Designing a Policy Framework for Establishing Student Knowledge-Based Cooperatives Based on the Analysis of the Triple Development Factors

Abstract
The present study aims to design a comprehensive policy framework for establishing and developing student knowledge-based cooperatives in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. This research seeks to leverage educational capacities, innovation potential, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem to propose a model that strengthens students’ entrepreneurial skills, creativity, and practical experience, thereby fostering the development of knowledge-based collaborations in schools. Methodologically, the study is applied in purpose and qualitative with an interpretive approach. The research population consisted of academic experts and executive specialists in the fields of technology units and school cooperatives within the Ministry of Education. Sampling was conducted purposively, and upon reaching theoretical saturation, 13 individuals were selected as participants. Data were collected through library studies and semi-structured interviews, and to ensure data quality, the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability were rigorously observed within the qualitative research framework. Data analysis was carried out using qualitative content analysis, resulting in a three-level model comprising contextual factors, structural factors, and operational factors. The findings revealed that the model includes 17 subcomponents, 97 indicators, and 326 codes, explaining various dimensions of establishing and developing student knowledge-based cooperatives. Finally, a set of policy recommendations was presented to support the effective and sustainable implementation of these cooperatives and to strengthen the role of schools in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
Introduction
In recent years, the role of education in sustainable development and knowledge-based economies has become a strategic priority in the policy agendas of developing countries. An emerging model for linking general education with innovation ecosystems is the knowledge-based student cooperative—a structure that integrates cooperative values with knowledge-based innovation logic. In this study, a knowledge-based student cooperative is defined as a formal collaborative group of students who utilize their scientific capacities and creativity to address real-world problems in their school and community, simultaneously experiencing learning and knowledge-based value creation. Unlike traditional cooperatives, these entities differ in three dimensions: input (ideas instead of capital), process (creativity and research instead of trading), and output (technology-based products or services instead of mere profit).
Given the structural and social challenges of Sistan and Baluchestan province—including the gap between education and the labor market, low youth economic participation, and spatial inequalities—developing empowering models is indispensable. The development of such cooperatives requires a tripartite analysis of contextual, structural, and operational factors. International research indicates that student participation in entrepreneurial and innovation projects enhances self-efficacy, motivation, and the propensity to create social businesses. Unlike traditional cooperatives, knowledge-based cooperatives emphasize intellectual assets, emerging technologies, and real problem-solving. Despite existing challenges, this province possesses significant potential in terms of young human capital, local participatory culture, and indigenous innovation capacities. This research aims to provide a localized policy framework for designing and developing knowledge-based student cooperatives using scientific methods, serving as a practical guide for schools, educational authorities, science and technology parks, cooperative chambers, and national policymakers.
Case study
This case study focuses on Sistan and Baluchestan province in Iran, a region facing structural challenges such as the education-labor market gap, low youth economic participation, limited technological access, and spatial inequalities. Despite these, the province holds significant potential including young human capital, local participatory culture, and indigenous social innovation capacities, making it an appropriate context for designing knowledge-based student cooperatives.
Materials and Methods
This applied research employed a descriptive-survey design with a cross-sectional timeframe and adopted a qualitative approach within the interpretive paradigm, emphasizing deep, subjective understanding of complex social phenomena. The target population consisted of two expert groups: academic experts (faculty members and executive managers specializing in entrepreneurship, cooperatives, and education) and experiential experts (school principals, teachers, and senior education administrators with practical experience in student cooperatives). Inclusion criteria required at least five years of relevant experience and familiarity with knowledge-based concepts. A purposive sampling method with snowball technique was used, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved after 13 interviews. Data were gathered through library studies (review of documents, articles, books, and reputable databases) and field studies using semi-structured interviews based on a designed interview guide. To ensure trustworthiness of the qualitative findings, Lincoln and Guba's (1985) four criteria were applied: credibility (through long-term engagement, member checking, and data triangulation), transferability (via rich, thick description of the research context and process), dependability (through supervision by expert faculty members), and confirmability (by systematic reference of findings to raw data and efforts to minimize bias). Finally, qualitative data from interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis within a systematic coding process, including transcription and text review, extraction of meaning units, categorization into initial codes, and gradual integration into sub-themes and main themes through iterative and comparative procedures until theoretical saturation. The outcome was a network of concepts and their relationships, forming the basis for the final research model.
Discussion and Results
The research findings revealed that the establishment and development of knowledge-based student cooperatives require three main categories of variables: contextual factors (needs assessment, legal framework, infrastructure, financial resources, cultural development, and networking), structural factors (appropriate structure design, bylaws, transparent financial system, and participatory governance), and operational factors (activity domain selection, financing, marketing, evaluation, and sustainability strategies). These cooperatives can enhance students' entrepreneurial, managerial, and technological skills while providing opportunities for micro and family-based employment, which is consistent with previous studies (Shah Karam et al., 2024; Siyadat & Angorj Saffari, 2020; Mion et al., 2026; Camelia et al., 2023). However, challenges such as lack of financial resources, weak infrastructure, lack of specialized training, cultural and legal issues, and poor marketing were identified as serious obstacles. In Sistan and Baluchestan province, these cooperatives can serve as an effective mechanism for linking education with the local economy, but the shortage of financial resources and appropriate infrastructure, particularly in less developed regions, remains a fundamental problem. Furthermore, the lack of managerial and financial skills in schools was identified as one of the main bottlenecks in developing these cooperatives, requiring targeted empowerment programs. Therefore, designing multi-layered supportive policies including financial support, educational facilitation, and developmental incentives is an undeniable necessity.
Conclusion
This research demonstrated that knowledge-based student cooperatives have high potential for enhancing entrepreneurial skills, creating micro-employment, and transforming schools into small innovation ecosystems in Sistan and Baluchestan province. The success of these cooperatives requires simultaneous attention to contextual, structural, and operational factors, as well as removing obstacles such as resource shortages, infrastructure weaknesses, and lack of specialized training. Close collaboration among the education system, universities, the private sector, and local institutions, along with training for school administrators, improving regulations, promoting cooperative culture, and utilizing modern technologies, can provide the foundation for sustainable development of these cooperatives. Ultimately, the success of this model depends on the cooperation and empathy of all stakeholders.