Evaluating the Role of Business Improvement Districts with an Emphasis on the Future Studies Approach; the Case Study of District 6 of Tehran

Introduction :

Among the most important consequences of the evacuation of urban centers, we can mention economic stagnation, population evacuation, unfavorable urban governance, a decrease in shopping demand, and lack of infrastructure investments. Therefore, the revival and revitalization of urban centers, as the beating heart of cities, play a significant role in improving the quality of life of residents. Business improvement district (BID) is considered one of the most successful methods with an economic approach to urban centers. The purpose of this research is to measure and extract the drivers of business improvement district in district 6 of Tehran with a future research approach. In using the method of business improvement district by revitalizing the centers in a city, it is logical and necessary to have a forward-looking perspective for planning and policy-making. District 6 of Tehran, due to its location in the center of the communication gravity of Tehran and the prevalence of informal economic jobs, has caused special traffic characteristics in this area. Considering the pattern of daily trips, the city of Tehran, District 6, has the highest number of daily trips.

This study is based on the new method of future studies, in terms of its practical purpose and in terms of quantitative method and in terms of its nature, which was carried out by using a combination of quantitative and qualitative models. The statistical population of this research for the future study of the business improvement district in district 6 of Tehran was 15 managers and experts specializing in the urban area. In the processing of information from the method of analysis of mutual effects to variables, based on the influence and the direct and indirect influence of each element has been used in MICMAC software. Using the Delphi method, 31 primary drivers have been identified. 

The result of the research indicates that the key driver influencing the creation of a business environment in district 6 of Tehran has not been identified. Also, two-faceted factors such as good urban governance, the performance of the municipality in providing services and facilities, the state of private and public sector investment, quality of buildings and materials in the housing and construction sector have a very high capacity to become key elements in the system. Variables like proper productivity of cultural and recreational capacities, the amount of travel in the region, the amount of customer attraction in the district, the development process of commercial constructions in the district, and the security of the entire district have been extracted as target variables, which indicate that the system can be developed according to its plan and purpose. Other variables have been extracted under the subgroup of regulatory, independent, and influential factors, which have an influential and passive position and cannot play a vital role in the dynamics of the business environment of the district. Therefore, the creation of a business environment in district 6 of Tehran is subject to special attention to the key drivers, which have the most points in the total of potential direct relationships and potential indirect relationships. The driver of “skilled and trained manpower” has the highest potential direct impact on other research variables. In the second place is the driver “level of social participation” and “driver of the state of social anomalies and harms” is in the third order of influence. By adopting a future research approach and taking into consideration the key drivers obtained in the current research, the decisions and plans of urban management will be directed and placed on a targeted path to improve the business areas of district 6 of Tehran.

By making decisions and carrying out measures such as education and training of specialized human capital, increasing motivation, competitiveness, and social participation, and reducing social anomalies at the regional level, it is possible to provide dynamic fields and business improvement district in the study area. This research can be a beginning for futures studies in the field of improving business areas. Evaluating the current situation of the extracted key drivers in the study area and presenting a strategic plan to implement the approach of business improvement district in the case studies of Tehran can be a topic for researchers in the coming years.