Self-determination and empowerment in rural women-led innovation: a relational perspective from SloveniaMikolič, Sara (Avtor) Kobal Grum, Darja (Avtor) Lampič, Barbara (Avtor) Potočnik Slavič, Irma (Avtor) Boštjančič, Eva (Avtor) Hawlina, Hana (Avtor) self-determination theory (SDT)women-led innovationrural innovationrural developmentempowermentmentorshipSloveniaThis study examines how women-led innovations in rural Slovenia are experienced through the fulfilment and interaction of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, the three basic psychological needs identified in Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Using a qualitative, exploratory design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 20 women innovators from the FLIARA (Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) project. The interview material was analysed through thematic content analysis supported by ATLAS.ti, combining deductive coding based on SDT dimensions with inductive identification of empirically grounded subthemes. The revised ATLAS.ti-based analysis also enabled a more transparent assessment of how broadly key subthemes were represented across participants. Findings show that women-led innovation supported autonomy through self-initiation, boundary-setting, temporal control, resistance to restrictive norms, and value-driven purpose; competence through experiential learning, novelty-related experimentation, adaptive problem-solving, recognition, and growing self-efficacy; and relatedness through emotional support, professional collaboration, community contribution, and intergenerational and gendered solidarity. Mentorship emerged as a context-specific mechanism linking competence support with relational involvement and, in some cases, autonomy support. The study contributes by applying SDT to women-led rural innovation and showing how established SDT concepts can illuminate the motivational, relational, and place-based conditions under which rural women initiate, sustain, and give meaning to innovation. The findings suggest that rural development policies and support programmes may benefit from strengthening psychosocial and relational conditions, including autonomy-supportive environments, competence development opportunities, mentorship, peer learning, and participatory networks. These implications should be interpreted in light of the qualitative and context-specific nature of the study.20262026-09-11 13:10:11Članek v reviji187582sl