of tourism. These opportunities possess the potential to serve as a catalyst for fostering economic expansion.

The tourism economy serves as the most effective stimulus for countries grappling with an inefficient economy, often caused by overreliance on a single product or limited income sources. Tourism development stands out as a key strategy for fostering economic and social transformation in regions worldwide, consistently attracting the attention of researchers and planners. Iran’s free and special economic zones offer a wide array of tourism opportunities. One such example is the Aras Free Zone in East Azarbaijan province, which, owing to its temperate climate and diverse tourist attractions, attracts a substantial number of tourists and travelers each year. The statistical population for this research comprised 75 residents of the surrounding areas, as well as city officials and experts. The research data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The results revealed that the following factors (in descending order) have the highest ranks: road and communication infrastructure, access to water, access to residences and guest houses, gas infrastructure, access to sports facilities, access to food and nutrition services, access to suitable communication facilities, setting up exhibitions, access to suitable facilities for leisure, transportation suitable for land and intra-city transportation, and appropriate information and advertising.

The decision to start or develop a new business is influenced significantly by the overt and covert context of the business environment and consequently how individuals and entrepreneurs perceive those plans and contexts. Because a collective understanding of a particular field creates a culture that forms the basis of entrepreneurial activities. In this study, according to the study context and Iranian governmental economy, the effect of good governance on how entrepreneurs perceive and attitude towards economic opportunities with respect to the mediating role of the knowledge-based economy has been investigated. For this purpose, a sample of 366 small and medium business owners in Fars province was extracted using a stratified sampling method. The results indicate that the good governance variable has both a direct (0.414) and an indirect (0.318) effect through the mediation of the knowledge-based economy variable on how to perceive economic opportunities. So, the partial mediating effect of the knowledge-based economy variable in the relationship between good governance and understanding of economic opportunities is confirmed. Therefore, it is expected that by strengthening the factors of good governance, it will be possible to create a suitable platform for the development of a knowledge-based economy and a proper understanding of economic opportunities and, consequently, suitable conditions for the development of small and medium-sized businesses. The results show that investing in establishing the rule of law and controlling corruption, as well as building trust and social cohesion can create a better understanding of the business environment and, of course, the exploitation of economic opportunities among entrepreneurs and SMEs owners in the Fars province. The results, also indicate that good governance as a macro and cognitive sector of social capital has a great impact on improving the understanding of economic opportunities of entrepreneurs SMEs’ owners in Fars province because, in total, the variables of good governance and knowledge-based economy are able to explain 62% of the changes in the variable of perception of economic opportunities.

In today's borderless global economy, on the international stage, places act as new actors. Globalization of the economy and increasing the technological changes pace are two important forces in geographic location competition which is essential to have people with the following characteristics: creativity, risk-taking and awareness of environmental opportunities in the field of land economy. On the other hand, the increasing importance of tourism businesses in economic diversification and livelihood sustainability, especially in local communities, has created various economic opportunities to meet these needs. Consideration of innovative tourism activities in the context of rural entrepreneurship development is one of the most important opportunities. Therefore, the present article investigates the tourism entrepreneurship space in the Saman District of Malayer County with the aim of analyzing the spatial reconstruction capability of tourism entrepreneurship in rural areas development. The method of this study was descriptive-analytical and applied. The statistical population of the study consisted of 100 furniture and carpentry business owners. A questionnaire was used to measure the reliability of the questionnaire ، using Cronbach's alpha test for tourism entrepreneurship variable (0.98). Data analysis was performed in SPSS 20 software. Findings showed that tourism entrepreneurship (sofa and inlay) was relatively favorable in 90% of rural areas and led to the growth of tourism entrepreneurship economic activities in the region. According to the results, the villages of Dehno and Dehnoavarzaman are capable of entrepreneurship spatial reconstruction and become larger business locations. Also, the results of the means comparison test showed that there is a significant difference (p <0.01) between the perception of entrepreneurs with different educational levels in terms of factors affecting the spatial reconstruction of entrepreneurship.

