Examining the Economic Empowerment Model of Home-Based Enterprises: Field Evidence from the ACECR

Examining the Economic Empowerment Model of Home-Based Enterprises: Field Evidence from the ACECR



Abstract

Objective: Economic empowerment, particularly through the establishment and expansion of home-based enterprises in Iran, constitutes one of the key strategies for fostering local and rural development. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the model of economic empowerment underpinning home-based businesses, drawing on field-based experiences.

Methods: The research employed a case study design, utilizing semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling across ten organizational units of the Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR).

Results: Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed four overarching themes that constitute the core dimensions of the empowerment model: (1) ease of business initiation, (2) ease of implementation, (3) sustainability, and (4) evaluation of home-based enterprises. In addition, several organizing themes emerged, including the improvement of procedures for launching and expanding home businesses, the provision of effective advisory services, and the influence of individual and social characteristics on business success or failure.

Conclusion: Existing models of economic empowerment for home-based businesses in Iran face several structural and procedural challenges. Based on the identified core themes, this study proposes a revised framework aimed at transforming the current empowerment model through nine operational phases.

Keywords: Economic empowerment; Home-based businesses; Empowerment model; Local development; ACECR.

 

Extended Abstract

Introduction

Recent statistics from the United States indicate that around 52% of all small businesses are home-based, with a substantial proportion founded and managed by mid-career professionals. Home-based enterprises constitute a vital component of entrepreneurial activity and contribute significantly to broader processes of economic development. In many developed economies, policy frameworks supporting home-based enterprises have been in place for several decades, during which these ventures have come to account for a substantial share of national economic activity.

Small enterprises are generally defined as those employing fewer than 50 people, whereas microenterprises refer to firms with between one and nine employees. The principal aim of this study is to analyze the economic empowerment model for home-based businesses, informed by field experiences derived from the Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR). To address this objective, two key research questions were examined through semi-structured interviews with project experts: (1) What are the main weaknesses and challenges inherent in the existing empowerment model for home-based businesses? and (2) What strategies could facilitate the transformation of this model?

Although extensive research has addressed small and home-based enterprises, relatively few studies have examined the barriers to implementing empowerment models within organizational frameworks such as that of ACECR. Previous research has primarily concentrated on individual entrepreneurs or business managers, whereas the present study focuses on ACECR’s university-led initiatives that are embedded within broader home-based business programs.

Methodology

This study adopted a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with project managers and field implementers across multiple provinces, complemented by document analysis. The study population comprised all home-based business empowerment projects implemented by the ACECR across the country. Using purposive sampling, ten fully implemented and collaborative ACECR units were selected, including those located in Khuzestan, South Khorasan, Ardabil, and Qazvin provinces, as well as the Al-Zahra and Allameh Tabataba’i Jihad University units.

Results and Discussion

Thematic analysis of the qualitative data yielded two major categories of findings.

Part I: Weaknesses and Challenges of the Empowerment Model. Four overarching themes were identified: (1) ease of business initiation, (2) ease of implementation, (3) sustainability, and (4) evaluation of home-based enterprises. These overarching themes were informed by ten organizing themes, including the reform of startup procedures, enhancement of advisory and counseling services, engagement of technical experts, facilitation of micro-investment initiatives, and reduction of bureaucratic constraints. In total, twenty-one basic themes were distilled from twenty-seven underlying conceptual categories.

For instance, facilitating business startups requires revising registration and job-aptitude forms, diversifying counseling and advisory services, and giving greater consideration to the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs.

Part II: Solutions for Transformation. In response to the identified challenges, a four-stage transformation framework is proposed: (1) facilitating the initiation of home-based businesses (Phases 1–3); (2) improving operational processes (Phases 4–6); (3) strengthening business sustainability (Phases 7–8); and (4) establishing systematic mechanisms for evaluation and monitoring (Phase 9).

Conclusion

The expansion of home-based enterprises can function as a vital pathway toward economic empowerment, positioning households and their human capital as key assets that enhance both individual livelihoods and broader societal welfare. In the Iranian context, the National Home Business Development Plan, implemented by the ACECR in its mediating and facilitating role, constitutes a systematic initiative aimed at expanding the home-based enterprise sector. Nevertheless, the findings reveal that the process remains complex and protracted, necessitating structural and procedural reforms to facilitate more equitable access to the benefits of economic growth.