Document Type : Case study
Authors
1
Professor of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
2
Master of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Experts and scholars of the field of urban studies believe that the process of non-participatory urban planning and management has been unsuccessful. Consequently, as urbanization has intensified, the dominant paradigm has shifted from a state-related view of urban issues to a governance-centric perspective. The necessity of tackleng the new challenges that have areid from urban growth has necessitated a fundamental transformation in the conceptualizations and approaches to urban management. Various management strategies, including both the traditional and modern management methodologies have been proposed to address complex urban problems. Kangan, loacted in Bushehr Province, is recognized as a strategic city in Iran. Given its unique geopolitical location and the severe intensity of the negative externalities generated by the oil and gas industry at the local level, it appears imperative that management entities at the national, regional, and local levels be sensitivity to these regional consequences. This study endeavored to explore the prioritization of effective management indicators for the development of Kangan. The aim was to examine the dimensions and indicators derived from various urban management approaches: political economy, empowerment, urban democracy, neighborhood-based management, social capital, traditional urban management, NGOs, public choice, urban participation, pluralism, integrated urban management, sustainable development, good governance, and urban development strategy. Subsequently, the study sought to propose an appropriate prioritization of the management indicators most influential in the development of Kangan. The ultimate goal was to facilitate the planning and allocation of managerial resources and facilities to achieve equitable distribution across the city's neighborhoods.
Method
The required data was achieved through field methods complemented by archival and documentary library research. The theoretical foundations were based on the works of theorists concerning the aforementioned approaches: political economy, empowerment, urban democracy, neighborhood-based management, social capital, traditional urban
management, ngos, public choice, urban participation, pluralism, integrated urban management, sustainable development, good governance, and urban development strategy. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used for data analysis. At first, the indicators of the designated management approaches were extracted and compared, the result of which was the identification of the shared and most crucial indicators. These indicators were categorized into physical, environmental, economic, socio-cultural, and managerial-political dimensions, which formed the basis of the study's indices. The statistical population consisted of 90 experts and specialists in urban planning and management in Iran. Snowball sampling was used for gathering the data. An initial group of participants were identified and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved (i.e., no new data was found). To prioritize the indicators and rank the neighborhoods of Kangan based on the management indicators, AHP questionnaires for various dimensions were filled by the relevant experts. Considering the multiplicity of indicators within each dimension, the AHP multi-criteria decision-making method was applied. Following the pairwise comparison and weighting of the criteria and sub-criteria of the management approaches and their prioritization, the ten neighborhoods of Kangan were evaluated regarding these criteria and sub-criteria, the result of which was ranking of these neighborhoods.
Results
One of the critical mandates for urban planners is the assessment of the developmental status of urban areas and neighborhoods regarding various dimensions. The objective is to ascertain their level of beneficiality/provision and to propose an appropriate development model commensurate with available resources. To this end, 84 indicators were selected from the management theories pertaining to urban development in order to prioritize the effective management indicators for the development of Kangan. These were analyzed in the city's ten neighborhoods. The main aim of the pairwise comparison between the dimensions and indicators of the target approaches was to facilitate decision-making and planning for the optimal and sustainable development of Kangan's neighborhoods. The prioritization of the management criteria, as judged by the urban experts through the AHP, showed that the managerial/political criterion is the most significant criterion in Kangan. Its most prominent sub-criteria are the accountability and responsiveness of managers and officials and the impact of motivation and strategic vision. The socio-cultural criterion was found to be ranked second in priority. The most crucial sub-criteria of this category were the level of social justice provision, community focus, and collective action. The economic criterion ranked the third, followed by the physical and environmental criteria. The results of the AHP regarding the ranking of neighborhoods of Kangan indicated that neighborhoods 4 and 2 that are relatively new in terms of physical structure, scored the first and second ranks, respectively. Neighborhoods 3 and 7 were ranked the third and fourth, and followed by neighborhoods 5, 9, 1, 6, 8, and 10, respectively.
Discussion and Conclusion
The prioritization of management criteria done by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the assessment of urban domain experts showed that the managerial/political
criterion is the most significant factor. The preeminent sub-criteria within this dimension were the accountability and responsiveness of managers and officials and the influence of strategic motivation and vision. The socio-cultural criterion was recorded to be the second priority, with its most distinguished sub-criteria of the provision of social justice, community-centricity, and collective action. The third priority was the economic criterion. The main sub-criteria were the impact of the contribution of oil revenue and the growth rate of sales. The fourth and fifth ranks in this hierarchy were the physical and environmental criteria, respectively. The most crucial sub-criteria for the physical dimension were the impact of adherence to regulations, urban development management, and infrastructure and development initiatives, while the most vital sub-criterion in the environmental domain is the influence of environmental management and knowledge. Following the prioritization of effective management indicators for Kangan's development and the comparative assessment of the neighborhoods of this city according the determined criteria, one can conclude that neighborhood 4 (Daraei) and neighborhood 2 (Ghaem) are in the most favorable conditions, as they were ranking the first and the second, respectively. Conversely, neighborhood 10, with a a rank of 9, showed the most adverse conditions. Cosidering the results, it is recommended that the following sub-criteria be regarded as priority while planning strategies for the city of Kangan: managerial accountability and responsiveness, strategic motivation and vision, social justice, community-centricity and collective action, urban infrastructure and development initiatives, and environmental management and knowledge.
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