Biotechnological
Communication
Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. 9(4): 783-789 (2016)
Design of strategic model of agriculture products of
Bijar County by hybrid SWOT-ANP model
Fershteh Elyaspour
1,2
and Parisa Bahmani
3
*
1
M.S Student, DEP Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
2
EMBA DEP Kermanshah Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
3
PhD Student Kermanshah University Professor E MBA DEP Kermanshah Science and Research Branch,
Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
ABSTRACT
In this study, strategic model of agricultural products from a section of Bijar County by hybrid SWOT-ANP model has
been studied. However, over past years, in spite of efforts for boosting the production, self-reliance, processing and
exportation of agricultural products, this section has not still played its real role in the country economy. Managerial
weakness in planning and supply chain of agricultural products and intervening of brokers and dealers in this area
can be considered as an essential problem in this part of economy, and one should seek an appropriate solution for
tackling it. In this paper, ANP method and Super-decision software are used for prioritizations. At the end, through
interviewing with 7 experts, pairwise comparisons have been done for 7 clusters and geometrical average of values
of comparisons were considered as nal score of each one of comparisons. Results showed that making agricultural
industry purposeful in fertile regions of the county has been placed at rst priority, identifying strategic products
and investing on them in second priority, and attracting collaboration of farmers to grow products resistant to water
shortage conditions and operationalizing plans related to fostering underground water sources has been placed in
third priority.
KEY WORDS: STRATEGIC MODEL, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, HYBRID SWOT-ANP MODEL
783
ARTICLE INFORMATION:
*Corresponding Author: dr.marketing57@gmail.com
Received 27
th
Sep, 2016
Accepted after revision 24
th
Nov, 2016
BBRC Print ISSN: 0974-6455
Online ISSN: 2321-4007
Thomson Reuters ISI ESC and Crossref Indexed Journal
NAAS Journal Score 2015: 3.48 Cosmos IF : 4.006
© A Society of Science and Nature Publication, 2016. All rights
reserved.
Online Contents Available at: http//www.bbrc.in/
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture development and in particular focus on
stallholder farmers in rural regions de nitely should be
the greatest mission of academic and research centers in
general, and agricultural faculties and promotion and
study centers in particular. Current trend of universities
and research centers, however, shows that gap between
these sections with agricultural sector not only fails to
be lled, but also one can see this gap is further enlarg-
784 DESIGN OF STRATEGIC MODEL OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Elyaspour and Bahmani
ing and this is the worst damage to agriculture. That is
to say, although there has been an increase in popula-
tion of graduates of agricultural study as well as in set-
ting forth scienti c papers and knowledge when com-
pared to past years, and this trend was featured by steep
acceleration, however, high rate on unemployment of
agricultural context from one side, and inef ciency of
agricultural operational section and drastically low pro-
ductivity in this area from other side suggests the lack
of rm relation and lack of overlapping and synergy
between activities of scholar section with production
section. Therefore, it is needed to establish a fundamen-
tal change in this area.
In this paper, we intend to examine this problem
through a systematic and comprehensive attitude. Sys-
tematic attitude suggests that for agricultural develop-
ment, improvement of farming products and selecting a
suitable pattern for relation between various sections of
system, rstly it is needed to be aware of status of organ-
izations, opportunities and threats and their strengths
and weaknesses and take into account many factors and
criteria, therefore, presenting a pattern and strategy is
a multi-criteria decision making which should evaluate
many complicated factors (Zack, 1999). Strategic man-
agement includes decision taking and integrated activi-
ties for developing and implementing effective strate-
gies, control and evaluating their outcomes. Strategic
management represents a process through which organ-
izations analyze their internal and external environment
and understand it. In addition, they establish their stra-
tegic path; create some strategies which assist them in
attaining to their objectives. They put these strategies
into action; all of these measures are an effort for satis-
fying stakeholders (Erabi 1995).
Agriculture and production section serve as opera-
tional section in the forefront of management and
knowledge transfer process. Success or failure of this
section indicates the degree of ef ciency and effective-
ness of agricultural knowledge and technology system
of a country. Considering the relevance of this section,
the importance and history and role of agricultural
development and its bearing on other social indexes
are discussed in this paper separately. The origin and
basics of economy globalization is de nitely global
trade, meanwhile trading various commercial products
and reviewing the global transactions for farming crops
is one of the major debates of international community,
(Jalaei et al 2015).
