Innovation and Research and Development (R&D) Pattern in Rural Handmade Carpet Cooperatives of Fars Province

Explaining an appropriate structure for research and development (R&D) and innovation in rural cooperatives can be a factor in solving problems and improving the technical and marketing capabilities of these companies. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to provide a model of innovation in the R&D process in handmade carpet cooperative unions, which is in the form of a practical and mixed study, followed by an inductive approach. In the first step, in order to identify the innovative needs and role-players of this process, systematic review and interviews with experts are used, and then by forming a hierarchical structure of network analysis process (ANP), innovative needs, R&D stages, and finally the importance of each role player in the research process was determined. The Demetel techniques and the best-worst method were used to define the ANP supermatrix. In this analysis, the statistical population of experts and activists of these cooperatives are considered as data sources, and using a judgmental and purposeful method, 16 people participated in determining the needs and 21 people in weighting and prioritizing. Findings show that innovation in production technology, products, work processes, and sustainable and green production have the highest priority in the innovative needs of these cooperatives. Also, the stages of commercial production, research, and marketing are most important in the R&D process. Finally, the results show in the commercial production stage, supporters, suppliers, and customers, in the research stage, research units, and in the marketing stage the customers can have the most cooperation.