Factors Influencing the Development of Entrepreneurial Education in Iran’s Applied-Scientific Educational Centers for Agriculture

Abstract

Problem statement: An understanding of factors influencing entrepreneurial education in Iran's applied-scientific educational centers for agriculture is crucial for creating the new opportunities for students and encouraging them to involve in entrepreneurial activity. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it determined the key factors that influence entrepreneurial education in Iran's applied-scientific educational centers for agriculture. Second, the study examined relationship of these factors with developing entrepreneurial education. Approach: The research in terms of nature is a kind of quantitative research and in terms of goal is applied research, in terms of controlling the variables is descriptive and correlation kind, which has been carried out in a survey way. Statistical population of the study consisted of 19255 students for applied-scientific education in agriculture in Iran. Based on the classification of the Ministry of Agriculture which has divided these centers into five regions, sample taking has been conducted using stratified proportionate random sampling technique. Sample size for the students is 355 people using Cochran formula. Considering the entire size of the sample, some 291 questionnaires have been returned. Results: The results of the ordinal factor analysis showed the classification of the factors into five latent variables. The variables were classified into managerial, economical, social, technical and regulatory. The basic idea of factor analysis was to found a set of latent variables that contain the same information. The classic factor analysis assumed that, both observed and the latent variables were continuous variables. But, in practice, the observed variables were often ordinal. Spearman coefficient showed that there was relationship between economical, social, technical, regulatory and managerial factors and perception of students about entrepreneurial education. Conclusion: Entrepreneurial education had a tremendous potential to help in the employment status of students in Iran's applied-scientific educational centers for agriculture. These centers had the opportunity to play a major role in the development of entrepreneurial education. The development of entrepreneurial education results in creating more jobs and employment sustainability could be achieved over time. Therefore, certain special factors in developing entrepreneurial education among students in these centers should be identified and need to be carefully examined. Innovative strategies need to be developed that cater specifically the entrepreneurship educational needs of students. Applied-scientific educational centers for agriculture in Iran need to provide practical training in entrepreneurship to their students, to make them more aware of the benefits of entrepreneurship and to address the factors that impact on developing entrepreneurial education in the centers.