Future Studies of Urban Branding Development in Qom Metropolis

Globalization and competitiveness have influenced metropolises to consider branding. Branding is a tool for conveying the city’s image and achieving various urban development goals. The world is changing rapidly. Uncertainty is one of its features that should be known. Foresight is necessary to prepare for these uncertainties and develop appropriately and flexibly.

This research is exploratory in terms of its practical purpose and in terms of the nature and method of descriptive-analytical research. The required information was collected through field studies and documents. In the field studies, a researcher-made questionnaire was a data collection tool. The mutual effects analysis method was used in Mic Mac software and the GBN scenario writing method to analyze the data.

The results of the research indicate that among the 64 selected factors, 33 key factors were selected as effective ones, which continuous and effective management, good governance, the city’s role in the national economy, power structure and service delivery methods as effective drivers for branding. The investigation of uncertainties also showed that the increase or decrease of the role of urban associations and informal organizations and community-based groups and social movements, the expansion or non-expansion of Iran's political relations with other countries, and how Iran interacts with the process of globalization.

The increase or decrease of the transnational functions of Qom city are considered as three uncertainties with the highest priority for Qom city. Finally, four scenarios were drawn for the future of the Qom metropolis.