Examining the Contributing Factors for the Successful Implementation of City Development Strategy in Qazvin City, Iran

In 2007, Qazvin City in Iran embarked on a program of implementing a city development strategy (CDS) to cope with new urban challenges. Numerous cities in several developing countries have implemented CDSs. However, in several cases, a mismatch was found between the formulated strategies and CDS implementation. The CDS in Qazvin City was instigated in order to address problems in the nation’s urban planning system. As the project progressed, the CDS became the primary mechanism through which the city resolved emergent urban development challenges. In light of the city’s limited experience with CDS implementation, we thought it prudent to investigate the factors that would facilitate successful CDS implementation in the Iranian context. The predictive factors of successful CDS implementation have previously been identified in the CDS literature. We surveyed all participants during the CDS planning process. Local authorities, central government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local experts comprised the pool of respondents. For this study, we employed the partial least squares – structural equation modeling technique to analyze the data. The results showed a positive relationship between the success factors and the CDS implementation in Qazvin. Consensus building, effective participation, institutionalization, leadership, and capacity building are the determining factors of successful CDS. These factors have a positive and strong effect on CDS implementation. Our findings aid in identifying successful CDS planning system guidelines in the context of Qazvin and Iran