Assessment of Social confidence in Veteran Entrepreneurs in Zanjan Province in ۲۰۱۴

Background: Social confidence is considered an important element in entrepreneurship. Objectives: Given the importance of employment and entrepreneurship of veterans, the present research aimed to determine the status of social confidence in veteran entrepreneurs of Zanjan Province. Methods: In this survey. the statistical sample included all veteran entrepreneurs of Zanjan Province with an entrepreneurship file in Zanjan Employment Department from November ۲۰۱۳ to January ۲۰۱۴. The required data were collected using a two part questionnaire including demographic charactristics and social confidence scale of Saffarnia. Social confidence scale of Saffarnia consists of ۵ dimensions of trust-based behavior, cooperative tendencies, openness, honesty, and trust. Both questionnaires were filled out by the respondents in a self-reporting manner. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS-۱۹. Results: The mean age of respondents was ۳۸.۷±۸.۵. The results showed that ۹۵%, ۶۵%, and ۸۵% of respondents were male, had a high school diploma, and aged over ۶۰, respectively. All respondents were living in urban areas, employed, and married. The mean score of total social confidence was ۸۶.۰۵±۵.۸۱ with a range of ۷۴-۹۹. Among the dimensions of social confidence, cooperative tendencies and honesty ranked first and last, respectively. Conclusion: Although the findings of the present study showed that the level of social confidence in veteran entrepreneurs of Zanjan Province is above the average, it seems that the development of entrepreneurial activities among this group of society needs more attention of officials to the provision of necessary conditions to promote social confidence.

Keywords:

Entrepreneurship , Social confidence , Veterans