The Obstacles and Problems of Businesses Based on Agricultural Student Cooperatives: A Phenomenological Study in the western of Iran

Today, student cooperatives are considered as an approach to training and improving entrepreneurial competencies among students. Because identifying the barriers and problems of student cooperatives not only helps to develop these businesses now, but can also help to establish these cooperatives as easily as possible in the future. The present study was conducted with the aim of Phenomenology of students' experiences in the field of obstacles and problems of agricultural student cooperatives in the west of Iran. This research has been done using the qualitative method of phenomenology. In order to analyze the data, the Colaizzi's seven-step method was used. Participants in this study included students working in student cooperatives in the west of Iran. Samples were identified using purposive sampling method and virtual snowball, which was obtained by performing 11 data saturation interviews. Research data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews. Verification, validity and transferability criteria were used to confirm the research data and findings. The results showed that the intra-organizational problems of students’ cooperatives include: physical and psychological discomfort, economic and financial problems, lack of knowledge and practical information and feelings of inattention to students. In addition, according to the research findings, the external problems of students’ cooperatives include: lack of university support for cooperatives, lack of support from relatives and environmental turmoil.