Good Governance Model in Iranian Metropolises with an Emphasis on Citizen Participation

Document Type : Science - Research

Authors

1 Department of Public Administration, UAE.C., Islamic Azad University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2 Institute of Management, Department of Public Administration, WT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

3 Institute of Human Resource Management, Department of Human Resource Management, Amin Police University, Tehran, Iran

4 Institute of Management and economics, Department of Public Administration, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to present a good governance model for Iranian metropolises with an emphasis on citizen participation. This study is applied in terms of purpose and employs a mixed-method exploratory approach. The statistical population in the qualitative section included academic experts and municipality specialists, while in the quantitative section, it comprised senior managers of Tehran Municipality. In the qualitative phase, 20 individuals were selected using purposive sampling method, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. In the quantitative phase, 105 senior managers were selected through stratified random sampling method. Data collection tools in the qualitative section included a systematic review of good governance and citizen participation studies along with semi-structured interviews, while in the quantitative section, a researcher-made questionnaire was utilized. The validity and reliability of the instrument in the qualitative section were assessed using credibility and confirmability criteria. In the quantitative section, validity was determined through expert opinions and confirmatory factor analysis, while reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability method. Qualitative data were analyzed using meta-synthesis and thematic analysis methods, whereas quantitative data were tested using structural equation modeling. The findings of the qualitative section led to the identification of 12 main components: rule of law, justice, accountability, strategic vision, responsibility, transparency, participation, consensus orientation, social capacity building, economic capacity building, efficiency and effectiveness, and trust centrality. These components were operationalized in the form of a 52-item scale in the quantitative section. The results of structural equation analysis demonstrated that the proposed model has desirable fit indices and all relationships between variables are statistically significant. The findings of this research can provide operational tools and effective solutions for improving urban management performance in Tehran metropolis. Furthermore, this model has the potential to be used in developing participation-oriented urban policies and enhancing the level of good governance in metropolises, offering a comprehensive framework for evaluating and continuously improving urban management performance.

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Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 30 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 01 December 2025

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