Analyzing the Interrelationships between Factors Influencing Entrepreneurship Process Based on Grey DEMATEL (Case Study: Iran’s Food Industries)

Abstract

In today's societies, entrepreneurship has undeniable effects on economic, social, and technological development of countries. In this regard, the Iranian food industry, which includes many specific features, including the vast domestic and regional consumption market, was considered by the researchers in this study. The purpose of this research is to investigate and identify variables and to explain the effective factors on the individual entrepreneurship process in Iran's food industry. In the first phase of the study, the survey team carried out semi-structured interviews with 13 experts in the domain of food industries. In the second phase of the study, a questionnaire based on the Grey DEMATEL method is available to experts for determining priorities and interrelationships between the factors. Based on the research data, paired comparison analysis questionnaire has been used. The findings of the research show that among the six categories – individual, personality, occupation, food industry environment, institutional, and environmental factors – the environmental ones were the most influential factors. Also, the individual ones were the most influenced factors and at the same time the most important factor among the ones influencing the process of entrepreneurship in Iran's food industries.