Social impact assessment: A new approach to sustainable management of development programs

The success of developmental interventions due to its complex and multidimensional nature and reaction of the people against its effects, in most cases require to pay attention about social background of that actions. Social impact assessment (SIA) can be called the management of developmental plans impacts to sustainability especially in the social dimensions and its purpose is a level of development that minimize the cost and maximize the benefits of planned interventions on human societies. Public participation has crucial role in SIA and show under what conditions people are ready to co-operation with developmental plans. So assessment requires to understanding of the views of people that affected by the developmental interventions and socioeconomic and political context of this interventions. This research meanwhile investigating the philosophy and theoretical foundations of SIA, has analyzed its role in development of social partnership and empowerment of people, using knowledge and information of all actors, dialogue, negotiation and transparency in project management and conflict management between stakeholders. The results show that this participatory approach try to create good interaction between the social system actors and increase their power to influence on the local and national relations in developmental programs that result of such area, is human and more sustainable development in society.