The role of the institutional environment in land use planning in Iran: A conceptual framework

Abstract

The intricate and multifaceted nature of Land Use Planning (LUP) necessitates a comprehensive exploration of its underlying structuring elements, notably institutions. In Iran, the complex interplay between formal and informal institutions, often fueled by their unrecognized roles, means realizing that effective LUP is fraught with formidable challenges. Our research introduces a conceptual framework for the institutional environment of LUP to gain a deeper understanding of the critical influencing factors and their interconnections in Iran. Exploring the institutional environment allows ways to mitigate the challenges in Iran's LUP to emerge. This qualitative research systematically reviews the literature and draws themes from secondary data. We then categorize Iran's land use challenges into two main areas: content-related and structural. Exploring these challenges can help us to identify the primary issues needing attention in the institutional environment of LUP, bringing us closer to understanding institutional factors in the conceptual model. The proposed framework, recognizing culture as the foundation of informal institutions, outlines formal and informal institutional components, emphasizing their interconnectedness. Subsequently, we explore the framework's significance in addressing the challenges within Iran's LUP system. Focusing on this framework and understanding Iran's institutional environment can reduce uncertainty in decision making. As a result, this research is a step towards the idealization of LUP and a basis for further studies.