Realization of integrated urban management with emphasis on the role and power of actors’ different levels of Tehran's urban management

Subject Areas :

Majidreza Ashtianiaraghi ¹ , Rahim Sarvar ² , Parvaneh Zivyar ³ , Nasrollah Fallahtabar ⁴

1 - PhD Student of Geography and Urban Planning, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Rey, Iran.
2 - Professor of Geography & Urban Planning, science research Branch, Islamic Azad University, ،tehran, Iran.
3 - Associate Professor of Geography & Urban Planning, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Rey, Iran.
4 - Associate Professor of Geography & Urban Planning, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Rey, Iran.

Received: 2019-07-01 Accepted : 2019-10-18 Published : 2020-04-20

Keywords: Tehran, Urban Integrated Management, Actors at Different Levels of Management, urban governance, Governmental Institutions,

Abstract :

            The multiplicity of management and incoordination of governmental and private organizations – which are in charge of urban affairs – is of main issues in the area of urban management. The purpose of this study, which is an applied one, was to investigate and evaluate the realization of integrated urban management with emphasis on the role and power of different levels of urban management in Tehran. A descriptive-analytical approach has been used to achieve this goal. The statistical population of the study includes all experts, urban managers and university professors working in the field of urban development, urban planning and urban management in Tehran. 100 people were randomly selected and the necessary information was collected using the research tool. The tool used in this research is a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was formal and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha test (0.75-0.87). Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and compar means (Fisher test and Duncan's test) using SPSS software. The results showed that the overall status of the implementation of integrated urban management in Tehran, based on the views of the experts (t = -3.2), is not at present on the path or is not going to be significant. On the other hand, the results of single-sample t test for urban governance factors (t = 6.9) and managerial structural conditions (t = 3.8) indicate that these two factors are appropriate for implementing integrated urban management. Also, the results of the study of the role and power of the actors in different levels of Tehran's urban management showed that state institutions, municipalities and city council have the most power at the levels of decision making of urban management and, in other words, have the most influence on the realization of integrated urban management in Tehran.
Extended Abstract
Introduction:
       Tehran's metropolitan, as the of country's political administrative capital, has always faced various management challenges and problems, related to both urban managers and citizens. In this way managers and planners who plan and policy at different national, regional and local levels are important. Achieving sustainable urban development in Tehran requires, first of all, an integrated urban management system at all levels of policy making, planning, decision making, and implementation. Therefore, in order to achieve the purpose, local (urban) affairs and integrated urban management should be entrusted to a specific, relatively independent, unified government category within the whole system of government, and if it is municipality, it should be completely independent in all matters and answer all the urban issues. The main purpose of this study is to "realize integrated urban management with emphasis on the role and power of different levels of urban management in Tehran". And the main question of this study is "Who are the performers at the different levels of urban management affecting the feasibility of integrated urban management in Tehran? And how much is their influence (role and power) of each one?"
Methodology:
       This research is the quantitative in nature and in terms of data collection is descriptive-analytical research and with regard to the purpose is the applied research. Documentary and survey methods were used for data collection. The statistical population consists of experts and urban managers in Tehran and university professors who are studies in urban management, urban planning. Experts in this study include people who are employed in offices and organizations related to urban affairs (municipality, governorate, housing and urban planning, etc.) and hold a bachelor's degree. In selecting the sample size among the experts and managers, according to the law of minimum sample size in descriptive and survey research (Hafeznia, 2012: 165), 100 participant were selected by random sampling. The research tool is a researcher-made questionnaire that its validity has been confirmed by the opinion of experts and university professors. Cronbach's alpha test (greater than 0.7) was used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test, variance analysis) were used to analyze the data. SPSS software was conducted for data analysis.
Results and discussion:
        The results showed that the governmental institutions have the most influence on the realization of the determinants of Tehran's integrated urban management. According to the experts, the institutions can be very effective in achieving integrated urban management and accelerate this process or vice versa. Also, the municipality and Tehran's city council have been cited as other powerful and influential institutions in it. The participants acknowledged that the municipality was influential in issues such as management and planning of urban infrastructure and transportation. Because of the lack or not having the appropriate context and the possibility of citizens participate in the field of decision-making and management affairs, urban management is very effective in Tehran's integrated urban management. Also, in many cases in the current urban management system of the country, there is little belief in the status and citizen rights to participate and make decisions. Duncan's test results showed that, according to the average ratings and the groupings, government institutions will have a greater impact on the achievement of integrated urban management in terms of coordination factors of management actors (mean rating = 3.4), structural-managerial conditions (mean rating 3.5), urban governance (mean rating = 3.4), systemic attitude (mean rating = 3.5), organizational-communication structure (mean rating = 3.51), and unity Command (Cohesion = 3.54).  In other words, state institutions have the most role and power at different levels of the city to achieve integrated urban management. Also, according to the experts' perspective and the results of the Duncan test, the private sector and the public institutions and citizens have the least impact on the realization of integrated urban management.
Conclusion:
       Based on the results, urban management in Tehran is not integrated. Regarding the proper status of urban governance factors and structural-managerial conditions in the context of achieving integrated urban management in Tehran, it is nowadays found that in successful management systems, in order to improve the performance, productivity and proper use of services managed by the intended management and stakeholder interaction with that management and ultimately enhancing the trust, Preserving the credibility and legitimacy of the management system from the perspective of the stakeholders need processes that facilitate and guide stakeholders participation because those processes will lead to improved urban management to maximize the effective and active intervention of commercial, economic, private and even citizen and public sectors in providing services to the city. Thus, it can be said that the first steps have been taken towards achieving integrated urban management in Tehran. Therefore, differentiation and multifaceted decision making are prominent features of urban management in Tehran and his has caused the city's management system to be unable to cover an urban space where occur social, economic, political, physical, environmental processes systematically.

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