Presenting a Model for Enhancing the Implementation Capacity of Rural Empowerment Policies (Case Study: Rural Communities in Western Iran)

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to present a model for enhancing the implementation capacity of rural empowerment policies, with a focus on rural communities in western Iran. The methodology of this study is applied in terms of purpose, descriptive in terms of procedure, mixed-method in nature, and library-based in terms of data collection. The qualitative population includes managers, experts, and public and private stakeholders involved in policymaking for rural empowerment. The sample size in the qualitative phase was determined through theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was reached, resulting in a purposive sample of 15 participants. The quantitative population consists of 15 experts in the field of policy-making, selected through stratified random sampling. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires for the qualitative phase, while a researcher-developed questionnaire was used in the quantitative phase following the qualitative stage. Data analysis in the first phase (qualitative) involved thematic analysis using three-stage coding (open, axial, and selective) based on in-depth expert interviews. In the second phase (quantitative), data were screened using the fuzzy Delphi method, and the conceptual model was validated through factor analysis. Finally, the model’s dimensions, components, and indicators were prioritized using the Fuzzy SWARA technique. The results showed that, in order of importance, financial and incentive factors, development of individual capabilities, structural empowerment capacity, development of social and economic capabilities, and business development levers were the most significant factors in the study.