Being aware of the new technology conditions after executing and identifying the consequences of execution of these technologies have been always a basic and vital issue in technology management that can help gain competitive advantages in the commercial applications through making correct selections of the new technology according to the conditions of the in the urban business uses and the specifications of the agency while having an extensive effect on the regional sustainable development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a systematic model to assess commercial soft technology in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the urban commercial sector of Bushehr. For this purpose, the sequential mixed method in three stages (qualitative, Tool design, quantitative) is applied. At the first step (qualitative part), the themes were taken from in-depth interviews (up to theoretical saturation) with 25 experts, consisting of small and medium enterprises and municipal managers. The received data were coded and 157 key codes were identified in the form of 57 basic themes, 25 organizing themes, and 6 global themes. In the second step, the soft technology analysis mechanisms were adjusted using the "Technology Atlas" and "Daddario" models Implemented in one of the business units in the urban business use sector of Bushehr city. The results of this study show the main components for assessing commercial soft technology are technology acceptance level, technology impact level, technologist human, technology life cycle, degree of automation and technology transfer. The findings of this study indicate this model can analyze the features, characteristics, consequences, and outcomes of using commercial soft technologies in urban business use. Also, the results of executing the model showed that the soft management and marketing technologies with the assessing coefficients 0.62 and 0.6 are the most complex and extensive technologies among the soft commercial technologies in the urban business uses in Bushehr.

The purpose of this study is to present a model of internationalization of small and medium industries with marketing innovation: with emphasis on the mediating role of market orientation and marketing capabilities in the leather industry of East Azerbaijan province. The statistical population in the qualitative sector includes experts, CEOs and senior managers of SMEs in the bag and shoe industry of East Azerbaijan province. The sample size was considered as 40 by theoretical saturation method and snowball. The statistical population in the quantitative part was equal to 1620 active units in East Azerbaijan province. The statistical sample based on Morgan-Krejcie table was 310 people who were selected by simple random sampling method. Of the mentioned number, 345 units are related to the northern region of East Azerbaijan province, 502 units are related to the western region of the province, 217 units are related to the southern region of the province and 556 units are related to the eastern region of the province. The data collection tools in the qualitative stage were semi-structured interviews and group discussions and the data collection in the quantitative stage was done through a researcher-made questionnaire by field method. Content analysis method and maxqda software were used for qualitative data analysis and structural equation modeling method was used for descriptive data analysis using spss and smart pls software.

The main purpose of this research is design of open innovation pattern with entrepreneurial development approach in rural cooperative damaged in the corona crisis, which has been carried out by the grounded theory method. Data collection was semi structured interviews. Statistical population is faculty of economy, management and entrepreneurship of university and heads of rural cooperatives. The method of sampling was the realization of strategic and strategic strategies that was done by interview. The selection of samples was made according to the snowball process and continued until the theoretical saturation, in the qualitative part of this study, the method of open coding, axial coding and selective coding and requirements for each of these stages. In this research to ensure validity and reliability of the method of adaptation by members and intra- topic agreement method is used. In the interviews, according to the percentages reported by two people, the method of determining reliability is analyzed. Factors affecting the design of open innovation pattern with entrepreneurial development approach are: economic factors, organization factors, environmental factors, technological, creating competitive advantage, rules and regulations, innovation and strategic implementation.

Rural Entrepreneurship is a process of emerging actions and value creation in geographical places. If planned and rationally managed, it can be an investment in the development of social and geographical space in rural areas. Rural entrepreneurial streams, the formation of micro-enterprises and the reflectivity and role-playing of entrepreneurs in the development of areas around large cities, can cause spatial-local changes in development. Accordingly, the present article was designed with the aim of analyzing the effects of rural entrepreneurship in the development of suburban spaces in Kermanshah based on the process method of multidimensional entrepreneurial attitude.

