JOURNAL OF RURAL RESEARCH
Year:2016 | Volume:7 | Issue:2|Papers Count:10

Earthquake is one of the natural disasters that cause irreparable damages to human settlements. Therefore, in order to reduce its impact, the resilience approach has been proposed. It is believed that by having the knowledge of resiliency and proper planning, the damaging effects of such natural disasters can be reduced significantly.Thus, in this descriptive-analytic study, we identify and analyze the resiliency of villages in the district of Shirvan against earthquakes. In order to collect the required data, both documentary and field (questionnaire) methods were employed. Questionnaires were used to collect data in nine villages, and statistical methods were used to analyze the collected data. The analysis units were the heads of households living in sample villages. Based on Cochran’s method, 260 administrators were randomly selected. The results showed that the resiliency condition against earthquakes in the sample villages was lower than the average level, however, there was a significant difference in the resiliency levels among the sample villages. In addition, among the economic, social, infrastructural, and social capital aspects in rural areas, the social capital was found to have the most contribution and effect on the resilience of rural settlements.

Due to the failure of development programs, it is necessary to revisit the concept of sustainability. Sustainability is the frontispiece of all development actions and programs, such as the rural tourism. Therefore, the main factor in the progression of the development goals is to attain a common view about the issues. This qualitative study attempts to survey the sustainable tourism dimensions in villages located in the margin regions of Iran's metropolises (Ahar) by using perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders. The required data was collected using interviews with key stakeholder tourism groups (local executives, tourists, immigrants, and residents). The results showed that tourism does not have proper sustainability in economic, socio-cultural, and environmental pillars. Generally, there is no interrelation and balance among the three pillars of sustainable tourism. It seems that the lack of sustainability of tourism activities in Ahar is mainly due to structural weakness, lack of understanding of stakeholders of sustainable development, lack of requirement training, legal barriers, and failure to establish an optimal balance between the stakeholders' benefits.

Currently, one of the factors for attracting tourism is the natural resources of the country that resulted in natural tourism in the region. Natural tourism emphasizes on geomorphosites with geomorphic locations, and they assay on the historic, ecological and cultural potentials to program Mize stable tourism. The Chahardange section is a geographical zone with a high potential for attracting rural tourism.The project used geology and topological maps and exact reviews based on the Nicholas and Fasilous methods. The Fasilous final assessment method was used to identify the proper site that represents the ideal conditions in terms of geomorphological processes. The Nicholas method revealed that the sources of Surat-Badab achieved the highest score of 33 points. The results also revealed that the top-rated site was identified to have physical and unique beauty. Thus, the Chahardange zone needs to identify and to property stable tourism development at crucial programs. Moreover, scientific and topological grades and conservative and useable potentials must be imported as per geomorphosites.

Many villages in the developing countries are faced with the exodus phenomenon and related physical damages. On the other hand, many cities face issues such as increasing population density, increasing consumption, decreasing moral commitments in the interactions, and so on. Both these scenarios do not make the desired vision for urban and rural settlements. Therefore, it is necessary to consider an appropriate and effective approach to preventing the inappropriate changes in these settlements. The creative village approach seems to result in an endogenous development for some villages. Therefore, it has been considered by many Iranian rural planners as a fit approach. Thus, the main goal of this study is to determine the key factors of the creative village approach in Iran and present a comprehensive definition of the creative village expression. Our findings showed that the theory of creative village has a triple structure consisting of pillars, requirement, and indexes. Its structure includes 15 components and 49 indicators. The highest score of “creative class immigrants to the village” is 0.087452, and the lowest score related to “communication with relatives” is 0.035478. It was also found that the “vision” factor with an intensity of 9 was the most effective key driver of creative village, followed by “risk” with an intensity of 6, “village space” with an intensity of 6, “partnership” with an intensity of 4, and “rural communications” having an intensity of 2.

The Extension and Services Centers of Agriculture aim to create the necessary basis to fulfill all the duties and responsibilities of the Ministry of Jihad-e Agriculture in rural and agricultural environments. These centers are responsible for ensuring that the farmers are continually satisfied with the services being delivered. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate the service quality in Extension and Services Centers of Agriculture in Alborz Province using the SERVQUAL Model. This study was conducted using the survey method, and a modified SERVQUAL standard questionnaire was applied as a research tool. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by a panel of experts, and its reliability was determined by Cronbach’s Alpha (over 0.7) for different scales of the questionnaire. The target population consisted of existing farmers and users visiting the seven service centers in the province.Based on Cochran’s formula, the sample size was determined to be 180 persons who were chosen by random sampling method. The result of this study showed that there is a significant difference between perception and expectation in all dimensions of service quality (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles). There was also a significant difference between the satisfaction levels of respondents with respect to the different dimensions of service quality. Finally, some recommendations have been proposed to the decrease the gap between the perception and expectation of services.

