Development and empowerment of entrepreneurship in the small and medium-sized business environment with a focus on the current state of entrepreneurship in Guilan province using the (SWOT) approach

Empirical studies in developed countries indicate that entrepreneurial and high-growth businesses, in addition to their significant contribution to wealth creation, are also the primary drivers of new job opportunities. Considering Iran's current challenge of unemployment, particularly among the youth, focusing on entrepreneurship development becomes doubly important and should be prioritized in the policymakers' agenda. On the other hand, Guilan Province, with its proximity to the sea and favorable climate, possesses substantial potential in various sectors, including industry, agriculture, and services. However, based on annual reports from the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute, the overall entrepreneurship situation in the country is weak. Therefore, this research investigates the state of entrepreneurship in various sectors within Guilan Province. The present research employs a descriptive and applied methodology. The study's population comprises all individuals engaged in small and medium-sized businesses within agriculture, industry, and services sectors across Guilan Province. In this regard, a sample of 20 active experts in the fields of services, agriculture, and industry, along with 20 university professors, was selected. These individuals were provided with a questionnaire in two phases. Subsequently, using gap analysis, the study analyzes the gap between the current and desired states in the services, industry, and agriculture sectors. Finally, employing the SWOT approach, the research identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the identified sectors and determines the strategic position of each. The results reveal that the business consulting, tourism, clothing, food, aquaculture, and livestock sectors exhibit minor differences among each other in the realm of stability and preservation strategies. This implies that stability and preservation strategies should be employed for strategic planning in these sectors. Furthermore, handicrafts and agriculture sectors fall within the scope of reduction strategies. Thus, reduction strategies should be utilized for strategic planning in these domains.