Identifying Factors Affecting the Function of Small Towns in the Urban System of Fars's Central Area

Small towns are considered important components of any urban system; therefore, studying the function and role of these towns in regional planning and development is essential. The intermediary function of these towns between urban and rural settlements and their provision of services at the local level have made them strategic elements in the balanced development of an urban system. The urban system of Fars province has been faced with two phenomena in the last few decades: a sharp increase in the number of small towns and the phenomenon of urban primacy. Considering the great connection between the small towns of the central district of Fars province and the metropolis of Shiraz and the mutual functional effects, it is necessary to identify the factors affecting the functioning of the small towns in this area to improve its urban system. This research is descriptive-analytical in nature and applied in purpose. Documentary studies and research background as well as experts' opinions were used to identify and extract the factors affecting the functioning of these cities. Finally, 37 factors in economic, infrastructure, social, management and planning, and environmental dimensions were identified using environmental scanning and localization, and then a questionnaire in the form of a 37x37 matrix was prepared and completed by 17 experts. The collected data were analyzed using the cross impacts analysis method as one of the future study methods and utilizing the MICMAC software. The results show that the identified factors are effective in the functioning of small towns in this region in an unstable situation. Among the 37 factors identified, 15 of them, which are mainly economic, are key to the future of small towns' functioning in the urban system of the studied area.