Performance analysis of small and medium sized businesses among rural women in Fars province

Performance improvement of women's businesses has an important role on the progression of rural life quality. Analyzing the performance of rural women's businesses was the main aim of the study. The statistical population of the study included all members of the Agricultural Development Specialized Holding Companies in Fars province Fars province in the form of three companies in the cities of Marvdasht, Shiraz and Estahban (3479 members). The sample size was 269 according to formula. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the Agricultural Extension and Education Specialist of Shiraz University and the reliability was determined by calculating the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data was analyzed using SPSS software using ANOVA. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Comparison of entrepreneurial activities in four different business groups revealed that the entrepreneurial activity development in agriculture sector, conversion and handicraft activities and service activities were higher than that of women with livestock and poultry activities, respectively. Agricultural businesses have been in a desirable condition in terms of entrepreneurial activity, the effectiveness of communication and their business information, marketing strategies use, virtual social networks, business resilience as well as individual resilience. However, women engaged in livestock and poultry farming have not been in an acceptable situation in compare with than women in the other three business groups. Considering the important role of different types of businesses, it is suggested that holding educational workshops in the field of handicrafts and livestock activities in the list of rural women educational programs by related organizations.