The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. The statistical population is those rural settlements that have a history of agricultural activities and water and land capacities and under the demand pressure and condition went through changes such as replacing the cultivation of new crops instead of traditional ones, patterns of cultivation and more intensive cultivation. A total number of 21 entrepreneur villages of urban peripheral spaces located in Baladarband and Miyandarband Rural Districts in the central district of Kermanshah city in the period of (2016-2017) was included 38 active entrepreneurs less than 20 km away from Kermanshah metropolis. Since the number of rural entrepreneurs in the city was limited, in order to increase the accuracy of the research, a complete enumeration was used. A process approach to entrepreneurship in suburban areas is a multidimensional approach. In this view, entrepreneurship is a multidimensional and complex framework that emphasizes the individual, the environment, the organization, and the process of the economic project. According to Kuratko and Hodgest 2004, this type of process shifts entrepreneurship from a fragmented school of thought to a dynamic and interactive process approach that constitutes the variables and items measured in this study. The method of data collection was field method (questionnaire); its face validity was confirmed and its validity and reliability were obtained by using Cronbachchr('39')s alpha test for the variables of external and internal environment of entrepreneurship in the suburban area of ​​0.72, which indicated the appropriateness of the research tool. For this purpose, first the dimensions and concepts of identifying the suburban areas of the central district of Kermanshah city are inferred and determined according to the typology of the suburban areas. Then, correlation and multiple regression tests in SPSS20 software were used to analyze the effects.

Findings indicate that entrepreneurship in the central district of Kermanshah, from a spatial perspective, is the space of functions such as some agricultural and industrial activities (such as production sites) organic fertilizers, cut flowers, production of new crops instead of traditional crops, etc.), tourism and recreation that cannot be placed in Kermanshah due to lack of sufficient space. Conceptually, it has been associated with rapid social and economic growth. From an institutional point of view, it is very complex and sometimes confusing in the field of management due to the presence of formal and informal stakeholders, and this complexity has often led to the failure of economic activities in this region. In other words, from the perspective of the urban peripheral entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial areas of the central district of Kermanshah city are structurally-physically in the category of rural urban peripheral spaces (rural places with urban awareness and thinking), which are not close to the city center and distance from the city (maximum 20 km). However, due to the presence of entrepreneurs and the spatial connection with the metropolis of Kermanshah, they have caused changes and are experiencing a kind of urban life. The results also showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the variables of entrepreneurial spirit of individuals, economic and environmental process in rural areas and the development of suburban spaces at the level of one percent error. The results of regression analysis showed that the variables of rural entrepreneurship (entrepreneurial spirit of individuals, economic process and environment (external and internal) governing the village), have a significant effect on the development of suburban spaces and have the ability to explain 96% of changes in suburban spaces. The most important influential variable was the environmental variable. In this study, among the multiple dimensions of entrepreneurship, the most important variable in the development of suburban spaces was identified as the internal and external environment of rural space, Entrepreneurschr('39') role in the environment includes the currents and peripheral spaces that govern entrepreneurship, such as people, experiences, social, economic, political, technology and related constructive interactions between the entrepreneur and the environment, can be concluded external elements affect the entrepreneur and his personality and in some cases create ideal conditions in which the entrepreneur can discover opportunities and take advantage of them. Therefore, it is proposed to control the flows and forces (economic, social, technological and political) that impact the entrepreneurs and their businesses from the external environment of the villages over time.

Small and medium enterprises with such characteristics as flexibility and environmental adaptability in changing conditions, low capital requirements and simplicity of structure, have a good consistency with the economic situation of border villages in Iran. In most developed countries, the focus of activities and innovations is on small and medium enterprises.The statistical population of the study consisted of 598 experts and managers of executive agencies of rural economic activists (entrepreneurs and rural cooperative) and university professors. Among them, 235 people were selected by sample sampling method using Cochran formula. On the basis of this criterion, financing factors and production factors, supporting and encouraging factors, educational and skill factors, and cultural and social factors, were identified with a high value of 1 and identified as extractable factors. The naming of these factors was done with regard to the content of the variables and with regard to the literature and background of the research. Regarding the statistical indices, using the main factors analysis method, these four factors were able to explain 7531% of the variance of the total variables.

The importance of tourism and the need to examine various topics in the area, is widely acknowledged. At the same time, (SMEs),as the most important facilitators in the tourism industry have recently become increasingly concerned the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of entrepreneurial marketing on SMEs’ marketing abilities and market performance in the field of tourism, considering the moderating role of competition intensity. The present study is an applied study in terms of aim and a quantitative study in design, while being descriptive-analytical in method. Data was gathered through a questionnaire and the sample population consisted of tourism SME managers in the city of Tehran, amounting to 1600 businesses in total. Sampling was performed, using the Morgan table, 310 samples were chosen. . To test the research hypotheses, structural equation modeling, SPSS and Warp PLS softwares have been used. The results showed that entrepreneurial marketing affects the marketing capabilities of the studied businesses and enterprises., business marketing capabilities were also proven to have an effect on market performance. However, competition intensity was found to have no moderating effect on the relationship between entrepreneurial marketing and marketing capabilities and the relationship between marketing capabilities and market performance.

