Modeling Influential Components on Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Handicrafts: Application of Analytical Networking Analysis (ANP)

Although opportunity identification is a prerequisite for entrepreneurial development in any field and without it, entrepreneurial activity does not occur, but it is necessary to identify the factors affecting the development of entrepreneurial opportunities in order to make the necessary policy to take advantage of them. Despite its many capabilities, the handicrafts sector has not yet been considered in terms of factors affecting its entrepreneurial opportunities. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to presenting an analytical model of components affecting the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities, which has been done on a case study in the handicrafts sector of Golestan province. The research method in this study is mixed (quantitative and qualitative). First, in the quality section, 5criteria and 22sub-criteria affecting the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities in handicrafts were identified based on the opinion of 20 experts and senior experts in entrepreneurship and handicrafts who were selected by snowball sampling method. Then, in the quantitative section, by sampling 171 handicraft activists in Golestan province, the criteria and sub-criteria identified in the first stage were ranked using ANP. The results showed that the sub-criteria of tax laws and regulations, new methods and approaches of handicraft production and upgrading the culture of handicraft education have the most impact and the sub-criteria of social capital, export and product application have the least impact on creating entrepreneurial opportunities in handicrafts, respectively. Examining the total score indicates that social and cultural criteria are more important than other criteria in creating entrepreneurial opportunities for handicrafts