فصلنامه پژوهشهای روستایی
سال دوازدهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 46، تابستان 1400)

The present study examines rural businesses based on two approaches of branding and value chain as a way to activate businesses to increase productivity and achieve competitiveness. This article is a descriptive-analytical study based on probability and targeted methods in sampling and data collection. In order to analyze the data, the sum of mean scores, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, techniques of weighted summation and multi-criteria decision making (ARAS) have been used. The statistical population of the study included 220 university professors, experts of government departments and rural managers; they are made up of district heads, representatives of district councils, and representatives of villagers and business owners. The results show that among the explanatory indicators of brand products in rural areas, the satisfaction index with a weight of 0.095 is in the first place, and adaptability with a weight of 0.091 and quality orientation with a weight of 0.086 are in the next ranks. And among the common businesses and products of the region; cotton farming with a coefficient of 0.971 is in the first priority, carpet weaving with a coefficient of 0.966 is in the second priority, traditional food with a coefficient of 0.952 is in the third priority, horse breeding with a coefficient of 0.943 is in the fourth priority and ecotourism resorts with a coefficient of 0.924 are in the fifth place for branding planning. Also, the results of value chain analysis indicate that as a complementary tool for branding, activities can be identified and categorized using various business operations to determine marketing strategies and pricing policies.

The present research was a combination of documentary and survey methods, and its type based on future studies is analytical and normative. The sample size consists of twenty experts, specialists in agricultural banks, farmers, and officials in Hamedan province. These individuals were selected by snowball sampling method and purposeful method. In this study, first, the data were collected by the Delphi technique, and finally, thirty-three components that can make an efficient facility were recognized. In the second stage, for identifying efficient components, an interaction matrix is modeled. The questionnaire weighting was evaluated by using a comparative study of the relationship among the components, and indicated based on the numbers between zero and three. Thus, the number zero means no effect, number one means weak effect, number two means moderate effect, and number three means high effectiveness. Eventually, the letter P indicates the presence of the potential relationship between variables.  Finally, the results were analyzed by MIC-MAC software. The results showed twelve key components affecting the effectiveness of the facility. Some of them are: Manufacturers' efforts to reduce the level of production costs, identifying the existing capacities in the village and granting facilities to these groups, providing advice to the owners of production workshops to solve problems, establishing a system for registering capacities and job demand in that area to coordinate the supply of facilities commensurate with the needs of the community, the proportion of loans with the proposal proposed by the producers."

Adaptation to stress is very important to support livelihoods and ensure food security. However, the type of adaptation strategies varies between regions and their socioeconomic and agroecological contexts. Identifying and classifying empirical data-based adaptation methods can help design and implement incentives, rules, or institutional reforms. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to classify and identify types of adaptation to water stress using a qualitative method, Grounded theory. Techniques used to collect data include direct observation, semi-structured interviews, and field notes. Based on the research findings, adaptation strategies were divided into 4 general groups, including changes in agricultural operations, irrigation management, financial and economic management, and social management. Agricultural operations management methods, in turn, include two subcategories of crop management and farm management. Irrigation management includes water-saving and water supply methods. In addition, economic management methods include diversifying income or employment, agricultural insurance, saving money, and receiving loans or credits. Social management has two subcategories of migration and networking and knowledge expansion in order to increase awareness about harm reduction methods.

One of the extension approaches that are suitable for use in Iran’s agricultural conditions and to solve some of the problems of this section is a commodity specialized approach. This approach applies to contractual agricultural systems. In this regard, the present study aimed to identify the functions and challenges of conventional farming in Kermanshah province. To do this research, the qualitative research method has been used. Participants in this study included all employers and their contracting parties in contractual agricultural projects in Kermanshah Province, as well as key experts in organizations that were somehow engaged in agricultural development. Purposeful sampling was used. Individual interviews, focus group interviews and observation were used to collect data. The research findings indicate that the main function of contract farming is to increase farmers' knowledge, develop the farmers' economic potential, and reduce the perceived risk for producers. Employers also were introduced to risk management of raw materials for factories, extension and agricultural development, creating brand credibility and job creation as the function of contract farming. The most important contract farming problems of the Kermanshah province are also in the field of establishing and developing contractual agricultural projects, limitations on conventional farming projects as well as insufficient adherence to contract obligations. The results of this study can be used for organizations involved in agricultural development, including Agricultural Jihad Organization and the Governorate.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various types of entrepreneurial activities of rural women on the sustainable food security of their households in Khorramabad township. The statistical population of the present study was rural women entrepreneurs in Khorramabad township (N = 395) who were selected as a sample using Jrejcie and Morgan table (n=190) and three-stage cluster sampling method. The main data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The results showed that the food security situation of households is not in a favorable condition (2.59). The results of the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that in terms of sustainable food security, there is a significant difference in the types of entrepreneurial activities of rural women in terms of consumption and access dimensions (P <0.05). In addition, the results of the LSD post hoc test in the access dimension showed that the handicrafts group is significantly (P < 0.05) different from the processing industries and agricultural products group and entrepreneurial households engaged in agricultural products and conversion industries are in a better position than entrepreneurial households engaged in handicrafts. In terms of consumption, entrepreneurial households engaged in processing industries are in a better position than the agricultural production group. Therefore, based on the obtained results, suggestions such as providing financial credits by policy-makers, diversification of entrepreneurial activities based on agricultural products and food processing, and holding training workshops for women entrepreneurs working in the conversion industry with the aim of providing and maintaining food processing and packaging, safety and health are provided.

