A Detailed Study of Research Role and Utilization in the Urban Management Case study: Tehran Urban Management System

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Associate Professor, Faculty of Management and Accounting, College of Farabi, Tehran University

Abstract

Statement of the problem: One of the major challenges in the field of urban research is the lack of trust between policymakers and researchers. As a result of this challenge, while preventing researchers from the key decision-making and policy-making processes, inadequate resources are being allocated to the research sector.  The main policymakers and manager’s argument is that the work of the researchers is far from the realities of the implementation and practice. By creating a vicious cycle, this issue has led to the weakened and underdeveloped infrastructure and research capacities in faculties, and the theoretical and practical weaknesses of the applied research in various areas of urban management studies. The current study aims to analyze and study strategies for promoting the use of research in decisions made by Tehran urban management system.
Purpose: This study aims at investigating and analyzing the current process of defining, implementing and leadership of urban research projects in the urban management system of the country. The main approach for this purpose is evidence-based policy-making which provide some solutions for improvement.
Method: The research method in this study is "case study" and its type is "single instrumental case study". Having analyzed a wide range of research studies on the field of research utilization, this paper develops an analytical framework based on the "supply and demand" model. Then, using this analytical framework, the mechanism for defining, implementing, leading and extracting the results of research projects at the Tehran Urban Planning & Research Center is analyzed and eventually, it has become evident that the current mechanism needs specific strengthening interventions for demand sectors.
Conclusion: This paper provides two main results. Firstly, an analytical framework for investigating and analyzing research organizations mechanism in the public sector. Secondly, a proposal to establish a structure entitled "Office for the Empowerment of Urban Management Research" in the current mechanism for managing applied research in Tehran Urban Management System. The specific mission of this structure is developing "policy capacity" and "institutional capacity".

Keywords

References

Akhondi, A., Barakpour, N, Asadi, I, Basirat, M. & Taherkhani, H. (2008). Asib shenasi-ye model-e edare-ye uomor-e shahr dar Iran [Pathology of the Model of City Administration in Iran] Geographic Research Scientific Journal, (62): 135-156.
Baker, E. A., Brownson, R. C., Dreisinger, M., McIntosh, L. D. & Karamehic-Muratovic, A. (2009). Examining the role of training in evidence-based public health: a qualitative study. Health Promotion Practice, 10 (3): 342-348.
Breckon, J. & Roberts, I. (2016) Using research evidence: a practical guide. London: Nesta and Alliance for Useful Evidence.
Clark, V. L. P., & Creswell, J. W. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide. NJ: Merrill: Pearson Higher Ed.
Creswell, J. W. (2015). Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches,2nd ed ,c2007 Design: Choosing among five approaches. Translated by Danayeifard, H. & Kazemi, H . Tehran: Saffar Publications.
DFID (Department for International Development). (2010). How to Note: Capacity Building in Research. A DFID practice paper. London: Uk Open Government.
Fisher, C., & Pujar, S. (2011). Stimulating Demand for Research: Exploring Cultures of Information Use in South Asia. A desk-based study prepared for EADI-DSA 2011 Conference, 19-22 September 2011, York, UK. Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Gholipour, R. & Hamidizadeh, A. (2014). Concept Mapping and Verifying Model of Factors Affecting Utilization of Policy Research in Policy Making. Organizational Culture Management, 12 (4): 780-808.
Harris, R. (2015). The impact of research on development policy and practice: This much we know. In Impact of Information Society Research in the Global South Springer Singapore.
Hawkes, S., K Aulakh, B., Jadeja, N., Jimenez, M., Buse, K., Anwar, I. & Whitworth, J. (2015). Strengthening capacity to apply health research evidence in policymaking: experience from four countries. Health policy and planning, 31(2): 161-170.
Head, B. W. (2015). Policy Analysis: Evidence-Based Policy-Making. In International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition). University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL: Elsevier.
Islamic Council of Tehran (2015).The Obligation of the Tehran Municipality to conduct additional studies and feasibility studies for installing Platform Screen Doors (PSDs) at subway stations. Approval No. 9535/2071/160. Tehran: The approvals of the Islamic Council of Tehran.
Islamic Council of Tehran City. (2016). The budget for the year 2017 of Tehran Municipality and its subsidiaries and organizations. Approval No. 160/2265/31541, Tehran.
Kheradmandnia, Soheila. (2016).Barresi-ye layehe-ye sal-e 2015 kole keshva [Investigation of the total budget Act of 2017 of the country]; 22.Research sector, Technology, and Innovation (Report No. 15227). Tehran: Research Center for the Islamic Consultative Assembly
Michigan Legislature, House Bill 5572. (2012). Regular Session. Available from: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/publicact/pdf/2012-PA-0291.pdf.
Newman, J., & Head, B. (2015). Beyond the two communities: a reply to Mead’s “why government often ignores research”. Policy Sciences, 48(3): 383-393.
Newman, J., Cherney, A., & Head, B. W. (2017). Policy capacity and evidence-based policy in the public service. Public Management Review, 19(2):157-174.
Newman, K., Capillo, A., Famurewa, A., Nath, C., & Siyanbola, W. (2013). What is the evidence on evidence-informed policy making? Lessons from the International Conference on Evidence-Informed Policy Making. Cambridge: International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications.
Newman, K., Fisher, C., & Shaxson, L. (2012). Stimulating Demand for Research Evidence: What Role for Capacity-building?. IDS Bulletin, 43(5): 17-24.
Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative. (2015). Legislating Evidence-Based Policymaking; A look at state laws that support data-driven decision-making؛An A look at state laws that support data-driven decision-making. Philadelphia: The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Porter, C. & Hewitt, M. (2015). Achieving an impact. In Dingwall, R. & McDonnell, M. B. The SAGE handbook of research management. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Secretariat for the Supervisory Council on the Tehran Development (1978). Barresi-ye naghsh-e shora-ye nezarat bar gostaresh-e shahr-e tehran dar rabet-e ba nezam-e barnam-e rizi-ye mantege-ei va shahri-ye tehran-e bozorg [Investigating the role of the supervisory council on the expansion of Tehran in relation to the regional and urban planning system of Tehran] (Report No. 59). Tehran: Secretariat of the Council.
Secretariat of the Supervisory Council on the Tehran Development. (1984). Negareshi bar faaliyathay-e shora-ye nezarat bar gostaredh-e shahr-e tehran [An Attitude to the Activities of the Supervisory Council for the Tehran Development] (Report No. 166). Tehran: Secretariat of the Council.
Shaxson, L. (2010). Improving the impact of development research through better research communications and uptake. Department for International Development, AusAID, DFID and UK CDS Workshop, London, November 29th and 30th 2010.
Smith, K. B. & Larimer, C. W. (2013). Daramadi bar nazariye-ye khat-e mashigozari umomi (taghabol-e nazari-ye aghlaniyatgeraha va farasbatgeraha). [The public policy theory primer].Translated by Danaeefard, H. Tehran: Saffar Publications.
Tehran municipality (2009). The research regulation of the Tehran municipality (No. 351032/8810). Tehran: Central Secretariat of Tehran Municipality.
Tseng, V. (2012). The uses of research in policy and practice. Washington, DC: Society for Research in Child Development.
Weyrauch, V., Echt, L. & Suliman, S. (2016). Knowledge into policy: Going beyond “Context Matters”. Available from: http://www.politicsandideas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Going-beyond-context-matters-Framework_PI.compressed.pdf.
The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar
Volume 15, Issue 63
September 2018
Pages 5-16

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics