A Critique of Centralized Government Planning Thinking in Iran

Abstract

Purpose: Development planning in Iran has a history, but still not much progress has been made in terms of balanced development in the country. The aim of the current research was to examine the country's centralized planning system, to analyze it by taking its weaknesses and challenges into account, and finally, to provide a solution. Methodology: This research examined how programs and other high-level documents dealt with the issue of centralized planning. Using the descriptive-analytical method, this research aimed to evaluate, combine, and provide a solution for centralized planning based on a systematic review of sources. Findings: The results of the research show that changing the existing path and moving towards reducing the existing gaps requires serious changes in the mindset of centralized planning and should take a course of decentralized planning, regionalism, and multiplicity of factors. Also identifying the challenges of centralized planning in Iran can help the policy makers and policy implementers to pay attention to the mentioned challenges in formulating and implementing development plans so that they may face fewer problems during the implementation phase. Originality: The use of the qualitative method and a wide range of data sources provides a new classification of the challenges of centralized programs in Iran, which covers different dimensions of policy implementation. The present research has been able to propose a defensible theoretical basis for planning in the administrative system in the development program in Iran and to help improve and promote development policy and planning.

Keywords

• development
• planning
• centralized planning
• pathology
• criticism.