Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas

Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas

Acceptation of new functions and sustainable development of small cities (Case study: Kurdistan province)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
aram karimi 1
Zohreh Fanni 1
Sadegh Barzegar 2
1 Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department Human Geography, Payam Noor, Tehran , Iran
10.22034/gsma.2026.2071871.1126
Abstract
Objective: In recent years, many small cities in the world have grown and seem more environmentally compatible: because the semi-rural and small-scale environment, with growing and developing economies and social conditions, creates sufficient services to achieve a high degree of self-reliance and autonomy. Some of them are under environmental pressure because decentralization programs and the distribution of power and facilities from large cities to lower levels (small cities) have not been implemented, and this is achieved by planning based on the policy of new roles for small cities. In this article, the relationship of this policy with various aspects of sustainable development has been evaluated. The study area is the small cities of Kurdistan province.
Method: The research has an applied purpose and analytical nature, with library studies and data collection (researcher-made questionnaire), based on selected criteria. The statistical population includes 60 experts from municipalities and public, governmental and private institutions in Kurdistan province. The sampling method was stratified random sampling and the sample size estimation formula was the Cochran method. The statistical analysis method used was Pearson correlation coefficient, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation analysis.
Results: The research findings showed that the new role models of small cities in Kurdistan Province have an impact on various dimensions of sustainable social, economic and environmental development. In other words, it can be said that there was a significant relationship between the variables of this study. Next, the indicators of new role models and sustainable development of small cities were evaluated separately. The findings indicate that the indicators selected in the new role models are appropriate indicators for the sustainable development of these cities. Finally, the relationships between the variables based on the theory were evaluated using structural equations, the output of which showed that this relationship was confirmed.
Conclusions: The results of this study show that new roles can lead to 52% of sustainable development of small cities, of which 27% is economic development, 26% is socio-cultural development and 34% is environmental development. These results indicate the importance of this policy in improving the sustainable development of small cities, especially in the environmental sector.
Keywords
small cities sustainable development
acceptance
new function
Kurdistan province
Ahmadi, T., Fanni, Z., Razovian, M., and Tavakolnia, J. (2018). Presenting a hybrid model for prioritizing smart transportation strategies; Case study: Tabriz metropolis. Quarterly Journal of Geography and Planning, 23(67), 25–44. (In persian).
Bahrami, M. (2009). Marginalization and spatial damages in Sanandaj (unpublished research report). (In persian).
Barzegar, S., and Fanni, Z. (2017). Analyzing the perspectives of spatial planning and sustainable development with an emphasis on the promotion of small cities. Strategic Public Policy Studies, 8(27), 177–203. (In persian).
Barzegar, S., Bakhshi, A., and Heydari, M. (2018). Explaining socio-economic sustainability in small cities with a sustainable development approach; Case study: small cities in northern Iran. Majles and Strategy, 26(97), 5–38. (In persian).
Daneshgar, A. (2011). Investigating the relationship between the use of information technology and human resource productivity (Master's thesis, Allameh Tabatabaei University). (In persian).
Dempsey, N., Brown, C., & Bramley, G. (2012). The key to sustainable urban development in UK cities? The influence of density on social sustainability. Progress in Planning, 77(3), 89-141.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progress.2012.04.001.
Fanni, Z., and Bagheri, A. (2013). Small and medium-sized cities (planning and development). Today's Managers Publications. (In persian).
Ghorbani, R., Pourahmad, A., and Hatami-Nejad, H. (2018). Redefining the Role of Small and Medium Cities in the Regional Development Process (Introducing the Applied Method of Basic Planning; Case Study: Kurdistan Province). Human Geography, 10(2), 25–44. (In persian).
Hawley, K. (2014). Transforming cities for sustainability: Facts and figures. SciDev.Net.
Hooman, H. (2000). Structural equation modeling using LISREL software. Samt Publications.
Jafari, M., Rezaei, M., and Mohammadi, A. (2011). Legal and institutional challenges of informal settlements in Kurdistan Province. Quarterly Journal of Urban and Regional Planning, 12(45), 89–104. (In persian).
Kalantari, K. (2009). Structural Equation Modeling in Socio-Economic Research. Safa Publications. (In persian).
Lin, J. Y., & Nugent, J. B. (1995). Institutions and economic development. In J. Behrman & T. N. Srinivasan (Eds.), Handbook of development economics (Vol. 3, pp. 2301–2370). Elsevier.
Łopucki, R., Klich, D., Kitowski, I., & Kiersztyn, A. (2020). Urban size effect on biodiversity: The need for a conceptual framework for the implementation of urban policy for small cities. Cities, 98, 102590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2019.102590
Mainet, H. (2015). The paradoxical place of small towns in sustainable development policies: What is beyond the images of “places where the living is easy”? Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis Studia Geographica, 8, 5–11.
Mori, K., & Christodoulou, A. (2012). Review of sustainability indices and indicators: Towards a new city sustainability index (CSI). Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 32(1), 94–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2011.06.001.
Naim Abadi, N., Javan, F. (2021). Analysis of barriers to tourism policy in the urban environments of Guilan, Journal of Urban Environmental Policy, 1(3), 1- 16. (In Persian).
Pripco, C. (2005). [Article]. Ingham County Economic Development.
Rezaei, M., Jafari, M., and Ahmadi, S. (2014). Social and Cultural Consequences of Marginalization in Sanandaj: Formation of Deviant Subcultures and Religious Fundamentalism. Iranian Journal of Social Issues, 14(1), 45–68. (In persian).
Riahi V., Naimabadi, N. & Javan, F. (2018). Comparison the Performance of Rural Supervisory Management (Councils) in Small and Large Villages of Ardooghshan Rural Distict in Neyshabur County. Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning, 13(2), 365-378. http://jshsp.iaurasht.ac.ir/article_543089 _en.html (In Persian).
Saberi, M., Khatunabadi, M., and Ebrahimi, A. (2015). Investigating the Economic and Social Consequences of Transforming a Village into a City; Case Study: Hassanabad Village-City in Eghlid County. Quarterly Journal of Geographic Spatial Planning, 5(18), 113–132. (In persian).
Senetra, A., & Szarek-Iwaniuk, P. (2020). Socio-economic development of small towns in the Polish Cittaslow Network—A case study. Cities, 103, 102758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102758.
Swilling, M., Robinson, B., Marvin, S., Hodson, M., & Hajer, M. (2013). City-level decoupling: Urban resource flows and the governance of infrastructure transitions. International Resource Panel Report.
Swisher, M. E., Rezola, S., & Sterns, J. (2003). Sustainable community development. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Tanguay, G. A. (2009). Measuring the sustainability of cities: A survey-based analysis of the use of local indicators (Scientific Series No. 2009-032). CIRANO.
Tavakoli, H. (2009). Marginalization and Spatial Inequalities in Kurdistan Province (Unpublished Regional Planning Report). (In persian).
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2014). World urbanization prospects: The 2014 revision.
Vaishar, A., Zapletalová, J., & Nováková, E. (2016). Between urban and rural: Sustainability of small towns in the Czech Republic. European Countryside, 8(4), 351–372. https://doi.org/10.1515/euco-2016-0022.
Visvaldis, V., Ainhoa, G., & Ralfs, P. (2013). Selecting indicators for sustainable development of small towns: The case of Valmiera municipality. Procedia Computer Science, 26, 21–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2013.12.004.
Weiss, C., & Onnen-Weber, U. (2019). The challenge of sustainable last mile distribution of CEP services in small towns. Transportation Research.
Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas
Volume 6, Issue 4 - Serial Number 24
Winter
Winter 2026
Pages 21-44