The purpose of this study is to analyze financial management practices and profitability of sport tourism small and medium sized enterprises. The research method is descriptive research of correlation type. The statistical population of the study is managers, owners, or experts of all small and medium sized sports tourism enterprises in North Khorasan Province. The sampling method was considered as a colloquial. The researcher sent a questionnaire by attending these firms. Finally, 219 questionnaires were collected. Financial data, financial characteristics and profitability questionnaire were used to collect data. Cronbach's alpha for financial management questionnaire was 0.89, financial characteristics 0.83, profitability 0.87. Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. The findings showed that there is a significant relationship between financial management practices, with the exception of fixed asset management practices, with the profitability of small and medium enterprises. There is also a positive and significant relationship between the current ratio and total turnover of assets and the profitability of small and medium sized enterprises. The current ratio has a negative and significant relationship with the profitability of the firm. The features of financial management and financial management practices are predictable variables in predicting the profitability of small and medium sized enterprises. Therefore, owners, managers and accountants of small and medium sized enterprises should use these factors in order to increase profitability and productivity and improve the performance of their firms.

Many quantitative research’s (and some qualitative cases) has are been done on the role of small and medium size cities in regional development. The present article is also in this regard, but with a slight change in the structure of the breakdown in the approach to the subject and the analysis of the problem, and the multi-faceted analysis of the data using the Fuzzy Inference System. The purpose of the research, with regard to the title, is a developmental - application and has a descriptive - analytical approach. The FIS application and increasing approach has four stages (in general): its Database and Fuzzification, the rules base, the engine, and the Defuzzification, which is parallel to the research process. In the glimpse (Knowledge Base), regional development indicators (10 indicators) and variables (more than 70 variables) in four pillars of regional development (economic, physical, infrastructure and human development) for the small and middle cities of Kurdistan province (9 cities of the city centers Except for Saravabad) were selected and mapped during two periods of 2006 - 2016, and then a detailed analysis of the process was performed on the data. The final result

Diversifying the economic activities of the society has always been a major challenge of governors in every country. Attentions are also paid to this issue in Iran and one of the important measures which is done in this regard is considering tourism in recent years. Tourism is a multidimensional industry consisting of different sectors as small and medium sized enterprises which are of great importance in this industry. But these businesses are usually faced with shortages of budget, lack of management and marketing skills and lack of knowledge that network creation helps to overcome them. Therefore, weaknesses can be replaced by strengths through creating relationship among businesses. Main benefits of network creation are increasing revenues, reducing risks and costs and sharing knowledge and experience. In the current paper, the influence of nerwork formation on the performanceof tourism businesses particularly Tehran travel agencies is studied. Data are gathered through documents and surveys and are analyzed by SPSS software and Pearson correlation ratio and T-test. Results show that the performance of businesses improves in networking mode therefore, there is a positive relationship between network creation and performance improvement.

Attempting to stabilizing small and medium size cities need to appropriate strategic planning. A range of local challenges hampers the efforts to achieve such stabilization processes in medium and small sized towns. These challenges are widely known. They have been explored in many case studies. Though the challenges differ from town to town, a few generalizations can be made, independent of shortcomings related to geographic location, environmental circumstances and local economic history, or present and past politico-administrative conditions. Strategic planning as a useful tool for management used for helping to an organization to better doing of works and ensure that our organization is acting along with our purposes. In this regard, one of the most common models of strategic planning in urban development is SWOT model. But nowadays, experts after many years using of this model, concluded that SWOT is based on intellectual inspiration and it was non-systematic, in the other hand it avoided quantification and do not have predictive power.