Today, we are witnessing extensive changes in the movements between cities and villages, so that permanent movement between cities and villages have become daily commutes, which is referred to as population floating. This is more common among the inhabitants of the villages around the metropolises. In addition to economic incentives, various factors can affect the formation and strengthening of the flow of rural floating population. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the formation of rural floating populations in urban areas. The present research is of applied type and the method of doing it is descriptive-analytical. The statistical population of the study is the households of 20 villages of Tabadakan district around the metropolis of Mashhad. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and based on research indicators. The results showed that the factors affecting the buoyancy of the rural population can be classified into economic, social, individual, geographical-environmental and institutional factors. Among these, economic factors, social factors and individual factors explained 37.71, 12.13 and 7.78% of the variance of the dependent variable, respectively. Also, the results of the Spearman correlation test showed an inverse relationship with moderate intensity between the two variables of distance from the city and the buoyancy ratio of the rural population. Finally, the results of the logistic regression test indicate that the variables of age, occupation and having a place of residence or home in the city have a statistically significant effect on the dependent variable (floating or non-floating population) and are able to predict changes in the dependent variable.

Understanding the quality of perceived services is one of the key steps in analyzing rural household satisfaction and developing service quality improvement programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the quality of perceived services and satisfaction of rural households after joining the city of Hamedan based on the SERVQUAL model. The study follows the quantitative paradigm and empirical research method in terms of purpose. Also, in terms of data collection, it is a survey-based research. The statistical population of the study was all residents of eight villages (Moradbeig Dareh, Faghireh, Khezr, Dizaj, Dizaj Hesar, Mazdaqineh, Aghashams Ali Hesar and Imam Hesar) joined the Hamedan city in which 200 households were selected as a sample population by calculating the Cochran formula and were surveyed through stratified random sampling. The data collection tool was a two-part questionnaire including demographic information and 26 questions to evaluate the quality of services based on the SERVQUAL model. Data were analyzed through t-test by SPSS20 Software. The results showed that there is a significant difference between residents' perceptions of the current services’ quality and their expectations of acceptable services’ quality in all dimensions. Therefore, a negative and significant gap was observed between the expectations and perceptions of rural residents about the services received, which indicates the dissatisfaction of rural residents with the quality of services perceived after joining the city of Hamedan.

Rural development is a process that emphasizes the comprehensive promotion of rural life through the context and encouragement of activities in line with the capabilities and bottlenecks in their general sense. It has been able to create the levels of demand (whether high or low, depending on the situation) in rural areas from relevant organizations. One of these organizations is rural municipality, which has been able to bring rural development by providing successful services to meet the needs of rural households. The present study analyzes the relationship between the level of demands of rural households from the performance of villagers in the process of improving rural development in Rashtkhar. The research is applied in terms of purpose and the research method is descriptive-analytical. The statistical population of the study included heads of households in the villages of Rashtkhar district, and according to Cochran's formula, the sample size of 353 households was calculated and was distributed randomly. Coopras technique and GIS software were used for ranking and spatial analysis of the villages and Shannon technique and Expert choice software, SPSS were used for statistical data analysis. In this study, the physical-structural index using the Shannon technique has the highest score (0.9633) and the environmental index has the lowest score (0.7542). According to the Coopers technique, Fathabad village has the best situation in terms of 4 indicators of the level of demands of rural households from the performance of villagers among the villages of Rashtkhar village and according to the distribution of villages with GIS software, Fatehabad village ranks first among other villages of Rashtkhar village in terms of Development.

