Geography and Human Relationships

Geography and Human Relationships

Evaluation of good urban governance indicators from the perspective of citizens in the Municipality of District 5 of Shiraz using gap analysis technique

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Urbanism Department, Apadana Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran
2 Urban Management Department, , Apadana Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran
10.22034/gahr.2026.579979.2714
Abstract
The rapid growth of urbanization in the country, along with the increasing complexity of the social, economic, and physical structures of cities, showed that traditional urban management tools and methods cant respond needs of urban society. This situation has doubled the need for a serious review of urban governance practices and has raised the need to utilize new approaches. One of the most effective approaches in this field is “good urban governance”; An approach that can improve the quality of life, social sustainability, and livability of cities. Therefore, this research attempted to examine the views of citizens of Region 5 on governance with the help of a questionnaire. An examination of the various components of urban governance also shows that the "participation" component received the highest score with an average of 3.11 and was evaluated relatively better than other components. This could indicate the relative willingness of citizens to participate in urban affairs or the existence of basic platforms for social interaction. In contrast, the "Justice" component has the lowest score with an average of 2.05, indicating a serious weakness in the equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and urban services. Overall, the findings of this study emphasize the need for transformation in the urban management structure and show that without fundamental reforms to achieve desirable governance, achieving sustainable urban development and general citizen satisfaction will not be possible.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 03 May 2026

  • Receive Date 29 April 2026
  • Accept Date 03 May 2026