Villages under 20 households that are active in the field of agriculture and related activities, In terms of the economic, environmental and security are important. Integrated management of rural areas in the field of agriculture and exploitation of natural resources is not possible without considering to this settlements. According to statistics, there are 27,906 villages with population in the country that they constitute 43.2 percent of this prosperous country and has a population of under 100 people. This village Due to lack qualify for the establishment of rural municipality and Islamic rural council, are deprived of the rural municipality institution. Establishment of rural municipality in such settlements due to their characteristics, there are various challenges. Such communities tend to be characterized, in relative terms, as sharing some or all of the following attributes:• Their small size, in terms of population, market and labor supply• Their physical isolation from other, and particularly larger, urban centers• Their lack of economic diversification• A weak and declining economic base and limited employment opportunities• High production and servicing costs• A limited range of public and private services• A small, low-density and often declining rural service hinterland Methodology of this study based on the purpose is an applied study and based on data gathering techniques, is a documentary research. The data needed to were collected from multiple data sources, existing censuses (1956 to 2011) and spatial data layers. The statistical population of this study, is all the villages in the country and also Analysis Unit is at the village level. Sampling method of this study is census and data are used from Existing censuses. To analysis of data, after its extraction and Preparation, statistical (spss) and GIS (Arc Gis) software were used. Also this approach study based on analysis type, is descriptive analysis. Characteristics of Small villages and village without Islamic council in different periods in Iran were described and analyzed. In addition to understanding with the nature of the studied villages in the Iran and world, used from documentary methods and resources review. In the 2011 census, the villages with population were counted 61,724 inhabitants that of this number, 27,906 villages have a population of under 100 persons. In this study village of under 100 persons, in three groups of 1-24, 25-49 and 50-100 persons were studied. The results show that the number of villages with 1-24 persons has reached from 5267 villages in 1956 to 13,310 villages in 2011. The number of villages in this class, from 66,757 persons in 1956 Increased to 162000 in 2011. The number of villages with 25-49 persons has reached from 4688 villages in 1956 to 6078 villages in 2011 and the number of villages in this group, from 173801 persons in 1956 Increased to 221000 in 2011 that show an increase of about 27 percent from the 1956. The number of villages with 50-100 persons has reached from 8420 villages in 1956 to 8518 villages in 2011 and the their population in this group, show an decrease of about 2.7 percent from the 1956. The estimated distribution of villages in the border areas of the border at various depths, shows over 30% of the studied villages are located in the border areas. The main characteristic of this villages, small size and remoteness of their settlements. Low population density and small size of settlements, are closely related to access to Key services such as health and social services, educational and administrative institutions in rural areas. Widespread combined with other factors such as geographic isolation and harsh and difficult path, lack of transport and communications infrastructure. Remote rural areas, generally are face with common challenges such as aging population, low risk-taking culture, inability to participate effectively with economic networks and low levels of education. Despite substantial challenges in rural management services in studied villages, due to high geographical distribution, low demand, lack of infrastructure and manpower, cannot deprived this size of population and considerable territorial area from basic services. However, obviously the services delivery system to this villages will be different with large villages and towns. One of the interesting approaches in the field is the use of shared rural management system between adjacent villages with centrality of a village or town. In This approach, small and scattered villages, can benefit from shared services of rural municipality. However set the threshold distance and demographics, for each rural management services (Administrative, financial, legal, public services, physical, and safety...), requires further study.