According published statistic of UN, 62 % of world
population is consisted of rural people and this propor-
tion reaches to 76% in Asia and Africa. Furthermore,
in 1972, roughly 700 million people in the world were
victim of absolute poverty of which 85% lived in rural
regions. In Iran also, near 29% of country population live
in villages whose activity is mostly farming (FAO 1988).
In this paper, through a full- edged approached, rstly
one reviews factors affecting the design of strategic
model of agricultural products section. Then, strengths
and weaknesses and threats in agricultural technological
system are examined, and strategies of establishing ef -
cient relation between these sections are discussed based
on SWOT technic.Considering the studies of researcher,
it has been speci ed that in all conducted study, there is
no study conducted regarding design of strategic model
for agricultural products section in Kurdistan province.
Therefore, this paper, with an approach distinctive from
other studies seeks to design a strategic model of agri-
cultural products section in Bijar County.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Agriculture is one of the most important in uential sec-
tors in economy of any country that plays a leading role
in political and economic independence. Existence of
abundant natural resources and special climate position
changes Iran into a country with four seasons. However,
over past years, in spite of efforts for boosting the pro-
ducing, self-reliance, processing and exporting agricul-
tural products, yet this sector fails to ful ll its role in
country economy. Managerial weakness in planning and
agricultural products supply chain and intervening of
mediators and dealers in this eld can be considered as
main problems in this part of economy and for solving
it one should seek an appropriate solution. Rural devel-
opment strategies are based on seven determined objec-
tives including: agricultural production growth, better
use of rare resources, optimal use of capital, establish-
ing professional opportunities, redistribution of income,
enhancing life level and involvement of rural population
in social affairs (Zamanipour, 2008).
Unfortunately, a lot of less developed countries fail
to pay necessary and suf cient attention to agricul-
tural section for attaining to rapid development and as
much as possible they turn toward rapid industrializa-
tion. Requirement of industrialization of fundamental
sections is justi able in these countries; however, this
point that essential industry can’t be made and devel-
oped without basis is less addressed by these countries.
In capitalistic developed countries shift from traditional
economy to monetary economy was coupled with tech-
nical development and enhancement of productivity of
agricultural sector. Thus, not only a part of agricultural
workforce is released and directed toward industry part,
but also agricultural surplus set the stage for industriali-
zation. This change has not taken place in undeveloped
countries; therefore, modern economy section has been
incorporated in our country without relating to tradi-
tional economy section. It continued its activity without
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN OF STRATEGIC MODEL OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS 785
Elyaspour and Bahmani
having organic relation with activities of that section.
In traditional section that is mostly agricultural, com-
paction of population and remoteness from success path
caused reducing in productivity and by shrinking agri-
culture, a lot of workforce are pushed aside of the eld
and farming labor changed into latent unemployed with
no purchase power. Competition of imported industrial
products gradually pushed local craftsmen aside and
hindered the formation of local industry.
Surplus of workers of agricultural section with no
purchase power provided a great mass of cheap work-
force and this itself paved the way for admittance of
foreign capital in countries and their activity in sections
which call for cheap labor, and most of these activities
are in exporting section of raw material. Therefore, it
seems to be rational that in such countries the devel-
opment plans should be devised in such manner that
development of agricultural section would be placed in
priority with regard to other parts and further atten-
tion and emphasis should be paid to this area (Todaro,
1986).
Bearing in mind the problems of agricultural section,
the sustainable development is a highly signi cant and
essential discussion, because regional difference calls for
desirable planning considering the existing potentials,
and this calls for professional measurement and assess-
ment. Each region has its own powers and scarcities when
it comes to agriculture, thus identifying and analyzing
them assist in sustainable development of agriculture so
that available sources would be used in a desirable and
suitable manner. Thus, using models related to identify-
ing agricultural strengths in each region prevents the
problems (Falsoleiman and Sadeqi 2013).
