Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Former Graduate of Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Ga.C., Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran.
2
Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Ga.C., Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran.
Abstract
Banking facilities play a fundamental role in economic development and can contribute to creating sustainable employment and reducing unemployment. This study examines the effectiveness of Agricultural Bank facilities on sustainable employment generation in Semnan province. The main objective is to analyze the direct and indirect (mediating) effects of banking facilities on four dimensions of sustainable employment: economic, social, environmental, and institutional-managerial. The research employs an applied, causal-correlational methodology with data collected through questionnaires. The statistical population consists of 293 managers and experts from Agricultural Bank branches in Semnan province in 2024, with a sample size of 168 determined using Cochran's formula. Data analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with PLS software. Results revealed that Agricultural Bank facilities have both significant direct and indirect effects on sustainable employment and its dimensions. The direct path coefficient between facilities and sustainable employment was 0.947, while for institutional-managerial, social, economic, and environmental dimensions was 0.897, 0.892, 0.816, and 0.794, respectively. The mediating role of sustainable employment was confirmed, as this variable significantly affected institutional-managerial, economic, social, and environmental dimensions with path coefficients of 0.875, 0.773, 0.742, and 0.657, respectively. The Goodness of Fit index (GOF=0.58) and determination coefficients (R²>0.59) confirmed the model's quality. Results indicate that banking facilities, in addition to direct effects, contribute to improving developmental indicators through creating sustainable employment. This study can provide a foundation for improving facility allocation policies and enhancing sustainable development programs in rural and urban areas.
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