Presentation of Women's Entrepreneurship Education Model Based on the International Labor Organization Standards in Iran

Abstract

This research was conducted to present a model of women's entrepreneurship education based on
the International Labor Organization (ILO) standards in Iran. The research method is mixedexploratory in terms of approach. The statistical population in the qualitative phase was university
professors, managers and educational experts with sufficient and successful experiences, and in the
quantitative phase, it was all employees of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare with
the educational level of bachelor or higher. In the qualitative section of the research, sampling was
done by the snowball method, and this section reached theoretical saturation after interviewing 20
experts. The sample size in the quantitative section according to the Cochran formula was calculated
to equal to 291 persons that the questionnaire was distributed among 300 persons for further assurance,
and sampling was performed by random sampling method. The data collection tool in the qualitative
phase was a questionnaire containing open-ended questions for the interview, and in the quantitative
phase was a researcher-made questionnaire that its validity and reliability were investigated and
confirmed in various ways. Interview text was investigated using MAXQDA 2018 software and the
dimensions and components of the model were identified. The research model was then investigated
using a confirmatory factor analysis approach and smart PLS 2.0 software. The results showed that the
model of women's entrepreneurship education based on the International Labor Organization (ILO)
standards in Iran consists of six dimensions: women's individual characteristics for entrepreneurship
education, prerequisites, characteristics and methods of women's entrepreneurship education, and
cultural and legal components. All dimensions and components were statistically significant and were
therefore confirmed. Hence, it is necessary for the government to flourish women's entrepreneurship
more than before by financial (providing facilities and allocating appropriate credits) and spiritual
(culture-building for women's entrepreneurship) support.