نوع مقاله : علمی - پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 استاد جغرافیا و برنامهریزی شهری، دانشگاه تبریز، تبریز، ایران
2 دکتری جغرافیا و برنامهریزی شهری، دانشگاه تبریز، تبریز، ایران
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Abstract
When challenges such as Corona arise, metropolitan areas face serious management problems due to the lack of a participatory system of the population based on strong governance and the presence of numerous activists. The solution to such problems requires the transfer of responsibility from the city administration to the actors of the dominant approach to urban governance. The aim is to analyze and determine the position of urban governance in the post-corona era in Tabriz and to develop practical strategies based on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in order to realize urban governance in the post-corona era in Tabriz. The study is purposive and descriptive-analytical. Different methods were used to gather information: Library and fieldwork. In the phase of library and field studies, information was obtained from reliable domestic and foreign sources and questions from experts. The statistical population consists of 250 experts, elites and city managers who were randomly selected. SWOT analysis shows that the municipal administration in Tabriz is in a defensive position in the post-corona era. In this context, the strategies related to the defensive position were presented and prioritized based on the strategic planning matrix. The results show that defensive strategies should be considered in order to achieve urban governance in the post-corona era in Tabriz. To achieve this, city leaders should not only raise citizens' awareness, but also promote citizens' strategic thinking about the benefits of a collaborative approach to city governance to control crises such as Corona and improve conditions in the post-Corona era.
Keywords: Tabriz, Urban governance, Corona, Urban management, Crisis.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Local governments have been more successful in managing pandemics due to their close ties to communities, greater responsiveness, and higher legitimacy, as officials are directly elected by citizens. In Tabriz, the absence of an empowered, participatory governance system among many stakeholders has caused managerial confusion during crises like COVID-19. The current traditional management system is inadequate for these challenges. Enhancing responsiveness by involving public institutions and citizens in decision-making is essential. Adopting urban governance that integrates public, private, and civil sectors can strengthen capacity for effective crisis control, management, and recovery.
This study aims to analyze and determine the status of urban governance in the post-COVID-19 era in the metropolis of Tabriz and to propose practical strategies based on the city’s strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities for realizing urban governance during this period. Operating under the hypotheses that 1) urban governance in Tabriz during the post-COVID-19 era is not in a favorable position, and 2) a critical strategy for achieving urban governance in this period involves raising awareness levels among all community members, particularly citizens, the study seeks to answer the following questions:
What is the current status of urban governance in the post-COVID-19 era in Tabriz?
What practical strategies, based on strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities, can facilitate the realization of urban governance in Tabriz during the post-COVID-19 era?
Method
This study is practical in its objective and descriptive-analytical in nature. During the documentary research phase, reliable domestic and international sources were utilized. The key dimensions and factors of the study include the planning dimension—highlighting decentralization, justice orientation, transparency, and legality—and the managerial dimension, which encompasses citizen participation, awareness-raising, continuous citizen education, responsibility, and accountability.
In the field phase, data were collected from experts, elites, and urban managers through a structured questionnaire. Considering the extensive population size, the sample size was determined to be 250 individuals using random sampling based on Cochran’s formula. The questionnaire’s content validity was established through expert review by university professors and domain specialists. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient via SPSS software, yielding a value of 0.91, which exceeds the acceptable threshold of 0.7, confirming the instrument’s reliability.
Analysis of the questionnaires facilitated the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. To understand strategic issues and formulate strategies, the SWOT method was employed, and for prioritization and selection of superior strategies, the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) was utilized.
Results
The Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) matrix identified "citizens' awareness of COVID-19 and preventive measures via various media" (mean=3.17) and "universal internet access since the pandemic onset" (mean=2.72) as the highest and lowest strengths, respectively. Among weaknesses, "lack of healthcare centers accessible to most neighborhoods" (mean=2.80) and "absence of meetings or think tanks for citizen input" (mean=1.59) ranked highest and lowest. The overall IFE score of 1.69, well below the 2.5 threshold, indicates significant internal weaknesses in Tabriz.
The External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrix showed "potential to prevent financial resource discrimination among Tabriz districts" (mean=3.67) and "availability of internet and media" (mean=2.74) as the top and bottom opportunities. The greatest threats were "adherence to hierarchical, sectoral systems" (mean=2.63) and "lack of sustainable municipal revenue for autonomous public health decisions" (mean=1.85). The total EFE score of 1.31, also below 2.5, reveals Tabriz’s underperformance in leveraging opportunities and mitigating threats.
The Internal-External (IE) matrix recommends prioritizing WT (defensive) strategies—aimed at reducing weaknesses and avoiding threats—to advance urban governance in post-COVID-19 Tabriz.
The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) ranked five WT strategies: highest priority to "enhancing citizen awareness and strategic thinking on participatory governance benefits in crisis management" (score=6.877); followed by "addressing non-inclusiveness issues through participatory programs" (6.710); "boosting synergy among urban organizations to optimize resource use in crisis control and recovery" (6.559); "maintaining relative stability in justice, education, transparency, accountability, and responsibility instead of full transformation" (6.076); and finally "implementing selected public health decisions based on existing revenue" (5.636).
Discussion and Conclusion
In Iran, particularly in the metropolis of Tabriz, urban governance discourse remains in its early development. Despite rapid urbanization and complex challenges, and the need to shift from traditional to modern, participatory management approaches, adopting such approaches in Tabriz is still nascent due to lacking tools and infrastructure. The importance of urban governance, especially for crisis management, is supported by studies like Du and Tan (2022), Onishi et al. (2020), and McGurrick et al. (2020). SWOT analysis and expert consultations show that post-COVID-19 urban governance in Tabriz faces an unfavorable position, requiring defensive strategies (WT) to reduce weaknesses and avoid threats, followed by competitive strategies (ST) to leverage strengths and mitigate threats.
These findings align with previous studies such as Rahnama, Mafi, and Asadi (2010), Arghan and Behroozi (2019), and Tokliniya, Imani Jajermi, and Yadollania (2021), emphasizing the importance of defensive and competitive strategies and enhancing public participation. This study analyzed urban governance status in post-pandemic Tabriz through SWOT, identifying significant weaknesses and threats alongside strengths and opportunities. Internal and external evaluations reveal internal weaknesses and poor exploitation of opportunities or avoidance of threats. The IE matrix confirms urban governance in post-COVID-19 Tabriz is in an unfavorable position, validating the hypothesis. Additionally, findings from the QSPM matrix validate the second hypothesis that “raising awareness among all community members, particularly citizens, is a critical strategy for achieving urban governance in Tabriz during the post-pandemic era.”
Accordingly, based on the strategic analyses and prioritization of management strategies, the following practical and scholarly recommendations are proposed for future research and actions:
Investigate the impact of educational and informational programs on enhancing civic participation and urban advocacy, as well as the role of media and social institutions in strengthening social capital, conduct qualitative and participatory research to identify citizens’ real needs and design participation models tailored to the cultural and social context of Tabriz, etc.
کلیدواژهها English
