Shahamak Rezaei · Léo-Paul Dana Veland Ramadani Editors Iranian Entrepreneurship Deciphering the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Iran and in the Iranian Diaspora Iranian Entrepreneurship Shahamak Rezaei • Léo-Paul Dana Veland Ramadani Editors Iranian Entrepreneurship Deciphering the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Iran and in the Iranian Diaspora 123 Editors Shahamak Rezaei Veland Ramadani Department of Society and Globalisation, Faculty of Business and Economics Department of Social Sciences South-East European University and Business Tetovo Roskilde University Macedonia Roskilde Denmark Léo-Paul Dana Montpellier Business School Montpellier France ISBN 978-3-319-50638-8 ISBN 978-3-319-50639-5 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-50639-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017932788 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland To my parents and my sons Nicolai and Alexander Shahamak Rezaei In the spirit of my Persian ancestry, to my late father Albert and my mother Clemy, who taught me love and respect for Iran and its people Léo-Paul Dana To my wife Lindita and my sons Rron and Rrezon Veland Ramadani Foreword This book grew out of the texts written chiefly for those who have demonstrated much enthusiasm to know more about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Iran. It is basically designed to provide a broad perspective and build up a model for policy promotion and entrepreneurship education with an emphasis on entrepreneurs and perception of entrepreneurial process. In reality, the present book is the outcome of the arduous tasks of a number of authors who have made an in-depth analysis of Iranian entrepreneurship in the context of joint efforts to create values, generate knowledge, develop skills, transfer experience, shape debates and reinforce beliefs in the readers and target audience at the center of preparation process. It lays the ground for looking critically at the Iranian Entrepreneurship by discussing the anatomy of a new paradigm named entrepreneurship by combining practice and theory and unfolding mathematical proofs tailored to the needs urgently felt in a society like Iran. More specifically, the contents and language of this book principally aim to move one stop closer to greater self-awareness, greater self-perception and greater self-expression of a multidisciplinary field like entrepreneurship with emphasis on the outstanding features of the topics suitable for near-term applications and a vision generally consistent with current thinking on the entrepreneurial concepts and ideas. Equally important is a coherent framework as a complementary approach for bolstering professionalism, entrepreneurism, and knowledge acquisition. To have a better understanding of the philosophy of preparing this work, it is added that the existence of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship is indisputably regarded as a major force behind the accelerating process of knowledge generation and knowledge diffusion under the title of Iranian Entrepreneurship. Academically speaking, when the independent School of Entrepreneurship was born in 2007 for the first time in the Middle East, entrepreneurship was chiefly considered to be a great engine which would touch off a storm of fresh ideas in tandem with immense opportunities to create employment, promote self-development and develop entrepreneurial thinking and concept in various societal segments and economic sectors. In a very broad sense, the Faculty of Entrepreneurship made every effort to spearhead its academic program far beyond the country’s national borders. For this vii viii Foreword purpose, the Faculty firmly moved ahead to create an appropriate entrepreneurial setting for effective exchange of ideas and experiences among theorists, academi- cians, experts, researchers, and practitioners inside and outside the country. It mapped out various trajectories towards introduction of entrepreneurship as a universal phenomenon supported by key elements anchored in novelty, creativity, and originality. To maintain this momentum, the Faculty of Entrepreneurship took giant steps based on a policy to open up new vistas kaleidoscopically for exploring new choices and expanding linkages far beyond the national boundaries. Interestingly, this policy underpinned by careful planning and hard work came to fruition and emerged in the form of cooperation with a number of internationally known institutions and organizations such as membership in the Boston-based Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), entry into an agreement with UNESCO entitled UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship as well as initiatives in the form of organizing international conferences on entrepreneurship and launch of festivals of entrepre- neurial leaders, to name a few. To broaden the territorial realms of entrepreneurship, this policy is seriously pursued on the back of experiences, strategies, approaches, and models which it is genuinely anticipated to impart the meaningful message of hope, encouragement, and strong motivation emerging as a tremendous boost to the spirit of entrepreneurial adventures. In conclusion, it is fervently hoped that this book will be a major breakthrough in the proximity of various entrepreneurial disciplines and will add to the profundity, analytical precision and enrichment of the work which will appear under the title of Iranian Entrepreneurship. There is no doubt that every effort will pay off in the end. And this work is not an exception. July 2016 Nezameddin Faghih PhD, Professor, Chair holder UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship Editor-in-Chief Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research (JGER) Acknowledgements To the reputable contributors, we would like to thank them to the upmost degree. Their experience, knowledge, research, dedication, and time were generously offered in a restless manner. With their work, the importance and necessity for bringing the book to academic researchers, students, and business owners was highlighted and realized. To the reviewers, we owe a debt of gratitude to them, as they are exemplary individuals of academia in the field of entrepreneurship who have pursued their passion to better us all. Without their respected and appreciated reviews, this book would not have had the same value emphasizing the crucial aspects of the theoretic and practical insights provided by the contributors. To the distinguished professor and researcher, Nezameddin Faghih, we like extend a special acknowledgment for his appreciated foreword of the book. His remarkable ability to address readers with his thoughts and views provide justifiable proof of the significance of this pioneering book of Iranian entrepreneurship at home and in a diaspora. To the editor from Springer, Prashanth Mahagaonkar, and his splendid team, we are grateful for their thoughtful suggestions, support, and encouragement that were offered and well-received. To our families and colleagues, we must express our affectionate thanks. They have kept standing by us since the very first beginnings when the idea of this book was launched. Their support and motivation are always irreplaceable and necessary for each of us. We dedicate our gratitude, appreciation, and love for them. Shahamak Rezaei Léo-Paul Dana Veland Ramadani ix Contents Introduction to Iranian Entrepreneurship ......................... 1 Shahamak Rezaei, Léo-Paul Dana and Veland Ramadani Part I Entrepreneurship and Policy Entrepreneurship Policy in Iran ................................ 15 Saeed Jafari Moghadam The Role of Business Regulations in Economic Growth.............. 41 Seyed Mostafa Razavi, Hamid Padash and Ali Nikoo Nesbati Business Startup in Iran: Entrepreneurial Skills, Personality, and Motivation of Iranian Nascent Entrepreneurs .................. 55 Mohammad Reza Zali and Atieh Sadat Chaychian Novice Entrepreneurs’ Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy and Passion for Entrepreneurship ......................................... 73 Afsaneh Bagheri and Javad Yazdanpanah How Do Iranian SMEs Utilize External Knowledge Flows for Corporate Entrepreneurship? The Role of Externally Oriented Capabilities ......................................... 91 Kamal Sakhdari Women’s