Analysis of information sharing model in the traditional market and its comparison with a proposed model of developing information and knowledge sharing in e-commerce in the agricultural sector of Iran

Traditionally, rural products in Iran, including agricultural, livestock and handicraft commodities, are marketed by intermediaries. This flow of commodity supply reduces the profitability of production for rural people and increases its profitability for middlemen. Information and communication technology in the field of e-commerce has taken long steps to solve these challenges in recent years. The present study aimed to explore the traditional model of information sharing in the agricultural market of Iran in order to identify the obstacles, limitations, strengths, and weaknesses of the market system in Iran for the development of e-commerce. Following the analysis of the status quo, approaches are presented to transit from traditional to modern marketing system and to pave the way for the implementation of e-commerce within a conceptual model. To this end, a pilot field study was conducted in Qazvin province, Iran, and the data were collected with a questionnaire and it was administered to the animal farmers. Finally, an analytic, strategic model is presented to formulate an optimum mechanism of electronic sharing of market information in order to help developing e-commerce for agricultural commodities in general and animal products in particular.