METHODOLOGY
This paper is practical in terms of objective and is done
by descriptive and exploratory. In this study, the set-
ting of study is agricultural entity (Jahad-e Keshavarzi)
and Bijar county Payam-e Nur University. In this study,
statistical population is consisted of all of professors
and experts of university and stakeholders of this sci-
enti c eld, staff of agricultural Jihad, agricultural
Jihad promotion and development section experts, pro-
fessors and students of Bijar country agricultural fac-
ulties N=80. Sampling method: in this study sampling
method was not used and census was used instead. This
study seeks to examine and identity the strategies for
establishing the relation between agricultural products
sector and designing a strategic model for this section.
Study method is descriptive and has a survey. Step 1:
The study examined the design of strategic model of
agricultural products section in the country through a
systematic review. Step 2: In the second step, researcher
ful lled some guided interviews for competing informa-
tion obtained from studying documents and literature
review for detecting the factors affecting the establish-
ing relation between designs of strategic model with
agricultural products section. Step 3: In third step, the
researcher tried to nd through interviews the strengths
and weaknesses and opportunities and threats based
on in uential factors. Step 4: in fourth step, researcher
speci ed the ranking of factors by a questionnaire and
uses Super-decision software and ANP method for deter-
mining the priorities. Geometrical averages of values of
scales taken as nal score of each one of scales. Strat-
egies opportunity have been speci ed using obtained
coef cient for each one of them. Step 5: In the last step,
we have speci ed the main strategies through establish-
ing SWOT matrix.
Data analysis: In this study considering the subject and
studied variables, two types of information were used.
Secondary data: thus, in this study secondary data were
collected from various sources through library study.
Primary data: in qualitative studies, interview was the
best tool for collecting real primary data because in this
study identifying opportunities and threats of establish-
ing relation between design of strategic model and agri-
cultural products sectors from one side, and identifying
basic strategies for fostering this relation from other side
was the matter of interest.
Interview with experts was used as main tool of col-
lecting data. Interview in qualitative studies was done
with certain order, rstly researcher posed the main ques-
tions of study and required information using directive
methods were collected from each one of interviewees.
Number of required interviews in this method depended
on obtaining the repetition of answers by interviewee,
that is, the independent interview was continued as long
as answers of interviewees were almost identical with
predicted ones. As in this study the SWOT technic was
used for analyzing the related matrixes, two question-
naires were used for ranking factors and determining
factors coef cient which their content bases and results
have obtained from interviews.
Data were collected from various samples, then the
analysis was carried out, and at last, data were analyzed
based on the reference framework, similarly a case study
is done based on type of study, data are analyzed using
theoretical deduction strategy and pattern matching
method. Obtained data were categorized by Swot tech-
nic in four groups, namely strength, weakness, opportu-
nity and threats and they are ranked based on priority.
Determining the coef cient of factors was done based
on ANP technic and nally, researcher devised the effec-
tive strategy.
786 DESIGN OF STRATEGIC MODEL OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Elyaspour and Bahmani
Results: Considering the weaknesses, strength, opportunities, threats, this table was prepared. Strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats
4-2 pairwise comparison between clusters
After conducting comparison between one cluster strat-
egies, pairwise comparisons were conducted between
clusters for weighting each one of clusters. It is shown
in table 2.
As it can be seen the greatest coef cient is related to
strategic group and then, . The inconsistency index was
variable description
S
1
Presence of expert and specialized staff for management of agricultural section
S
2
Collaboration of agricultural research center regarding quantitative and qualitative enhancement of agricultural products
and identifying strategic products
W
1
Low quality of agricultural products due to lack of collaboration between farmers and agricultural Jihad
W
2
Lack of suf cient information of farmers of species resistant against water shortage and selecting species appropriate to
water resources
O
1
Political willpower for improving agricultural status and leading role of agriculture system in de ning resistive economy
O
2
Political willpower for improving agricultural status and leading role of agriculture system in de ning resistive economy
O
3
Existence of fertile lands and appropriate climate conditions in province, county and rural district
T
1
Smallholder farmers and smallness of farms and uneconomical feature of activities
T
2
Lack of proportion between objectives of higher education system and agricultural production system
T
3
Lack of enough credit for study and development section for operationalizing the new methods of agriculture
T
4
Lack of collaboration and negligence of people toward water shortage
Table 2: pairwise comparison between clusters
0.03 and this value is within allowable range less than
0.1 indicating the reliability of comparisons.
