abdolrahim gheyassi

Exploring the employability literature shows that there is little empirical evidence on the interaction of soft skills, and for this reason, it is important to investigate this issue; Because it can play a significant role in teaching and developing soft skills. In this causal correlational research, the effect of learning and communication soft skills on emotional intelligence soft skills in agricultural students was investigated. Final-year undergraduate students of all agricultural fields in public universities constituted the statistical population of this survey and quantitative research. The statistical sample of the research included 384 people who were selected using the inverse square root method and the multi-stage sampling method. The research tool was a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, whose formal validity was approved by a panel of experts, as well as calculating the factor loading and the discriminant validity and divergent validity and reliability tests through the calculation of ordinal theta and composite reliability. The results of structural equation modeling showed that communication soft skills and learning soft skills have a significant effect in predicting students' emotional intelligence soft skills. This finding clarifies a part of the puzzle of the effect of soft skills on other soft skills of agricultural students. Revealing the mechanism of the effect of communication and learning soft skills on emotional intelligence soft skills, can facilitate the development of soft skills in agricultural higher education because it can provide a rational reason for focusing on a few soft skills.

In today's era, characterized by fluctuating job markets and dynamic business environments, personal attributes such as career adaptability and proactive personality will increasingly influence the post-graduation career trajectory of students. In this context, the research literature shows that career adaptability and proactive personality play an undeniable role in the formation of students' entrepreneurial intention, which is considered an important prerequisite for starting a business. Theoretical evidence suggests that their adaptability resources influence entrepreneurial intention among students. Moreover, the development of career adaptability is intricately linked to a proactive personality, which enables individuals to discern opportunities and devise apt solutions amid uncertain environments, as posited by the Career Construction Theory. In this context, empirical exploration into the nexus of a proactive personality, career adaptability, and entrepreneurial intention remains scarce. Hence, this study aimed to examine the mediating influence of career adaptability between proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students. By fulfilling this research objective, not only does this study contribute to the depth of literature on entrepreneurial intention, but it also sheds light on the significance of fostering career adaptability among agricultural students.

The research adopted a quantitative approach, employing survey methodology and a cross-sectional time frame for data collection and correlational-causal data processing for analysis. The statistical population comprised fourth-year undergraduate agricultural students enrolled in public universities across Iran. Employing the inverse square root method, a sample of 384 students was selected utilizing a multi-stage sampling technique, wherein two universities were randomly chosen from each of the five regions under the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, amounting to a total of ten universities. Data were gathered from students enrolled in the selected universities. The research utilized questionnaires assessing entrepreneurial intention (6 items), proactive personality (3 items), and career adaptability (12 items), designed on a five-point Likert scale within the native Porsline system and distributed online. The validity of the research instruments was ensured through reviews and confirmation by a panel of agricultural education experts. Additionally, reliability was established via a pilot study and calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α > 0.7). The measurement model's validity was affirmed through factor loading calculations and assessments of convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability, utilizing Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability (α and CR > 0.7; AVE > 0.5; HTMT < 0.85). Structural equation modeling, employing the partial least squares approach, was employed for data analysis. The SmartPLS4 software facilitated the data analysis process.

The research findings empirically validated the mediating role of career adaptability in the relationship between proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students (β = 0.271, t = 5.174, p = 0.001). Notably, the results also indicate a direct influence of proactive personality on the entrepreneurial intention of the surveyed students (β = 0.291, t = 4.077, p = 0.001). Moreover, this positive effect is evident in both pathways: the direct relationship between proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention and the relationship mediated by career adaptability. Consequently, the career adaptability variable assumes a complementary mediating role in the relationship between proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students. This study highlights the significance of proactive personality and career adaptability as pivotal antecedents shaping the entrepreneurial intention of agricultural students. Thus, agricultural students with a proactive disposition can enhance their entrepreneurial intention by fostering their career adaptability. Furthermore, the research findings highlight that both direct and indirect effects exhibit comparable strength, collectively explicating 43.5% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students. Hence, enhancing students' career adaptability is indispensable for fostering entrepreneurial intention within agricultural universities.

The findings demonstrate that the career adaptability of agricultural students, serving as a psychological resource, significantly influences the development of their entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, a proactive personality trait shapes career adaptability. Thus, this research emphasizes that the formation of entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students relies on personal resources, encompassing both career adaptability and proactive personality. Consequently, agricultural higher education institutions aspiring to cultivate entrepreneurial intentions among their students should prioritize initiatives aimed at enhancing career adaptability. These efforts could include organizing educational workshops and inviting successful entrepreneurs. Similarly, fostering proactive personalities can be achieved through empowerment programs and related activities. In essence, the insights collected from this study can inform the design of targeted programs geared toward instilling entrepreneurial intentions among agricultural students. To foster entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students, agricultural higher education institutions are advised to enhance students' career adaptability by engaging entrepreneurs from the agricultural sector and organizing diverse educational workshops, including those focusing on soft skills development. Moreover, initiatives aimed at cultivating a proactive personality among students, such as psychological empowerment programs, can further facilitate the enhancement of their career adaptability. By implementing these strategies, institutions can effectively prepare agricultural students to embark on entrepreneurial endeavors in the agricultural domain.