Sense of place is a factor that transforms the space into a place with special behavioral and emotional characteristics for people. This sense can lead to pro-environmental behavior. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to assess the sense of place of local people and tourists in Cheshme Belgheis Garden of Choram and its relation to their pro-environmental behaviors. The research population of the study consisted of local people who were located at least 20 km from the garden and tourists who visited the Cheshme Belgheis Garden of Choram. The sample of the study included 96 local people and 96 tourists who visited the garden during the period of the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was obtained by performing a single study and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated for all seven different sense levels (0.80 to 0.90 ), indicating the desired reliability of the questionnaire. The results showed that both local people (3.93) and tourists (3.61) are at a desirable level in terms of sense of place and pro-environmental behavior. The results of comparing the means between the two groups of tourists and hosts also indicated that there is a significant difference between the two groups in terms of place sense. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in pro-environmental behavior. The results showed that there was no correlation between pro-environmental behavior and the sense of place of the two target groups. Finally considering the results of the study, some suggestions have been provided to improve the condition of the garden.

Migration is the most important phenomenon that can endanger the existence and survival of the rural community. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of social capital components and place attachment on the migration of people in the villages of Jiroft County, which was done with a quantitative approach. The statistical population of the study was the active rural population. Krejice and Morgan table was used to determine the sample size (n=382). A stratified random sampling method was used to select the sample. A questionnaire was used for data collection that its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts. Furthermore, in order to assess the reliability of the research tool, Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated (0.71≤α≤0.83). The results of the Pearson correlation analysis showed that increasing the distance between rural and urban areas leads to more migration. Also, the decrease in social capital among the villagers leads to an increase in their migration. The results of path analysis showed that all components of social capital have direct and significant effects on migration, and among these, social participation has the most significant direct effect on rural migration. At the same time, place attachment also has a significant direct negative effect on migration. All components of social capital have a significant direct positive effect on place attachment. This means that the higher the level of social participation, social cohesion, social trust, social awareness and social relations of the people in rural communities, the higher the probability that their place attachment will be increased and consequently, the lower the likelihood of migration among them.

The present study, which employs a survey method, is applied in terms of the purpose. Its statistical population is the "members" of "active" agricultural cooperatives in Lorestan. The research instrument was a questionnaire whose face validity was determined according to the opinions of 15 members of the statistical community, its content validity was calculated using content validity ratio (CVR) and its reliability was calculated by Cronbach's alpha test which was 0.76 and the data was analyzed by SPSS and Amos software. According to the results of the one-sentence t-test, members' participation in the management of the cooperatives studied is above average, as well as the results of correlation tests of variables and the results of structural equation analysis of the research model. (Members’ participation in general assemblies, members' participation in cooperative oversight, members’ participation in management and members' economic participation,) and "success" of agricultural cooperatives was confirmed and the relationship between them with 99% confidence level showed a direct, positive and significant relationship. The results obtained in relation to the fit indices of the model showed that the research model has a good fit. In this regard, there was no significant difference between married and single men and women in terms of participation in cooperative activities, while there was a direct and significant relationship between the variables of age, membership history, education and members' shares in the success of cooperatives.

Today, global competition, changing markets and new technologies by creating value chains have led to increased value in manufactured products. The purpose of creating value chains, especially in the livestock sector, is to improve performance, reduce operating costs and reveal opportunities in the business. Recognition of the effective factors and obstacles in the sheep value chain is one of the most important factors of the development of these chains. Thus, in this study, effective factors and the challenges facing the development of the value chain of sheep meat in Lorestan province were studied. The main paradigm of research was mixed. In the quality section, 43 people were selected through the targeted and snowball method. In the quantitative section, 382 people were selected and examined in two stages by the simple cluster sampling method. The results showed that social problems explain 24.21% of the variance of the challenges facing the development of sheep value chain in Lorestan province, management problems 14.21%, financial problems 8.67% and technical problems 6.67%. Modeling of interactive structural equations in SMART-PLS3 software showed that the overall goodness-of-fit criteria of the confirmatory factor analysis had a moderate fit in the current model. Then, the measurement model showed that the economic factor, government policies and information technology with a coefficient of determination of 35% have the greatest role in the development of the value chain of mutton in Lorestan province. In this regard, in the present study strategies have been proposed to reduce the cost of the sheep meat value chain through governmental policies and exploiting the opportunities hidden in information and communication technology.