Determinants of entrepreneurial alertness: towards sustainable agribusiness development

PurposeEntrepreneurship is known to be important to the economy, and many scholars across the globe have researched it from a number of viewpoints. Currently, there is a need for an academic study to explore this area by combining sustainability value creating practices and the efforts of current entrepreneurs towards the said target, particularly in the case of the agricultural sector. While the entrepreneurship studies have mostly focused on the determinants of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, few studies have attempted to analyze the factors influencing the entrepreneurial alertness (EA) of students, especially in relation to agricultural students. To fill this gap, this work investigated the impact of human and social capital on EA among the students of agricultural higher education in Iran.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consisted of 254 agricultural students in higher education from Ilam province in the Islamic Republic of Iran, selected by the stratified random sampling method for the study. Modeling of structural equations was used in inferential statistics.FindingsAccording to the results of the trial, human resources and social capital (SC) have been seen to have a strong, optimistic and measurable impact on EA. Key findings also show that human capital (HC) has an indirect, optimistic and important effect on EA through the mediator role of SC. Establishing higher education science teams, groups, networks and associations can foster opportunities to create and develop relationships and communication between agricultural students and entrepreneurs.Originality/valueThese findings illustrate the value of human and social resources in fostering entrepreneurship alertness among Iranian students of agricultural higher education. Considering the research results, the authors recommend some theoretical and realistic implications and suggestions for ways of promoting and increasing EA among farm students to encourage sustainable growth of agricultural careers in western Iran.

Comparison of Autistic Traits Between Iranian Students With Different Ethnic Backgrounds: A Cross-Cultural Study

Autistic traits (ATs) include symptoms associated with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs), which are assumed to be continuously distributed across the general population. Studies have indicated the cultural differences in the expression of ATs. Notwithstanding, our literature review indicated that studies on cross-cultural differences in the expression of ATs included samples from different countries. This is the first study designed to compare the expression of ATs between different ethnicities from the same country. Using the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ-28), we examined the possible cultural differences in the expression of autistic traits from four groups of students with different ethnic backgrounds, including Turkish (n = 262), Persian (n = 290), Kurdish (n = 300), and Luri (n = 307) students. Behaviors associated with autistic traits were reported overall higher for males than females. Also, significant cultural differences in autistic traits were found that were different for males and females. Furthermore, while the medical sciences student group scored significantly higher than the humanities group in the Imagination dimension, the humanities group had significantly higher scores in Number/Pattern dimensions than the engineering and medical sciences groups. Altogether, our results provide further support for the idea that the expression of ATs is significantly influenced by culture. A significant limitation of the current study was that groups were not matched with respect to age, percentage of male participants, and fields of studies and that these variables may influence the AQ scores.

Investigating the dimensions of Incivility Scale in Learner-Trainer Interactions at Zanjan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: This study aims to identify the psychometric properties of developmental tools observed by the learner and the trainer in the process of nursing training. Methods: In this study, 200 nursing students of Abhar University of Medical Sciences (110 males and 90 females), completed the perceived incivility tools in learner -trainer interactions. To evaluate the reliability, Cronbach alpha retest and calculation methods were used. To determine the structural validity of the tools, exploratory factor analysis was used. Result: After modification of the questions of scale, reliability was found to be acceptable. Exploration factor analysis revealed the first part of the scale containing four components thus determining 60.72% of the total variance. These components are referred to as: students' incivility in the classroom, lack of motivation, lack of planning and preparation of the learners, and the indifference of the learners to the opinions of others. The second part of the scale contains three components determining 64.69% of the total variance. These components are also referred to as incivility of professors in the classroom, ineffective teaching and lack of effective interpersonal communication skills. Conclusion: The above tool bears an acceptable validity for examining the perceived incivility between learner and trainer in the nursing training process and is suitable for Iranian students so that it can be deployed for other universities of medical sciences across the country.

Psychological Benefits and Challenges of Ph.D. Entrance Exam Virtual Interviews During COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Gender Play a Role?

This study aimed to investigate the reflections of Iranian students on Ph.D. entrance exam interviews held virtually nationwide during the Pandemic. Two hundred thirty-one Ph.D. applicants were invited to fill out an anonymous online survey designed in Google Forms, 36 out of whom volunteered to participate in follow-up semi-structured interviews. Two ANOVA measures were used to investigate the possible influences of gender and prior virtual interview experience on the applicants’ perceptions. Thematic analysis was also adopted to explore the participants’ attitudes and perceptions toward virtual interviews (VI). Quantitative findings showed that Iranian Ph.D. applicants perceived VI as a flexible and helpful procedure that provided them with satisfactory interpersonal treatment. Still, they did not favor the procedure’s perceived behavioral control and ability to communicate information to perform procedural justice. Moreover, neither their gender nor their prior experience of the virtual interview was a predictor of their perspectives’ discrepancies. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed that despite having some cognitive, personal, and financial benefits, VI posed some technical, communicative, and personal challenges. This study provides implications for universities and applicants who will use VI for different purposes in higher education.