4-3 Calculating Super-matrices
Weightless super-matrix: Weightless super-matrix
is obtained by combining the pairwise comparisons
matrixes between elements in clusters.
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN OF STRATEGIC MODEL OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS 787
Elyaspour and Bahmani
importance coef cientStrategy titleStrategies group
0.068S
1
O
1
O1 group strategies
0.520
S
2
O
1
0.157
W
1
O
1
0.253
W
2
O
1
1
O1 group accumulative co-ef cient
0.280
S
1
O
2
O2 group strategies
0.319
S
2
O
2
0.228
W
1
O
2
0.173
W
2
O
2
1
O2 group accumulative coef cient
0.070
S
1
O
3
O3 group strategies
0.492
S
2
O
3
0.259
W
1
O
3
0.141
W
2
O
3
1
O3 group accumulative coef cient
0.134
S
1
T
1
T1 group strategies
0.059
S
2
T
1
0.260
W
1
T
1
0548
W
2
T
1
1T1 group accumulative coef cient
0.302
S
1
T
2
T2 group strategies
0.385
S
2
T
2
0.183
W
1
T
2
0.130
W
2
T
2
1
T2 group accumulative coef cient
0.247
S
1
T
3
T3 group strategies
0.530
S
2
T
3
0.074
W
1
T
3
0.156
W
2
T
3
1
T3 group accumulative coef cients
0.130
S
1
T
4
T4 group strategies
0.264
S
2
T
4
0.071
W
1
T
4
0.534
W
2
T
4
1
T4 group accumulative coef cients
In table 4, the obtained weightless super-matrix is
shown
Five high priorities of strategies
5-4 signi cant advantage of prioritizing by ANP
One can prioritize the strategies of agriculture of Bijar
County by con ating ANP model and SWOT analysis.
In this study, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats of agriculture industry of Bijar County have
been combined together by SWOT matrix and 28 strate-
gies are designed. Presented strategies have been prior-
itized by network analysis process. In addition to deter-
mining strategies prioritization, importance coef cient
of each one of strategies have been speci ed and this is
the signi cant advantage of prioritization through ANP
model, because in addition to deciding nominal prior-
ity, their importance are set forth in scale too. Therefore
according to ndings of study one can note the hybrid
Elyaspour and Bahmani
788 DESIGN OF STRATEGIC MODEL OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
SWOT-ANP model has high ef ciency in prioritization
of strategies of agriculture industry of Bijar County.
CONCLUSION
Using SWOT matrix, strengths, weaknesses, opportuni-
ties and threats have been identi ed that included two
strengths, two weaknesses, three opportunities and four
threats. Results suggest more importance of threats when
compared with opportunities and equality of strengths
and weaknesses in agriculture industry of Bijar County.
Using SWOT-ANP hybrid model, strategies required
for using opportunities of agricultural section of the
region have been designed, and their priorities have
been obtained. For each one of three obtained opportu-
nities, four strategies have been determined, so in sum
12 strategies are available that for using opportunities of
the region they are as follows:
1. For better using rst opportunity, the best strategy
is S
2
O
1
that serves as a cornerstone for establishing
a dynamic interaction between research centers
and agricultural Jihad of Bijar County for guiding
and enhancing the county agriculture according to
policies of resistive economy.
2. For using second opportunity the best strategy
is W
2
O
2
that serves as technical preparation and
FIGURE 1. Weight coef cient (priority) strategic clusters.
Order of
priority
Strategy hybrid
parameters
Strategy description
First priority W
2
T
1
Diversifying support tools for supporting producers of agricultural products
Diversifying support tools for supporting producers of agricultural products specially for
farming species suitable to counties with water shortage conditions.
Second priority S
2
O
2
.
Making the agriculture industry purposeful in county fertile regions by identifying
strategic crops and investment on them
Third priority W
2
T
4
Attracting the collaboration of farmers in farming resistant products in water shortage
conditions and operationalizing the plans related to strengthening the underground water
sources.
Fourth priority S
1
O
2
Upgrading the amount of productivity of region fertile lands by adopting specialized plans
of experts of agriculture.
Fifth priority W
1
O
2
Encouraging farmers to collaborate with agriculture ministry and increasing productivity
coef cient of region farms by selecting and encouraging eminent farmers.
