Interpretive structural modeling of citizen-centered development indicators in the public administration (case study: Zanjan municipality)

The purpose of the present study was the interpretative structural modeling of citizen-centered development indicators in Zanjan Municipality. This study is based on the practical purpose and from the perspective of the method, it is in the field of mixed studies with the inductive-deductive approach. Identification of citizen-centered development indicators was done through semi-structured interviews based on theoretical saturation with professors and specialists in policy making, public administration and urban administration. The validity and reliability of the interviews were confirmed by the method of relative content validity and Cohen's kappa index, respectively. In order to model citizen-oriented development indicators, the opinions of managers and employees of Zanjan municipality, numbering 61 people, were used with the convenience sampling method available and with the help of a questionnaire. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed using content validity and test-post-test method. The coding of the resulting data using the 2020 MaxQda software led to the identification of 13 citizen-oriented development indicators. Modeling of the identified indicators with interpretative structural method led to the formation of eight levels, where attention to public interest was the most effective and synergy between citizens and local governments was the most impressionable factor.