Proposing an entrepreneurial model based on ICT components (study and review: selected OPEC member countries)
qholamreza rezaei
1
(
Department of Economics - Faculty of Management and Accounting - Islamic Azad University, Qazvin Branch - Qazvin - Iran
)
Amir Hosseinpour
2
(
)
ali badiezadeh
3
(
Department of Entrepreneurship Management - Faculty of Management and Accounting - Islamic Azad University, Qazvin Branch - Qazvin - Iran
)
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Information and Communication Technology, Ease of Doing Business, Innovation, OPEC+ Countries,
Abstract :
The aim of this study is to present an entrepreneurship model to show how ICT and its components can affect entrepreneurship in countries that rely on natural resources and face institutional and economic challenges in diversifying their economic structure. For this purpose, first, using the meta-synthesis method to design the model and then using panel data from 2008 to 2023 and the structural equation modeling method in the form of path analysis, the effects of five important components of ICT (infrastructure, skills, and use at the government, individual, and business levels) on entrepreneurial activity were evaluated with the mediation of business environment facilitation and innovation. The results showed that ICT infrastructure and individual use of ICT have a direct and significant effect on entrepreneurship. In contrast, although government use and business do not have a direct effect, they have a positive and significant indirect effect on entrepreneurship through the business environment facilitation channel. An important finding, contrary to theoretical foundations, was that innovation did not have a significant impact on entrepreneurial activity, indicating a serious challenge in the commercialization of innovative achievements and a failure in knowledge transfer to the entrepreneurial ecosystem (SMEs) in these countries. Also, ICT skills did not show any significant direct or indirect path entrepreneurship. The findings emphasize that investment in ict alone is not enough and policymaking in OPEC+ should focus on institutional reforms to facilitate the business environment as well as addressing skills deficiencies and innovation commercialization to achieve economic diversification goals.
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