Motaleate Shahri

Urban Planning

Evaluation of the application of the tenets of grounded theory methodology in Persian urban planning and design research

Bahador Zamani; Ehsan Babaei Salanghooch

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 20 May 2023

https://doi.org/10.22034/urbs.2023.62693

Abstract

In recent years, the use of grounded theory methodology has increased in scientific fields related to the built environment, especially in urban planning and design. On the other hand, researchers' lack of attention to the foundations and methodological considerations of grounded theory and its readings ... Read More In recent years, the use of grounded theory methodology has increased in scientific fields related to the built environment, especially in urban planning and design. On the other hand, researchers' lack of attention to the foundations and methodological considerations of grounded theory and its readings has sometimes led to a type of methodology with eclectic readings, which sometimes lacks and conflicts the nature of the grounded theory methodology and the primary considerations of the intended reading. Despite this, the review and evaluation of the quality of such research in the scientific fields related to the built environment, particularly urban design and planning has been done less. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to systematically evaluate the studies using the grounded theory methodology in urban planning and design in order to understand the appropriate application of the key tenets of this methodology in this field of knowledge and to provide suggestions for future applications. In this regard, the eligible studies have been selected by systematic search of papers published in reliable Persian-language scientific databases applying the systematic review method. After screening the existing studies based on the specified criteria, 44 studies published until 2019 were selected and evaluated based on the evaluation criteria of the grounded theory methodology. The results of the methodological evaluation of the conducted researches based on the grounded theory methodology showed that despite the increasing use of this method in urban planning and design research, many of these research have been unsuccessful in fully and accurately applying the principles and stages of the grounded theory methodology and its readings, and their results have been reduced to a diagram, model and conceptual framework instead of a theory as the expected achievement from the application of this method. In addition, the results of the present study showed that a number of the research only use a set of techniques of the grounded theory methodology including coding or memo writing. Neglecting important processes such as theoretical sampling, constant comparison and in-depth analysis of categories, has caused that these studies did not go beyond the level of description, and while limiting themselves to presenting descriptive themes and narratives, they rarely achieve theory building as the aim of the grounded theory methodology. Based on the findings of this paper, improving the quality of research based on the grounded theory methodology in the field of urban planning and design requires researchers with a correct understanding of the nature, characteristics and principles of the grounded theory and a deep insight of the readings of this method and their differences, in order to measure the appropriateness and justify the choice of the appropriate reading based on the aims and characteristics of the research.

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Urban Planning

Planners’ Position in the Iranian Urban Planning Process

m s; j t; m ch

Volume 3, Issue 12 , November 2014, , Pages 19-32

Abstract

Despite the fundamental economic, social, political and technological transformations, urban planning process has not undergone any sensible change since 1968 to the present time and the role and position of planners and its prominent actor, i.e. the government, have remained invariant. A major part ... Read More Despite the fundamental economic, social, political and technological transformations, urban planning process has not undergone any sensible change since 1968 to the present time and the role and position of planners and its prominent actor, i.e. the government, have remained invariant. A major part of this change has resulted from the viewpoint held by planners who see the planning process as a technical, physical and intellectual process. In the present study, using concepts such as “knowledge”, “reality”, “rationality”, “value”, and “policy” an attempt has been made to criticize the traditional planning process, which is the dominant process in Iran. This study, by introducing other alternatives of scientific knowledge and instrumental rationality and exhibiting some gaps in the robust framework of the reality emphasized in traditional planning, addresses the role of values, experience, and mentality of planners as well as policy and policy implementation employed by social activists in the planning process. Furthermore, it reviews the unbiased and value-free perceptions of traditional values. For this purpose, through interviewing the managing directors of the country’s largest consulting engineering companies, which are in charge of preparing designs in Iran, we have investigated their various mentalities, perceptions, and experiences about the forces and approaches influencing the planning process. The reason why we have chosen company directors instead of project managers or design experts is that directors are more involved in the interactions with different actors in the planning process. After conducting the interviews with 15 managing directors, the contents of the interviews were scripted and the results were applied to review the framework of traditional planning process. Since government, in contrast to society, holds all the powers and fulfills all the duties and is involved in almost all urban planning processes, by drawing five abstract states of planners’ positions (governmental planners, government-serving planners, independent planners, public-serving planners, and public planners) we have assumed that there is a distance between the two main sides of society (government and community) where planners find an angled position with these two elements of society. By defining this position, planners in the planning process determine their relations with each of the primary forces where the smaller the angle, the closer the relationships.

Urban Planning

The Role of the Built Environment Attributes in Residents’ Walking Behavior, Case Study: Tehran city/ Iran

