Urban Development Policy Making

Urban Development Policy Making

Designing a Native Model of an Empowering Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Female-Headed Households in Tehran Metropolis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Javad Lashkari
Mehran Maghsoudi
Shadi Shahverdiani
Department of Entrepreneurship, KI.C., Islamic Azad University, Kish, Iran
10.22034/judpm.2026.584861.1112
Abstract
This study aimed to design and validate a native model of an empowering entrepreneurial ecosystem for female-headed households in the 22 districts of Tehran metropolis. The research adopted a developmental-applied purpose with a sequential exploratory mixed-method design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 experts, including entrepreneurship management professors, Tehran municipality managers, activists from non-governmental organizations, and successful female entrepreneurs. In the quantitative phase, 380 female-headed households and female entrepreneurs residing in Tehran were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling from five selected districts (3, 6, 12, 15, and 22) and completed a researcher-developed questionnaire. Reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha (0.86) and composite reliability (0.94). Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares approach (PLS-SEM). The final model was organized into three levels: foundational/supportive (individual factors, social support, access to resources, institutional factors, market and opportunities), performance pathway (entrepreneurial intention, business creation, business performance), and empowerment outcomes (economic, psychological, and social empowerment). Findings revealed that institutional factors (β=0.74) were the strongest predictor of entrepreneurial intention, and market and opportunities (β=0.66) had the strongest impact on business performance. Model fit indices indicated good quality (SRMR=0.042, NFI=0.91, GoF=0.54). This model is the first localized entrepreneurial ecosystem model for empowering female-headed households at the urban district level in Tehran.
Keywords
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Model Design
Empowerment
Female-Headed Households
Tehran Municipality Districts
Subjects
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Urban Development Policy Making
Volume 3, Issue 3 - Serial Number 8
Autumn 2026
Pages 541-556

  • Receive Date 20 May 2026
  • Revise Date 20 June 2026
  • Accept Date 06 July 2026
  • Publish Date 23 September 2026