Articles
SAGE Open (21582440)14(4)
The purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of management dimensions as well as the performance dimensions of rural producers’ cooperatives on the overall performance of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan province. The statistical population of this research is the components of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan province. Required data were collected by completing the questionnaire by 375 persons from rural cooperatives. In this study, principal component analysis (PCA), linear regression analysis, and arithmetic mean method were used. The results of the research indicated that a unit of improvement in cooperative management led to a 67% improvement in cooperatives performance. Among the seven component dimensions of cooperatives performance, the improvement of livelihood (0.852), had the highest factor loading in the performance structure of rural cooperatives. Also, among the four component dimensions of co-operative management, the leading (0.895) has been the most important factor in the management structure of rural producers’ cooperatives. © The Author(s) 2024.
International Journal of Rural Management (09730680)20(1)pp. 124-144
The present study pursues a two-fold objective: to evaluate the performance of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan Province, Iran, and to develop a general model for this purpose. To develop a model for the comprehensive assessment of rural producers’ cooperatives in Isfahan, the survey method is employed in the present descriptive-analytical study and use is made of an especially-designed questionnaire as well as the structural equation modelling. Efforts are also made to include in a most comprehensive and systematic manner all the parameters involved in rural producers’ cooperatives. The statistical population comprises all the membership and decision-making bodies (including the General Assembly, Board of Directors and Inspectors) of the cooperatives in Isfahan. The sample size as determined by Cochran’s formula comprises 375 people. Sampling is accomplished using a two-stage stratified and cluster sampling with simple random sampling included. Results indicate that 63.36% of the cooperatives investigated record a satisfactory performance and that, from among the independent variables, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) behaviour records the highest direct impact on the performance of the cooperatives. Finally, the model fit indices reveal the capability of the proposed model in performing a comprehensive assessment of rural producers’ cooperatives. © 2023 Institute of Rural Management.
Applied Geography (01436228)81pp. 1-12
One of the most effective ways to reverse the decline of Iran's iconic Urmia Lake is to directly confront the development patterns that have contributed to the current crisis. This study's objective is to create a model for conservation of Urmia Lake that identifies suitable lands for agricultural and residential development in Urmia County that are distant from Urmia Lake. This was accomplished through a Geographic Information System-based multi-stage process. The first step involved production of maps based on an initial assessment of the region's geography, geomorphology, landforms, and hazards potential. In the next step, all of the parameters were overlaid and land suitability maps were generated by using determinant maps. In developing the final map, the lands were divided into four classes for future development potential: highly suitable, suitable, marginally suitable and not suitable. The results showed that well away from highly populated regions adjacent to Urmia Lake, there are highly suitable and suitable lands that presently contain 14 and 8 percent of total settlements, respectively. The highly suitable and suitable lands, which cover 5.6 and 6.7% of the total area, may serve as appropriate axes for changing the traditional spatial organization of the region, redirecting future development and consequently decreasing ecological pressure on lands close to Urmia Lake as well as preventing further excessive usage of water resources in the region. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
