Identifying and Prioritizing Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Citizen’s Charter in Iranian State Agencies

Considering the importance of a citizen’s charter in the state organizations of Iran, this study is conducted with the aim of identifying and prioritizing the factors affecting its successful implementation.

The approach of this research was quantitative and by conducting exploratory factor analysis in 40 organizations, factors affecting the deployment of citizen’s charter were identified and categorized.

Results indicate that the factors affecting the implementation of the citizen’s charter can  be categorized into seven classes of variables which are, from the highest to the lowest effectiveness, as follow: 1. the level of development and awareness of citizens, 2. employees’ willingness and organizational strength, 3. citizens' trust in governmental resources and supportive policies, 4. network and infrastructure of appropriate institutional culture, 5. culture of ambiguity avoidance,  power distance and leadership commitment, 6. citizenship rights, 7. complexity of laws and motivation of government officials.

Regarding the efforts of previous governments in establishing a citizen’s charter, this study has tried to play a significant role by identifying and prioritizing the effective factors to reach this end. This study is unique in its contribution to create a native citizen’s charter by combining theoretical studies, experts’ thoughts as well as the society’s perspectives. As a result, the findings of this research can improve transparency in government accountability by playing a role as a reference for theoretical and practical knowledge on the promotion of state agencies’ services and supporting citizens’ rights.

According to the obtained model and the presented factors affecting the establishment of the citizen’s charter in the public sector of Iran and in order to successfully deploy the charter, the executives are expected to do their best firstly, to upgrade the citizen’s development and awareness through utilizing capacities and plausible services, and secondly, improve the personnel’s willingness and the organization’s capabilities.