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Purpose- Nigeria remains heavily import-dependent and under-industrialized despite abundant natural resources and repeated industrial development programmes. This study investigated how capital market efficiency and financial innovation influence industrialization in Nigeria, with specific focus on their relevance for rural and regional economic transformation. Design/methodology/approach- The study employed an ex-post facto research design using secondary annual time-series data from 2010-2023 obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin. Descriptive statistics and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model were applied to examine both short-run and long-run relationships among stock market depth and liquidity, stock market efficiency, fintech adoption, credit to the private sector, inflation, and industrial output. The study also emphasized the rural and regional development implications of financial sector performance. Finding- Results showed that Nigeria’s manufacturing sector contribution to GDP remains structurally low, and market depth is highly volatile. Fintech adoption exhibits the highest dispersion due to periodic surges in electronic payments, while stock market liquidity is relatively stable. ARDL estimates reveal that market liquidity and market depth exert positive and significant effects on industrialization, whereas fintech adoption and private-sector credit exert negative significant effects. Inflation is insignificant. The bounds test confirms strong long-run cointegration among the variables. The findings indicated that Nigeria’s industrialisation is largely driven by short-run financial dynamics, particularly stock market liquidity and credit allocation efficiency. High fintech activity, when weakly regulated, may facilitate capital flight and reduce productive sector investment. Strengthening capital-market institutions, stabilising monetary conditions, and improving rural credit access are essential for sustainable industrial development. Originality/value– This study contributed to the industrialization literature by integrating capital-market efficiency, financial innovation, and rural or regional development perspectives within a unified ARDL framework for Nigeria. It provided new evidence on how financial sector dynamics shape industrial growth in emerging economies.
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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.
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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.
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Purpose- This study aims to analyze the spatial patterns of poverty and food insecurity in rural areas of Iran, focusing on their current status and the key determinants affecting household food security in 2023. The research seeks to provide an evidence-based foundation for designing targeted policies to reduce poverty and improve food security in rural regions. Design/Methods/Approach- The study calculates household food security indicators for rural areas of Iran using the Aggregate Household Food Security Index (AHFSI) and a calorie-based criterion. Food poverty is assessed using the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) index, which is then used to map the spatial distribution of rural food poverty. To identify determinants of food insecurity, a logistic regression model is applied, incorporating socio-economic and demographic household characteristics. Findings- The AHFSI for rural areas in 2023 was 68.8, indicating a low level of food security compared to over 90 in the early 2000s. Food poverty has increased substantially, with the poverty rate reaching 50.3%, compared to about 40% in the early 2000s. The poverty gap and poverty severity were estimated at 14.2% and 5.8%, respectively. Spatial analysis revealed significant disparities, with provinces such as Gilan, Hormozgan, and West Azerbaijan experiencing the highest food poverty levels, while Ilam, Semnan, and Kermanshah showed relatively better conditions. The logistic model results indicated that factors such as household head’s age, dietary diversity, employment, subsidies, and income significantly improve food security, whereas gender and education of the household head showed no significant effect. Larger household size was associated with higher food insecurity. Practical implications- The findings highlight an alarming decline in rural food security over the past two decades, driven by reduced dietary diversity, rising poverty, and reliance on low-cost, low-nutrition foods. Policymakers should adopt region-specific strategies, focusing on job creation, income enhancement, dietary diversification, and reforming the subsidy system to improve rural food security. Original/Value - This study provides one of the most recent and comprehensive spatial analyses of rural poverty and food insecurity in Iran, combining national and provincial-level indicators with econometric modeling. By integrating spatial mapping with socio-economic determinants, it offers valuable insights for evidence-based, targeted policy interventions in rural food security.
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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.
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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.