Volume 2, Issue 5 , March 2013, , Pages 27-34

Abstract

Nowadays, a special attention is given to the role of urban planning and the built environment and their impacts on neighborhood walkability and residents’ walking behavior. A large number of studies have been conducted about this issue in developed countries, but little has been done in this ... Read More Nowadays, a special attention is given to the role of urban planning and the built environment and their impacts on neighborhood walkability and residents’ walking behavior. A large number of studies have been conducted about this issue in developed countries, but little has been done in this regard in the context of a developing country such as Iran. These researches emphasized the strong relation between accessibility to parks, recreational and sport services. They applied two main approaches of objective and subjective. The objective criterion has some advantages like lesser measurement error, standardization and easy quantification and transferability into policy making. Some researchers believe that subjective approaches have more affinities with real perceptions especially in behavioral sciences. Thus, a considerable number of researchers recommend the use of both objective and subjective approaches. Evidence showed that the dimension of physical problems is more sophisticated in larger urban centers. Tehran mega-polis as capital center of Iran experiences a wide range of socio-economic problems due to the rising level of air pollution. According to the official records of heath organizations, obesity and heart diseases are on the increase among the population of large urban centers. Therefore, it seems that physical activity can partly help reduce the pressure of different physical and mental disorders. Obviously, urban planners play a significant role in carrying out the arrangement of urban land use on different scales from city to neighborhood. The present study examined the relationship between neighborhood walkability and adults’ walking behavior in Metropolitan Tehran. Three built environment measures of net residential density, land-use mix, street connectivity, and socio-economic status (SES) were calculated using geographic information systems (GIS) on a census block scale across Metropolitan Tehran. As participants, 657 subjects were recruited from neighboring areas in terms of both neighborhood walkability and SES scores. The amount of weekly walking was obtained using a self-reported method and, then, it was compared with the neighborhood walkability. The data were processed and classified using SPSS and anylsed via different statistical models. The results of this study showed that there was a significant relationship between the neighborhood walkability and residents’ walking behavior. People who lived in high walkable neighborhoods reported more weekly walking than those who lived in low walkable neighborhoods. These results highlighted the role of urban planning and the built environment in enhancing residents’ physical activity which, in turn, leads to the improvement of residents’ physical and mental health. The main conclusion of this research was that the method and measurement of physical activities in urban areas has definite connection with the socio-economic conditions of people. Thus, urban researchers need to employ social and economic indexes to identify the real requirements of urban neighborhoods and facilities to help members of society, especially the older people, to take part in physical activities. This research, however, recommended further studies in this regard to deepen our understanding about the relation between the features of built environment and the tendency of residents towards more physical activity.

Urban Planning

The Analysis of the relationship between capability of Neighborhoods Walkability and Air Pollutionو Case study: Areas around air quality monitoring stations in Tehran

Volume 2, Issue 5 , March 2013, , Pages 35-46

Abstract

The relationship between public health and urban planning is an innovative and important issue which enjoys a prominent position in the future urban planning. In this regard, ad -verse air quality condition and air pollutant concentrations higher than the permitted limit set by the World Health Organization ... Read More The relationship between public health and urban planning is an innovative and important issue which enjoys a prominent position in the future urban planning. In this regard, ad -verse air quality condition and air pollutant concentrations higher than the permitted limit set by the World Health Organization are considered as a threat to the health of citizens in big cities. According to result of air pollution monitoring (conducted in the Tehran Air Quality Control Company), Tehran air quality has deteriorated in recent years. Likewise, according to the World Bank estimates, the annual economic value of losses of life and damage caused by air pollution in Iran is totaled $ 1.8 billion and Tehran residents’ life-time has on average become shorter by 5 years. Owing to the special geographical condi -tion (topography and meteorology), social (population distribution and traffic), culture (level of culture and related education) and urban development, Tehran metropolitan is faced with the dilemma of air pollution. It is necessary to mention that motor-vehicle emissions are the primary source of most fine and ultra- fine particles in Tehran (More than 70 percent of Tehran’s air pollution is related to motor-vehicle emissions). Both urban air quality as an influential factor in public health and neighborhoods walkability as another important feature of urban built environment are considered in this paper. It should be noted that a large part of the current metropolitan air pollution is caused by emissions from the urban transport sector; thus representing the importance of public and sustainable urban transport. Having this in mind, this study focuses on capability of neighborhoods walkability as a long-term and effective strategy to promote walking trips and improve ur-ban air quality. In this research, the average annual concentrations (in years 2010-2011) of Ozone (O3), Nitric oxide (NO), Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulate matter (PM10), and capability of neighborhoods walkability in fourteen areas around air quality monitoring stations are studied. To estimate the capability of walkability, the 2009 model proposed by Marshal and his colleagues is utilized with slight modification. Measures that are used in the equation include net residential density, intersection density, land-use mix, retail units density and average distance from public transport stations. In the next step, cor-relations between them are calculated using correlation and regression models along with spatial analysis in relation to distance from city centers. These data were analyzed and calculated in ArcMap software. In addition, city centers were determined based on Tehran master plan approved in 2007. Research pinpoint the concentration of primary pollutants, capabilities of neighborhoods walkability increase in adjacent areas of city center and the concentration of secondary pollutant O3 increase with distance from city center. Capabil -ity of neighborhoods walkability and concentration of Ozone (O3) and PM10 were also correlated with each other. In addition, the highest walkability area was observed in sur -rounding area of Golbarg, region 4 and 7 stations and surrounding areas of Pasdaran and Ostandari stations were the most polluted among the others areas.

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Keywords = urban planning

Evaluation of the application of the tenets of grounded theory methodology in Persian urban planning and design research

Abstract

Planners’ Position in the Iranian Urban Planning Process

Abstract

The Role of the Built Environment Attributes in Residents’ Walking Behavior, Case Study: Tehran city/ Iran

Abstract

The Analysis of the relationship between capability of Neighborhoods Walkability and Air Pollutionو Case study: Areas around air quality monitoring stations in Tehran

Abstract