Comparative Analysis of Sustainability of Larestan County`s Rural Women Entrepreneurial Activities

The main purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of members and non-member rural women in the Omid Entrepreneurship Fund of Larestan county as well as comparing the entrepreneurial activities development of these rural women before and after their membership. The research population included all rural women members of Omid Entrepreneurship Fund of Larestan county (440 individual) from the southern Fars province. According to the formula, the sample size was estimated 108 members. According to the stratified random sampling method, the respondents were selected from two groups of members (111) and non-members (105) and, finally 216 rural women were studied. This descriptive study was accomplished using survey in order to collect the required data through a questionnaire. The face validity and reliability of the questionnaire were conformed by the three professors of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Education of Shiraz University, and a pilot study was conducted outside the main sample (rural of Marvdasht county), respectively. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the research variables were computed between 0.74 to 0.93. According to the results of members and non-members` comparison, these two groups showed significant differences in terms of personal-psychological variables (age, educational level, entrepreneurial spirit, self-efficacy and awareness of Omid Entrepreneurship Fund` plans) and some other variables such as entrepreneurship training, entrepreneurial orientation, social and organizational networking, development of entrepreneurial activities and sustainability of their activities; But there was not any differences among two groups due to government supportive policies and business environment.