Behavioral And Psychiatric Health Problems In Iranian Students During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: the study of behavioral and psychiatric health problems in space and time, can help to improve health services for adolescents and children by increasing understanding of causes, development, and course of psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to examine the behavioral and psychiatric status of adolescences during the pandemic to address the effect of the pandemic and isolation on adolescent behavioral and psychiatric health.Methods: This cross-sectional study has been carried out through cluster sampling design on 322 normal students aged 12-18 attending in public high and elementary school in Esfahan, Iran. They completed study instrument that included the 110-item the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4) and those inquiring the students’ demographic information. Results: Findings showed that 58% students met criteria for all psychiatric symptoms except of the autism and Asperger’s disorders, and 39.5% suffered from more than one comorbid categories of psychiatric disorders. The most common psychiatric disorders in boys and girls were ADHD (18.5%), ODD (15%), ADHD-C (13.5%), GAD (12.8%), ADHD: HI (11.5), and MDD (10.8%). Conclusion: Most of students suffered from more than one co-morbid category of psychiatric disorders. It is better to develop effective strategies and interventions, train students about self-protection, and establish a psychological crisis intervention team to minimize the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Possible Differences between Learning Styles Used by Russian, English, French, and Arabic Language Learners

One of the most enduring effects on education has been the search for individual differences that can explain and predict variation in student achievement, with the hope that pedagogical methods can be designed that will capitalize on these. Among the individual differences, ‘Learning styles’ remain a popular choice for filling this role and the number of models of learning styles on offer continues to proliferate. Learning styles are said to be influential factors, in learning a second or foreign language. Despite the fact that there are lots of papers published in this area, but comparing the learning styles employed by those who are learning different foreign languages seems to be untouched. Therefore, in this study we try to address this gap, by comparing the learning styles used by Russian, English, French, and Arabic who are learning these languages as their foreign language. A number of 100 Iranian students took part in this study. They are between 18 to 20 years of age. They were divided into four groups, each including 25 members. The Ehrman and Leaver Learning Style Questionnaire (E&L) was distributed among the language learners. The finding of the study revealed that these four groups of language learners made use of learning styles differently. And also, there are significant differences between Russian, Arabic, English, and French language learners in terms of employing learning strategies.

Semantic Components of the Russian Preposition “Через” in Combination With Different Locums and its Expression in the Persian Language

In the Russian language the preposition “cherez (through)” is used in its typical contexts to refer to spatial characteristics in which an action or movement takes place. However, there are cases in the Persian language when there is no clear boundary among the spatial prepositions corresponding to the preposition “cherez (through)”, which causes difculty for Iranian learners to choose the correct one. At the same time one and the same Persian preposition can be expressed by different Russian prepositions which lead to regular mistakes in the speech of Iranian students. Tus, for instance, Iranian students use the preposition “az miyan-e” / (among) in the meaning of the Russian prepositions “cherez” (through), “mezhdu”, “ckvoz” (within) and “iz” (from), although these prepositions are different in meaning and function. In this article, the locations used in combination with the preposition “through” are systematically classifed to explain their specifc features. In addition, the ways of expressing the spatial meanings of the preposition “through” in the Persian language are addressed in order to raise Iranian learners’ awareness of possible mistakes. Te novelty of the article is in the attempt to compare semantic and spatial features of the Russian preposition “cherez (through)” with its correlates in the Persian language. Te fndings of this study can be of interest to RFL teachers, in particular in Iran, as they will highlight common mistakes in the speech of Iranian learners when using the preposition “through”, and to RFL textbook developers.

Investigating the Relationship of Test Anxiety and Time Management with Academic Procrastination in Students of Health Professions

Academic procrastination is a harmful phenomenon among students and has many negative consequences. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of test anxiety and time management with academic procrastination in students of health professions. The population of this correlational study consisted of 281 Iranian students of health professions. The Tuckman Procrastination Scale, Time Management Scale, and Sarason’s Test Anxiety Scale were used to measure the variables. Pearson’s correlation and multivariate regression tests were also performed. The mean score of students’ academic procrastination was higher than the average level. A significantly negative correlation was found between time management and academic procrastination (r = −0.487, P ≤ 0.01). Additionally, there was a significantly positive correlation between test anxiety and academic procrastination (r = 0.443, P ≤ 0.01). The linear regression model indicated that independent predictors including time management and test anxiety accounted for 32.6% of the variation in academic procrastination (R2 = 32.6%). The findings of this study indicated that test anxiety and time management were associated with academic procrastination. Therefore, purposeful educational and psychological interventions are required to reduce academic procrastination in students.

Schematic Structure and Stance in Students’ Writing in Business Communication: A Comparative Study of Native English Speaking and Iranian Students

This study reports on two knowledge elements of stance and schematic structure in order to help novice students increase the efficacy of their writing in business communication. With this regard, Santos’ (2002) Business Letters of Negotiation Model and Hyland’s (2005b) Stance Model of Interaction were drawn upon. Sixty business emails written by native English speaking (NS) and Iranian students of Business Management Departments in universities were analyzed. Two raters explored the corpus for their moves/steps frequencies and a concordance software was used in order to explore stance markers frequencies. To investigate whether Iranian and NS writers are statistically different from each other, the findings of frequencies were submitted to one-variable Chi-square test. The results showed that NS and Iranian writers are not different from each other in their content staging while they are providing information/answers or negotiating. Running counter to moves 2 and 23, move 3 turned out to have different results; there was a significant difference between NS and Iranian writers in their request of information/action/favors. Results presented no significant difference between NS and Iranian writers in their employment of hedges and attitude markers of stance with regard to one-variable Chi-square test results. For boosters, Chi-square test detected a significant difference between the groups only in move 2. There was a significant difference, however, between NS and Iranian writers in their use of self-mention markers in moves 3 and 23. The results of this paper have both theoretical and pedagogical significance.