Studying the ecotourism entrepreneurial behavior of rural women in Fars province using basic theory

Ecotourism entrepreneurship is one of the methods of empowering rural women by relying on the local capacity and potential of the living area. The purpose of this study is to identify the main factors in entrepreneurial behavior of rural women in Fars province using the qualitative paradigm of Grounded theory. The statistical population of this study is experts and specialists in the field of rural women and entrepreneurship in the office of development of agricultural activities of rural and nomadic women, The Agricultural Jihad Organization of Fars Province, as well as other experts, is composed of other organizations of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture. Using targeted sampling and snowball sampling, 23 experts were selected as the statistical sample. The research tool was based on in-depth and structured interviews. Data of analysis of the study was conducted through employing the software MAXQDA-10. Based on interviews with 493 concepts, 15 central categories were identified, which were placed in the form of a 6-dimensional paradigm model of Strauss and Corbin. By carefully examining these categories, the main categories of ecotourism entrepreneurial behavior with three sub-categories(Individual, social and economic), Causal conditions with two sub-categories (external and internal factors), context conditions with two sub-categories (macro policies to support eco-tourism businesses and acceptable security for tourists), Intervention conditions with three sub-categories (cultural acceptance, social capital, multifunctional ecotourism approach), Strategies with three sub-categories (empowerment of rural women in the field of rural and nomadic tourism, holding exhibitions and festivals, supporting women entrepreneurs in the field of ecotourism) and Outcomes were categorized into two categories (positive and negative).