Today، rural tourism plays an important role as a productive factor and new sources of employment and income in rural communities. Over the past decades rural areas in many countries have faced the pressures of economic transition. Traditionally، strong primary industries such as fishing، agriculture، and forestry have declined dramatically، and many places have viewed tourism and related industries as replacements for traditional rural livelihoods. Governments can play active roles in tourism. In short the literature suggests rural tourism development policy approaches require: regeneration/revitalization، horizontal and vertical integration، interdependence، stewardship/sustainability، mediation، cataclysm، service and welfare provisions، spatiality awareness، intra and inter regional complementariness، opportunism، realism and quality Rural Tourism encompasses a huge range of activities، natural or manmade attractions، amenities and facilities، transportation، marketing and information systems. Tourism development requires attractions، promotion، infrastructure and services and hospitality rural tourism demand is often difficult to influence and manage. Rural tourism- based businesses are smaller and newer than other forms of economic activity in rural areas. They are located in remote areas، with low capital base، and function with low- level skills and little tourism experience and development of tourism business and infrastructure would stimulate economics، small businesses and provide rural population with alternative income. Rural tourism is very diverse and fragmented in terms of operational structures، activities، markets and operating environments. Rural economies are limited by two factors; they are based on agricultural production and in many developed countries they are reliant on government policies. To the fast growing and profitable small and medium businesses belongs rural tourism which gives an incentive to work، to preserve and rationally use local resources، cultural and historical heritage. Most rural tourism businesses are small، owner-operated، and act as a second income، so they generally are not earning a lot of money. This income is still important however; as it increases the economic viability of businesses on-and-off the farm rural tourism is a growth industry and can be accredited to changes in lifestyle، higher levels of disposable income، car ownership and second holiday/ weekend break markets. Hence، this is important to identifying factors that affect it. This survey was accomplished in the rural’s sector of Kan. A survey was performed of rural villages sooleghan (Sangan noa، Sangan Bala، Sangan Paeen، Sangan Vasat، Bagh Dareye Sangan، Vardij، Talun، Kigah، Varish، Imam Zadeh Davud، Keshar Sofla، Keshar Oliya، Rendane and Sooleghan) with the population 2767 patients (708 households). Because of a relatively high number of households، more natural attractions and easy access for tourists to these areas 7 Villages (Sooleghan، Vardij، Sangan Paeen، Keshar Oliya، Rendan، Imam Zadeh Davood and Kigah) were selected for this study. Was used questionnaire for data collection and data analysis whit SPSS software. Results showed that the natural attractions and places of pilgrimage was important reason to visit the rural. Among the positive points that had were a huge impact on tourism in the region، low part of the rural to Tehran، the nature of the pristine and beautiful natural attractions in the area، a few number of small and medium size enterprise tourism oriented in the region and religious at the over hand the unwillingness of young people to work in agriculture sector، offered appropriate credit facilities from government and quiet facilities for the tourists were the least impact on tourism activities. Seasonal tourism in the region، inadequate systems of information and advertising in tourism، the need for large capital for small and medium size enterprises tourism oriented، lack of proper roads and communication routes، have been introduced as the most important shortcomings in the creation and expansion of small and medium size enterprises tourism. little experience and skill in relation to tourism business، tourism’s markets of neighboring towns، strict and restrictive taxes and the state laws، supervision and strict control over the activities of firms and dealers and agricultural products and handicrafts of intermediaries were not important barriers to development of tourism activity. Residents of perspective education was substantial’s role of government to improve the tourism activity and next in rating as its role in the development of the tourism business was the construction of roads and routes، improve the mobile services، and introducing region as a one of the tourism axis. Final priorities of the government''s role were about the tourism enterprises pay the low loans and credits، supporting rural initiatives and new ideas related to tourism business، grant facilities to the tourists to travel during the recession in tourism and training courses for rural people who are willing to work in the tourism sector. Among the extracted factors in factor analysis test، context– Infrastructure factor whit the special value 5/78، was recognized the most effective factor in the creation and expansion of economic activities oriented tourism enterprises. Also was observed Positive correlation among the factors detected. At the end of on the basis of result have been suggested some strategy and solution to improve and develop rural tourism activity and small and medium size enterprises.

The overall and integrated development of the country, in a way which covers all people and groups and also all its places, needs a balanced spatial structure and settlement system. Access to such balanced situation needs the strengthening and development of small and medium cities in Iran provinces. Therefore the main question of this research is that "How much is the development rate of small and medium cities of Iran's provinces in year 2006"? To answer this question, after reviewing the theoretical bases, the evaluation variables were determined and the research hypothesis was offered based on more development of small and medium cities in the northern and western provinces of Iran". For evaluating and testing the research hypothesis, in the frame work of analytical-descriptive method, the overall index of "development rate of small and medium cities" was operated and measurable by six main indicators and based on simple weighting method. The required data were gathered by library method. The weights of indicators were obtained by AHP group method. Data analysis and hypothesis test was made by descriptive statistical methods and also independent t-test. The results showed that expansion rate in small and medium cities in different provinces is various. The significant difference between the northern and western provinces with the provinces of southern and eastern ones was approved. The results showed a relation between the expansion rate of such cities with the natural environment and also the regional and national pattern of expansion.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) bring a broad range of benefits beyond growth of national income، providing important opportunities for employment، and are a key source of an outlet for entrepreneurial creativity and ideas. However، it is estimated that SMEs are responsible around 60 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and 70 percent of all pollution globally. Therefore، having an examination on the behavior of companies، which is not usually pro-environmental، is essential. Hence، this paper intends to determine (i) the 5 facets of environmental attitude of SMEs’ owners and managers، (ii) the effect of 5 facets of environmental attitude on intention to pro-environmental performance، (iii) the effect of intention to pro-environmental performance on pro-environmental performance، and (iv) the effect of participating in classes of environmental education on pro-environmental performance.