According to the literature, the investigation of the role of technical skills in the perceived employability of agricultural students has been neglected by researchers. according to this, the main purpose of this research was to investigate the role of technical skills on the perceived employability of agricultural students.The statistical population of this applied research consists of fourth-year undergraduate agricultural students in the public universities of Iran in the academic year 2021-2022. The sample size was selected using the inverse square root method and multi-stage sampling method (n=384).The research instrument was a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, whose content validity was approved by a panel of experts, as well as calculating the factor loading and the divergent validity and discriminant validity and reliability tests through the calculation of ordinal theta and composite reliability (θ>0.7). Structural equation modeling and finite Mixture algorithm (FIMIX-PLS) were used in data analysis. The results showed that technical skills have a statistically significant relationship with the perceived employability of agricultural students. Also, By discovering the classes of intangible heterogeneity in the context of the research data, it was determined that the power of explaining the perceived employability of agricultural students by technical skills is very low for 79.2% of the studied students and very high for 20.8% of them. The analysis showed that the two groups differ from each other based on interest in the field of study. The obtained results can be used in planning for the movement of agricultural higher education institutions towards training employable students.

Although researches show that the formation of entrepreneurial intention is based on social and psychological capital; but linear relationships, as well as ignoring gender, may not clearly explain the formation of the mechanism of entrepreneurial intention. Based on this, the main purpose of the present study was to compare the linear and non-linear effect of social capital on the entrepreneurial intention of agricultural students with the mediation of psychological capital, which was done separately by gender for a deeper understanding. The statistical population of the research consisted of final-year undergraduate agricultural students in the public universities in the academic year 2021-2022. In this regard, 384 questionnaires, designed in a five-option Likert scale and collected by multi-stage sampling method, were analyzed using the PLS-SEM algorithm in Smart Pls4 software. The reliability and face validity of the instrument were confirmed through ordinal coefficient theta and an expert panel. The results showed that in female students, the nonlinear model of the effect of social capital on the entrepreneurial intention with the mediation of psychological capital is superior to the linear model. But in male students, the model is only linear. In addition, the results of the research revealed that the mechanism of the effect of the studied structures in male and female students is different in some ways. The results of the present research can help education officials and planners to adopt policies and practices for male and female students that will promote their entrepreneurial intentions.

The following research aims to provide a structural model for the development of essential soft skills in agricultural students. In this regard, a mixed approach (qualitative-quantitative) was used. In the qualitative part of the research, the data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 Participants (faculty members of agricultural majors) who are expert in the subject of research. Participants were selected using purposeful and snowball sampling methods. In qualitative phase, "grounded theory strategy" was used to design the initial model of the research. In the quantitative part of the research, after confirming the reliability and validity of the instrument, data were collected from 384 of the senior students of agricultural majors. In order to evaluate the research model, Structural equation modeling with partial least squares approach was used. The results of the research confirmed the research model. Based on this model, the factors affecting on essential soft skills and essential soft skills consequences for agricultural students were clarified.

The aim of this study was to explain the structural relationships between the components of essential soft skills in agricultural students (9 soft skills). In this regard, to achieve the aim of the study, the fuzzy DEMATEL technique was used. The views of 11 academic experts were collected through a questionnaire, based on the Likert scale. The results showed that communication skills, learning skills, and leadership skills are the most effective components, respectively. Also, findings indicated that the adaptability skills component is the most influential component. The results also show that five components (communication skills, emotional intelligence skills, leadership skills, learning skills, ethical skills) are causal factors and four components (problem-solving and decision-making skills, time management skills, teamwork skills, adaptability skills) Are effect factors. Thus, in higher agricultural education, while paying attention to the development of all essential soft skills, more focus and investment should be made on the development of communication skills, learning skills, and leadership skills, respectively.

Entrepreneurship willingness that is one of the main preconditions of entrepreneurship behavior is influenced by Psychological factors. Accordingly, the main purpose of this study was to investigate relationship between problem solving styles and entrepreneurship willingness among Agricultural and Natural Resource students, in University of Zabol. The statistical population consisted of 3000 Agricultural and Natural Resources students in 2013-2014 academic year from that, 210 students were randomly selected. Data were gathered through questionnaire. The research instrument was given to the academic staff of the department of agricultural extension and education, University of Zabol to test its content validity. Cronbach alpha was calculated to measure reliability of items of instrument (α = 0.74 - 0.83). The results showed that entrepreneurship willingness level of the most respondents was relatively favorable. Results showed that there were a significant relationship between problem solving styles and entrepreneurship willingness among Agricultural and Natural Resource students. The regression analysis showed that problem solving styles explain 33% of variance in predicting entrepreneurship willingness.