Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
10.22067/jrrp.2026.100208.1179
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 capabilities 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 – The regression model was statistically significant (F = 31.52, p < 0.001), with strategic agility dimensions explaining 57% of the variance in marketing performance (R² = 0.57, adjusted R² = 0.57). Product agility emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), followed by people and knowledge agility (β = 0.254, p < 0.01). Cooperative agility (β = 0.106, ns) and organizational agility (β = 0.136, ns) showed positive but statistically non-significant relationships, suggesting that contextual constraints in isolated settings may moderate their effectiveness. This pattern is consistent with resource-based logic, which suggests 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- For agricultural entrepreneurs, the findings illuminate which agility capabilities most effectively enhance marketing performance, enabling more targeted resource allocation in resource-scarce environments. For policymakers, the study provides evidence supporting investments in infrastructure, training, and institutional mechanisms that facilitate agility development in peripheral regions.
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 provides empirical evidence on the relative importance of agility dimensions, offering insights into how resource-constrained firms can strategically prioritize capability development.
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