Explaining Efficient Urban Management by Presenting the Model of Professional Development of Managers (A Study on Tehran Municipality)

In order to realize efficient urban management, systemic and comprehensive approach should be applied to urban management and systematic communication to urban development factors. One of these factors is the managers of the municipal services themselves. Professional development of managers is an action that improves managerial performance by improving manager's knowledge or skills and changing his/her attitude. In this regard, the present study uses a qualitative research approach to study the factors affecting the professional development of Tehran municipality managers in order to provide sustainable urban development with the development of urban managers. For this purpose, deep interviews were conducted with 23 top officials and senior managers of Tehran municipality. Interpretative analysis was used to analyze data from interviews. The validity of the research findings was verified by the members (interviewees). To determine the reliability or compatibility of the coding, the retest reliability method and the agreement method between the two oders (intra-subject agreement) were used. The results of interviews showed that professional development of managers includes development in both individual and organizational dimensions. In the dimension of individual development, there are three levels of development of psychological characteristics, the development of specialized knowledge and management and moral development. In the area of organizational development, the development of structural and organizational features must take place. In the area of development of psychological characteristics, factors such as critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, risk taking and self-development of managers must be developed. In the field of professional and managerial knowledge, the needs of professional development of municipal managers include the ability to use technology, mastery of decision making principles and problem solving, stress management, team building capabilities, management of organizational conflicts, the ability to communicate effectively, and the principles and techniques of negotiation. For professional development of managers, organizational structural development including attention to talent management, organizational support, performance management, learner organization, organizational climate, career path and networking and in the area of developing educational processes of the organization, such as coaching, practical learning, successor and organizational learning should be considered and developed.