In this paper the revised scale of New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) was used in order to determine the environmental attitude. The NEP includes 15 items; every three items focus on special facet of environmental attitude. The first facet relates to “limits to growth”، that considers limitation of demands and performance of people as a solution for environmental problems. The second facet points out anti-anthropocentrism. By the second facet، human is not dominant on his environment، and other beings have not been created for serving him. The third facet is “fragility of nature’s balance”. According to this facet، the balance of nature is a guarantor for life on the earth. The fourth facet is “rejection of exemptionalism”. By the fourth facet، human is the cause of eco-crises، therefore he must learn actions for controlling these crises. The fifth facet believes that “the possibility of an eco-crisis”. According to this facet، eco-crises shall be considered as serious threats to environment. Also for the assessment of intention to pro-environmental performance، pro-environmental performance، and participating in classes of environmental education we used a questionnaire developed in this research. The survey for this research study took place in the Kermanshah and Ilam provinces. The participants were a sample of 202 SMEs owners and managers that were selected using the stratified sampling method.

1. The mean of five facets of environmental attitude، environmental attitude، intention to pro-environmental performance and pro-environmental performance. The mean of limits to growth was 2. 77; anti-anthropocentrism was 2. 63، fragility of nature’s balance was 2. 57، rejection of exemptionalism was 2. 46، and the possibility of an eco-crisis was 2. 78. Also the mean of environmental attitude was 2. 65. In addition the mean of intention to pro-environmental performance was 3. 22 that higher than 2. 4. In contrast، pro-environmental performance was 2. 37 which is lower than the middle value. 2. The results of correlation analysis. There was a positive and significant correlation between the 5 facets of environmental attitude and intention to pro-environmental performance. However، only the facets of fragility of nature’s balance and rejection of exemptionalism had a positive and significant correlation with pro-environmental performance. In addition، there was a positive and significant correlation between intention to pro-environmental performance and pro-environmental performance. 3. The results of regression analysis. The facets of limits to growth (t=3. 9، sig=0. 000) and the possibility of an eco-crisis (t=2. 55، sig=0. 001) could explain around 19% of the variance of intention to pro-environmental performance (F=24. 16، sig=0. 000). In other words، limits to growth and the possibility of an eco-crisis would make a significant contribution to the regression model. However، limits to growth had a stronger preference for intention to pro-environmental performance (β=0. 403). Also intention to pro-environmental performance could explain 0. 07% of the variance of pro-environmental performance. In fact، the relationship between these two variables was positive. Since the average of pro-environmental performance was low (2. 37)، we would believe that participation in environmental education classes could improve the pro-environmental performance of SMEs owners and managers. In this respect، the correlation analysis for participating in classes of environmental education and pro-environmental performance revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between them. Also the result of multiple regression analyses of participating in classes of environmental education and intention to pro-environmental performance with pro-environmental performance showed that these two variables can explain about 12% of all variance of pro-environmental performance. Conclusion. The mean of 5 facets of environmental attitude of SMEs owners and managers was more than the middle value. Also، the mean of intention to pro-environmental performance was higher than 2. 4، but the mean of pro-environmental performance for the majority of SMEs owners and managers were lower than 2. 4. In addition، 19% of the variance of pro-environmental performance was explained by the facets of limits to growth and the possibility of an eco-crisis، whereas the remaining 81% of the effective factors could not be clarified. Factors such as lack of rules and regulations، domination of material attitudes on public interests، incomprehension of environmental threats، etc. may be considered as main causes for the low level of pro-environmental performance among SMEs owners and managers.