Marketing Performance in Agricultural Firms across Geographically Isolated Regions in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Maryam Sharifzadeh

Akram Azizifar

Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran

10.22067/jrrp.v15i4.2608-1179

Abstract

Purpose- Agricultural firms in geographically isolated regions face severe marketing constraints due to limited market access, infrastructural deficits, and information asymmetries. The purpose of this study is to investigate how strategic agility capabilities enable such firms to overcome these barriers and enhance marketing performance, drawing on dynamic capability's theory and the resource-based view.
Design/methodology/approach- A descriptive-analytical design was employed using a questionnaire survey administered to 285 agricultural firm owners in a mountainous region of Iran, selected through simple random sampling. Data reliability was confirmed via Cronbach’s alpha (α > 0.70), and validity was verified by academic experts in entrepreneurship and agricultural economics. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software, employing Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analysis to test the hypothesized relationships between agility dimensions—product agility, people and knowledge agility, cooperative agility, and organizational agility—and marketing performance, while controlling for individual characteristics.
Findings- Strategic agility explains 57% of the variance in marketing performance. Product agility emerges as the strongest predictor (β = 0.44, p < 0.01), followed by people and knowledge agility (β = 0.254, p < 0.01). Cooperative and organizational agility show positive but statistically non-significant relationships, suggesting that contextual constraints in isolated settings may moderate their effectiveness. These findings indicate that internal capabilities, particularly product development and human capital, are critical for overcoming geographic disadvantages, whereas external facing capabilities may require supportive institutional conditions to become fully effective.
Practical implications- The cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and the single province focus restricts generalizability. Reliance on self-reported measures and absence of firm level controls (e.g., size, age) are additional limitations. Future research should employ longitudinal designs, include objective performance indicators, and compare multiple regions to establish boundary conditions.
Originality/value- This study extends strategic agility theory to agricultural entrepreneurship in resource constrained, peripheral regions, providing empirical evidence that internal agility capabilities can mitigate geographic isolation. It offers actionable guidance for entrepreneurs to prioritise product adaptation and knowledge management, and for policymakers to design capacity building programmes that enhance competitiveness in isolated rural areas.

Keywords

Strategic agility

Marketing performance

Agricultural entrepreneurship

Resource-based view

Dynamic capabilities

Geographic isolation.

Subjects

• Rural Studies

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