درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Purpose- Land commodification is a process through which land shifts from being a productive, ecological, and social resource to a speculative asset and a vehicle for capital accumulation. Over the past decade, this process has intensified across the urban and rural zones of western Gilan Province, resulting in widespread villa construction, unregulated land-use conversions, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, spatial fragmentation, and the weakening of rural development. Despite the significance of this phenomenon, previous studies have rarely undertaken a systematic identification of the key driving forces shaping this complex dynamic. Design/methodology/approach- Addressing this gap, the present study first identified a broad set of factors influencing land commodification through semi-structured interviews with local experts, managers, and stakeholders (145 participants). Following a screening and consensus-building process with 10 spatial-planning specialists, 59 final variables were extracted and subjected to structural analysis using a cross-impact matrix in MICMAC software. In addition, survey data from 300 local residents were employed to capture lived experiences, validate the operational mechanisms, and complement the analytical outcomes. Finding- MICMAC results reveal that the absence of deterrent regulations and effective oversight mechanisms, weak agricultural support policies, fragmented land governance, the expansion of non-strategic tourism, and the increasing attractiveness of converting liquidity into land function as the principal driving variables. These drivers reinforce a self-amplifying cycle—characterized by rising land prices, intensified speculation, withdrawal of agricultural lands from production, and rapid villa development—that ultimately fosters spatial instability and undermines rural development. Originality/value– By mapping the causal structure and identifying the key drivers, this study provides an evidence-based foundation for targeted policy interventions aimed at regulating land commodification and enhancing spatial–rural sustainability in western Gilan.

Purpose- Rural women’s cooperatives play a crucial role in improving livelihoods, fostering economic independence, and empowering women in rural communities. However; these cooperatives face multiple challenges that can affect their performance and sustainability. Accordingly, this study seeks to assess the feasibility of establishing a women's cooperative and to analyze the challenges facing rural women's cooperatives in Dizajabad rural. Design/methodology/approach- This research is applied in purpose and employs both quantitative and qualitative paradigms. The statistical population in the quantitative section consisted of women in Dizajabad rural. In contrast, the qualitative section included women participating in business training courses and experts from the Zanjan Province Cooperative Office. The sample size in the quantitative part was determined as 292 using Cochran's formula. Data collection tools included a researcher-made questionnaire and interviews, with the questionnaire’s reliability confirmed by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.78. Data analysis employed a one-sample t-test for the quantitative section and grounded theory for the qualitative section. Qualitative data were gathered through direct observation and semi-structured interviews, then analysed using open, axial, and selective coding. Findings- Results of the one-sample t-test indicated that socio-cultural factors provide favorable conditions for the formation of women’s cooperatives, while economic indicators were not evaluated as favorable. Furthermore, qualitative findings revealed 18 initial concepts from interviews regarding challenges to cooperative formation, categorised into four dimensions: policy-making, social, economic, and individual. Key barriers included weak legislation, poor planning, lack of investment and financial support, weak local management, insufficient supervision, lack of coordination among institutions, existence of parallel organisations, inadequate facilities, insecurity in the business environment, low risk-taking, weak individual capabilities, limited technical knowledge, poor market awareness, lack of education and training, and delinquency. Originality/Value- Rural women’s cooperatives, by creating employment opportunities, enhancing specialised skills, and strengthening individual and collective capacities, play a significant role in the economic and social empowerment of women. By increasing women’s active participation in production and decision-making processes, these institutions contribute to improved household livelihoods, sustainable development, and the strengthening of human capital in rural communities.

Purpose- Increasing economic pressures, environmental degradation, and public health challenges in urban areas have been identified as key drivers motivating individuals to return to rural regions. This study examines the influence of economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and spatial factors on return migration to rural areas, focusing on Bandar Khamir County in Iran as a case study. Design/methodology/approach- This study employed a descriptive-analytical approach and a quantitative method. The statistical population included Bandar Khamir residents, and a sample of 300 people was selected using a simple random sampling method. A researcher-developed Return Migration Questionnaire was utilised to examine the research variables. This questionnaire was designed to cover four factors: economic, social-cultural, environmental, and spatial factors. Several professors and experts verified the face validity of this scale, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, which produced a coefficient of 0.90. This is regarded as a highly satisfactory value for the questionnaire. The study utilized LISREL for structural analysis to verify the measurement model's validity, and SPSS for statistical processing. Specifically, the Chi-square test was calculated using SPSS version 23. Findings- The results showed that economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and spatial factors all have a positive and statistically significant effect on return migration. Economic factors had the strongest impact (β = 0.929; R² = 0.863), explaining 86.3% of the variance in return migration. Environmental (β = 0.923; R² = 0.852) and socio-cultural factors (β = 0.907; R² = 0.822) also demonstrated strong explanatory power, while spatial factors showed a comparatively lower but still significant effect (β = 0.805; R² = 0.648). Chi-square test results confirmed all four hypotheses at p < 0.001 (df = 299). Economic factors had the highest association with return migration (χ² = 172.534), followed by spatial (χ² = 118.421), environmental (χ² = 97.842), and socio-cultural factors (χ² = 83.327). Overall, the findings indicate that all four dimensions significantly influence return migration behavior, with economic determinants playing the most prominent role. Research limitations/implications - The study relied exclusively on a self-report questionnaire as the sole instrument for data collection. Participant selection was limited to migrants, meaning the findings reflect only this specific group's perceptions rather than a multi-stakeholder perspective. Practical implications - The results of this study have a significant impact on the development of public policies related to return migration. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that return migration to Bandar Khamir is driven by a complex set of issues, influenced by economic, social-cultural, environmental and spatial factors. Return migration represents a viable strategy for rural revitalization and balanced regional development. The findings suggest that addressing urban crises requires investing in rural alternatives. 

Purpose- E-tourism serves as a transformative tool for enhancing tourism services; by providing high-quality digital experiences, it significantly contributes to tourist attraction and satisfaction. This research aims to identify the factors influencing the formation of rural e-tourism approaches and to conduct a spatial analysis of these factors across the destination villages of Amol County. Design/methodology/approach- This study is applied in purpose and utilizes a descriptive-analytical methodology. Data collection was conducted through a combination of library research and field surveys using questionnaires. To analyze the spatial distribution and hierarchy of the sampled villages in the Larijan District, the Marcos method was employed. The dimensions of the e-tourism variable investigated include cultural acceptance, supportive-managerial policies, infrastructure, and information systems. To determine the relative importance of these dimensions, weights were assigned using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) based on expert opinions. Findings- The results indicate that the indicators of "support for private organizations for investment in e-commerce" (final weight: 0.06), "necessary legal and regulatory frameworks" (final weight: 0.05), and "utilization of specialized and trained human resources in e-tourism" (final weight: 0.04)—all subsets of the Supportive-Managerial Policies component—ranked first to third, respectively. These are identified as the most critical indicators for sustainable rural development. Consequently, "Supportive-Managerial Policies" emerged as the most influential component (weight = 0.49), followed by "Software/Information Systems" (0.22), "Infrastructure" (0.18), and "Cultural Acceptance" (0.09). Furthermore, the spatial analysis of the Larijan District reveals that the villages of Ab-e Garm, Ab-e Ask, and Ira fall within the green spectrum of the spatial model, indicating an unfavorable status regarding e-tourism development.