This descriptive and analytical study analyzes the functional and spatial changes in the rural areas of Dehestan Dlfard. Qualitative and quantitative methods, including observations and questionnaires, were used for collecting the data.Descriptive statistics and data analysis methods and techniques of assessment of the cumulative weight (WASPAS) were also used for analyzing the data. The study population included the residents, local authorities, and village councils and Dehyaris of the study site. The sample size was determined using the formula 386 Cochran with quota was distributed according to the proportion of the population between villages. The results of the analysis of institutional statistics, interviews, and observation revealed the tangible and concrete changes in the field of residential, economic, and rural population.The t-test results indicated significant positive and constructive changes in recent years, especially in the physical, cultural, and socio-economic aspects. The results WASPAS model also showed the villages such as Mazar-e-Dara and Rzshyryn had the highest rate of change. Based on the findings, it can be confirmed and concluded that the functional-structural changes in most of the Dalfard villages generated a dynamic process.

Entrepreneurship can be achieved via tools. One of the most important tools for the development of entrepreneurship is the supportive culture towards entrepreneurship. A strong entrepreneurial culture means more tolerance for failure and reflects the extent to which the country's society supports ideas and initiatives of entrepreneurs. Therefore, in this quantitative study, the culture of entrepreneurship and the culture of failure in the agricultural community were studied. Then, the cultural barriers were studied from the viewpoints of agricultural entrepreneurs. The statistical population of the study consisted of two groups of rural heads of households and agricultural entrepreneurs in Kermanshah Township. The research samples were selected using random cluster method. The results showed that the respondents have low levels of failure tolerance and have the highest willingness to grant a second chance. The results of the study of entrepreneurial culture in the rural community showed that the culture of collectivism and uncertainty avoidance among the rural population is dominant. It was also found that agricultural entrepreneurs are faced with cultural barriers such as the lack of a creativity culture, lack of acceptance of failure, negative attitudes toward risk, lack of belief in the capabilities of women, patriarchal culture in society and organizations, and opposition of parents for the entrepreneurial activity of girls.

Climate change and global warming are serious challenges in the 21st century with significant negative impacts on the agriculture. Farmers are important players if agriculture is to be adjusted to the changing climate conditions. Their perceptions about climate change directly affect their behavior toward this problem. Therefore, it is important to recognize and classify their perceptions to improve the rural development programs. We used the Q methodology to classify the farmers' perceptions toward climate change in Hamidiyeh County in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Q research initiates by recognizing a concourse, often shaped by dialogs with elite people. Then, a Q statement is nominated, which represents an individual's belief. In this study, by reviewing the literature and interviewing with 6 agricultural experts and farmers, 160 statements were identified. Then, by sorting them, we arrived at 42 final statements or Q-sample. This Q-sample was sorted by 46 farmers, selected through purposive sampling. To analyze the data, we used PQMethod 2014. The factor analysis of Q sorts revealed two discourses, support seekers and adaptable among the 27 vegetable growers, and two other discourses among 19 wheat farmers, fatalism passive-adherents and disappointment. Various individuals think differently about the causes, impacts, self-efficacy, responsibility, adaptation, and intention to mitigation of greenhouse gasses and climate change. Therefore, based on the perceptions, knowledge, and behavior of the individuals, policy makers can provide various recommendations to deal with climate change.

This study tries to analyze the reasons for the downturn of the carpet weaving industry in the Golestan Province and also takes advantage of experts’ opinions and viewpoints. The Q methodology was used to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the causes of the downturn. A total of 26 experts of the Turkmen hand-woven carpet were selected for conducting "Q-sort" data collection procedure. The factor analysis was conducted through a heuristic method using correlation matrix in order to identify the participant’s mental paradigms (viewpoints).Finally, six factors or viewpoints, with the total variance of 86.7, were identified. A total of 16 statements were offered in this regard including the following statements: 1) Lack of innovation and creativity and marketing problems, 2) Technical and technological backwardness and low economic proficiency, 3) Expensive cost of raw materials, lack of innovation, 4) The changed lifestyle and understanding carpet weaving as a hard work, 5) The weak planning system and institutional inefficiency, and 6) Lack of motivation, changed livelihood, and low economic proficiency. The results indicate that the statement 3 has the highest score (with the factor score of 2.05) among the various statements. This statement is followed by youth, especially young rural girls, unwillingness to work in carpet weaving field and learning its skills (score: 1.93) and lack of innovation and creativity in designs, colors, motifs and quality of the raw materials to improve the quality of carpets (score: 1.93).

Social capital is a fundamental prerequisite for local sustainable development and social empowerment. The present study is an attempt to analyze the bonding of social capital of local beneficiaries in the Bazijan village of Mahalat County. Regarding the importance of adaptive co-management and reinforcement of social capital, the trust and participation ties of beneficiaries need to be explored.Accordingly, these aspects were investigated through network analysis questionnaire and direct interviews with all local beneficiaries (present as rural development micro-groups). It was found that the level of trust, participation, cohesion, and social capital elevated from a low state prior to project implementation to an optimum level post project implementation.The speed of trust and participation transfer among actors also increased following project implementation. This project also led to a higher unity among individuals such that social empowerment was realized desirably in this village. Thus, it can be asserted that the implementation of this project resulted in a higher bonding of social capital, which further results in less social seclusion, higher social welfare, and extensive collaboration of residents.