برنامه ریزی فضایی (Aug 2023)
Evaluating the Effects of Good Governance on the Sustainability of Rural Households (Case Study: Rural Areas of Kashan)
Abstract
AbstractProblem statement: Ensuring sustainable development and measuring the well-being of a society heavily relies on maintaining and enhancing rural stability. This research study adopted a descriptive-survey approach to analyze the structural relationships between rural sustainability and four dimensions, drawing upon the theoretical foundations of W.G. Newman (1999) and the eight dimensions of good governance as defined by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).Method: This study was designed with an applied purpose and utilized a survey methodology for data collection. The statistical population of the study consisted of the heads of rural households in Kashan City with a total population of 364,482 individuals. By employing the Karjesi-Morgan table, the sample size for the study was determined to be 379 participants. A multi-stage sampling method was employed to select the participants for this research. The calculated value of Cronbach's alpha for the indicators of good governance and rural sustainability were 0.75 and 0.72, respectively.Results: Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24 and AMOS software packages. The findings indicated that both the components of good governance and rural stability in the villages of Kashan City were evaluated as average and below the optimal level with the average scores of 3.120 and 2.773, respectively. Furthermore, favorable causal relationships were observed between the components of good governance and rural stability as indicated by a fitted model (RMSEA=0.022). The research findings suggested that enhancing indicators, such as legality, transparency, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness, participation, consensus, justice, and accountability could significantly contribute to the development of rural sustainability components.Research innovation: This study introduced innovation in the selection and application of indicators that were specifically tailored to the local conditions, type of tests conducted, and research location.Keywords: Rural Stability, Good Governance, Rural Households, Kashan City IntroductionIn today's world, the concept of good governance has gained significant attention from numerous countries as they strive to achieve this ideal through institutional planning and active participation of diverse social actors. Over the past decade, international organizations and governments have increasingly focused on the model of good governance, recognizing its close correlation with sustainable development in the development literature. This relationship holds great importance at various levels, ranging from national to local contexts. Consequently, it can be asserted that good governance serves as a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development. Notably, when comparing countries with similar natural resources and social structures, variations in management and implementation methods have demonstrated distinct impacts on the improvement or decline of living standards, welfare, and overall societal sustainability, while encompassing economic, social, and environmental aspects. Sustainability and good governance are two crucial pillars of sustainable development. When exploring the relationship between good governance and sustainability, it is important to recognize that one aspect of sustainability lies in social relationships. Good governance, in turn, fosters sustainability by cultivating trust, instilling hope for the future, promoting participation, and facilitating collective action based on mutual trust and shared empathy. Social, economic, and environmental indicators serve as vital steps towards achieving sustainable development. Considering the detrimental effects of instability in the villages of the investigated region, implementation of good rural governance becomes an imperative necessity for controlling, managing, and mitigating damages. A brief review of the existing scientific literature on rural sustainability revealed that while numerous studies had been conducted in this field, the research specifically focusing on the role of good governance in rural sustainability remained scarce and ambiguous. Addressing this gap, the present research aimed to shed light on the significance of good governance in rural sustainability. Therefore, this study adopted a systemic approach to evaluate the impact of good rural governance on rural sustainability. By doing so, it aimed to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on this subject matter. Materials & MethodsThis research study adopted an applied approach in terms of its purpose and utilized a survey methodology for data collection. The statistical population of the study consisted of the heads of rural households in Kashan City with a total population of 364,482 individuals. The sample size of 379 participants was determined using the Karjesi-Morgan table. According to the 2015 census, Kashan City has been divided into 4 central districts: Barzak, Qamsar, Niasr, and the central part of this city, which includes the districts of Miandasht, Kuhpayeh, and Khorram Dasht. Barzak District encompasses the Gulab and Baba Afzal Districts, while Qamsar has the villages of Gharoud and Joshghan and Niasr has got those of Niasr and Kohdasht. To obtain the samples for this research, a multi-stage sampling method was employed. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by professors from the Department of Geography and Rural Planning at the Faculty of Geography, University of Isfahan. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha test. Research findingsThe test results revealed that out of the 8 components examined, the average scores of 5 indicators surpassed the desired average, while the average scores of 3 indicators fell below the desired average. Among the indicators analyzed, the lawfulness index demonstrated the highest average score with an average value of 3.698. This indicated that it was the most favorable indicator of good governance in the villages of Kashan City. On the other hand, the average response index obtained the lowest average score of 2.767 among the investigated indicators, signifying it as the least favorable indicator of good governance in the villages of Kashan City.The results indicated that the rural sustainability indicators in the villages of Kashan City were not in a favorable state as the average scores of all the indicators fell below the desired average. Among the examined indicators, the social stability index demonstrated a relatively better condition with an average score of 2.845, while the economic stability index exhibited the lowest condition with an average score of 2.667.Furthermore, the analysis of the findings revealed a direct impact of the variable of good governance on rural stability, indicating a significant relationship between the two indicators. Also, the path coefficient was observed between them. Discussion of Results & ConclusionIn recent decades, policymakers, planners, and rural executives have placed significant emphasis on the connection between good social indicators and the fundamental elements of rural sustainability, particularly in the areas of sociology, rural economy, and rural housing. The descriptive findings of this study revealed that a considerable portion of the studied rural communities accounting for more than half exhibited medium, weak, and very weak levels in terms of both indicators of good governance and rural stability. This finding confirmed that the sampled communities were not in an optimal state concerning good governance and rural stability, which were crucial indicators of sustainable development. Therefore, it is imperative for rural planners to pay closer attention to addressing this level of weakness and take appropriate measures to improve the situation. One of the key factors that contributes to the sustainability of rural areas is good governance. The results of this research affirmed the presence of a correlation between these two variables. The findings of this study indicated that good governance played a significant role in promoting rural sustainability, which aligns with the outcomes of previous research. In simpler terms, the higher the level of good governance is, the greater the stability of rural communities will be. Regarding the structural model, the research tool used in this study exhibited good reliability and trustworthiness. Additionally, it was observed that the variable of good governance had a direct impact on the variable of rural stability, while a significant relationship existed between them. Based on the reported fit indices, it was determined that the structural equation model used in this research demonstrated a good fit and was deemed acceptable. Consequently, the overall structure of the study was validated. Therefore, drawing from the fitted model, it could be concluded that the components employed in this research, which were gathered from previous studies, possessed the capability to estimate the structural effects of good governance on rural sustainability. Furthermore, all aspects of rural sustainability were found to have a causal relationship with the variable of good governance.
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