Elyaspour and Bahmani
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN OF STRATEGIC MODEL OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS 789
appropriate supporting of country agriculture for
maximum use of fertile lands of Bijar country.
3. For using third opportunity, the best strategy is
S
2
O
3
that it is supporting to establishing and pro-
moting processing and complementary industries
and maintaining farming products of country with
collaboration of research centers and agricultural
Jihad.
The strength in prioritization by above model is that it
is not mere nominal priority, rather the achieved priori-
ties are scale-based which offer importance coef cient
of each one of strategies and this gives rise to proper
judgment, and rational decision-making.
Using SWOT-ANP hybrid model, strategies required
for avoiding threats of agriculture section of the region
are devised and their priorities also are obtained. For
each one of these 4 threats, 4 strategies are speci ed, so
in sum, there are 16 strategies for avoiding the threats of
the region as follows:
1. For avoiding the rst threat, the best strategy is
W2T1 that is diversifying the support tools for
supporting producers of agricultural products es-
pecially for farming species appropriate to county
water shortage conditions.
2. For dodging the second threat, the best strategy
is W
2
T
4
is attracting collaboration of farmers to
farming crops resistant to water shortage condi-
tions and operationalizing plans related to foster-
ing underground water sources.
3. For dodging third threat the best strategy is S
2
T
3
suggesting the use of knowledge and experience
of research centers for increasing the attraction of
credits of farming strategic crops.
4. For avoiding the fourth threat, the best strategy
is S
2
T
2
suggesting upgrading the knowledge and
skill of graduates of agricultural eld by investing
in the context of technical complementary educa-
tions and making their specialty practical before
working in industry.
Using SWOT-ANP hybrid model, we have designed and
prioritized strategies that are speci ed in table 5 in
chapter 4.
5 top priority of strategies in table 5 are as follows:
Order of
priority
Strategy hybrid
parameters
Strategy description
First priority W
2
T
1
Diversifying support tools for supporting producers of agricultural products
Diversifying support tools for supporting producers of agricultural products specially for
farming species suitable to counties with water shortage conditions.
Second priority S
2
O
2
.Making the agriculture industry purposeful in county fertile regions by identifying
strategic crops and investment on them
Third priority W
2
T4
Attracting the collaboration of farmers in farming resistant products in water shortage
conditions and operationalizing the plans related to strengthening the underground water
sources.
Fourth priority S
1
O
2
Upgrading the amount of productivity of region fertile lands by adopting specialized plans
of experts of agriculture.
Fifth priority W
1
O
2
Encouraging farmers to collaborate with agriculture ministry and increasing productivity
coef cient of region farms by selecting and encouraging eminent farmers.
REFERENCES
Erabi, M., (2009), handbook of strategic planning, 3
rd
ed, Teh-
ran: cultural studies of ce.
Jalaei, A., Nejati, M., Javadinia, M., (2015), examining the
impact of productivity shock on production of Iran agricul-
ture with attitude of multiregional calculable general bal-
ance model, Journal of agricultural economy studies 7(2).
P 163-178.
Zamanipur, A., (2008), promoting agriculture in development
process, publication place, Ferdowsi University.
Tudar, M., (1986). Internal immigration in developing coun-
tries, Translation: M. Sarmadi, Tehran: Ney publication.
Falsoleiman, M. and Sadeqi H. (2013). Analysis of potentials
of agricultural section of South Khorasan province along sus-
tainable development using SWOT model, studies of dry geo-
graphic regions (64), 12-41
Zack, M. (1997) Developing acknowledge strategy. California
Management Review pp:125
FAO. (1988) Agricultural extension system in some African &
Asian countries F.A.O Rome
Iglesias A. Garrote L.(2015). Adaptation strategies for agri-
cultural water management under climate change in Europe.
Agricultural Water Management, Vol.155, pp.113-124.
Hill T. & Westbrook, R. (1997). SWOT analysis: It’s time for a
product Recall. Long Range Planning, Vol.30, PP.46–52.
Goerner A. (2012). Comparing AHP and ANP: An Application
of Strategic Decisions Making in a Manufacturing Company.
International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 3,
No. 11, PP. 194-208.