Representing The Role of Cultural Industries in The Development of Iranian Cities

Introduction :

As part of domestic and international assemblies, cultural industries have always been discussed [1] to provide opportunities for urban development, especially economically, by finding a place for culture in national and international economic contexts [2]. Cultural industries link the cultural system to the economy through innovation and creativity, creating jobs and accumulating capital as the most crucial competition tools [3].Additionally, as human settlements, cities have become so significant that researchers are required to identify whatever could be effective in developing such settlements. Cities, which were previously at the peak of flourishing by stressing the economic aspect, are currently deteriorating. In addition, the past lives of such arenas, which were considered the driving force behind economic mobility, are disappearing [4].From 1980 onward, and with the emergence of changes in economics, culture has become a dominant and pivotal element in the process of social change. Since cities have a hidden force within, called culture, as the hidden treasures of cities, they can become enlivening factors for cities and provide the driving force necessary for the prosperity and development of cities [5,6] and become a proper substitute for an economy that is waning in the light of globalization and economic, social, and cultural changes [7,8]. Thus, culture and cultural economics could prosper inner city potential and cause urban development. Further, in light of this thinking, it has brought developing countries new hopes regarding wealth production through cultural industries and by overcoming poverty and unemployment. Iran is not an exception and, as one of the few living civilizations remaining from ancient times, has a historical,cultural, and artistic record, and before that, had numerous cultural industries, which can be used as a potential for the growth and development of cities.Hence, three questions can be posed: first, what aspects, components, and indicators is the conceptual framework of cultural industries affecting urban development in Iran based on? Secondly, which one is more crucial? And thirdly, how much do the accounted cultural industries affect each development aspect? Therefore, this study aims to create a coherent framework of cultural industries affecting urban development in Iran, prioritizes them based on an expert survey, and determines the extent of cultural industries’ impact on every aspect of urban development.

Based on its nature, this study falls into the category of descriptive-analytical research. Further, it describes and introduces the concepts, aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries that can affect urban development. Data collection was conducted through documentary research. The concept of culture, cultural industries, their aspects, and their components was developed, and the development aspects were examined through content analysis. Surveys of experts (including 40 individuals with Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Cultural Management) were used to corroborate the accounted aspects, components, and indicators mentioned and obtain theoretical saturation. They were asked to, firstly, share their opinions regarding corroborating or rejecting the aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries in achieving urban development in Iran, secondly, determine the importance coefficient of each aspect, component, and index of cultural industries in urban development in Iran, and thirdly, clarify which aspects of urban development each index would affect the most. Finally, swing weighting was applied to prioritize the aspects, components, and indicators. Accordingly, the geometric mean weight of aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries effective in urban development in Iran, obtained from expert surveys, was calculated. For the comparability of indicators, the obtained weights were normalized to clarify which aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries could be emphasized and which aspects of urban development the mentioned framework affects most to achieve urban development in Iran.

Cultural industries can affect the economic, political, social, and other aspects of urban development in Iran through tourism, higher education institutions, and entertainment. The tourism aspect includes components such as communication, branding, cultural heritage, natural heritage, and visual arts, encompassing 17 indicators from the total cultural industries indicators, including being located on the communication path, the number of hotels, and the quality of hotels. The higher education institution and science aspect has components such as printing, publishing, and research and development, encompassing seven indicators from the total cultural industries indicators. Finally, the entertainment aspect comprises three components, including films and videos, performing arts, and toys, making up eight indicators of the total cultural industries indicators. Since the aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries do not affect urban development aspects in Iran equally, a geometric mean was obtained from the average of coefficients experts gave to the indicators of cultural industries to determine the initial weight of each index. This is even though the calculated coefficients do not allow for two-by-two comparisons of indicators and components in various aspects. Hence, all levels were consistently normalized to 1 for comparability of aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries in urban development in Iran. Among the 32 indicators of cultural industries affecting urban development in Iran, advertisements play the most substantial role, with a coefficient of 4.033%. Next are indicators such as the quality of natural heritage, historical contexts, the number of historic and registered heritage sites, and the number and quality of annual festivals, with importance coefficients of 3.884%, 3.839%, 3.816%, and 3.770%, respectively. To calculate how much cultural industries affect urban development aspects, experts clarified the indicators of cultural industries that most affect the political, social, economic, technical, environmental, legal, and physical aspects of urban development in Iran. Therefore, the weight of each index was multiplied by the number of iterations of each urban development aspect. After normalizing to 100, the impact every index has on each aspect of urban development in Iran was determined. According to the results, cultural industries can develop social, economic, physical, technical, political, legal, and environmental aspects with impact coefficients of 39.207%, 16,901%, 12.15%, 11.076%, 9.253%, 7.499%, and 3.914%, respectively, and achieve urban development in Iran accordingly

According to this study, firstly, the accounted aspects, components, and indicators of cultural industries directly affect urban development in Iran. Further, Iranian cities are particularly interesting for tourists because of their cultural and artistic facilities, thus creating cultural tourism. These cultural industries also attract a professional workforce in various fields by being active in different artistic areas, which provides employment. Additionally, cultural industries create spaces throughout cities by engaging in numerous artistic fields, which enhances social relations and interactions within cities. Secondly, they are not equally effective in urban development in Iran. Among tourism, entertainment, and the expansion of higher education institutions and science, tourism accounts for the most significant effect, followed by entertainment. Among components related to tourism, cultural and natural heritage components have the highest points, followed by communication, branding, and visual arts. Regarding entertainment, the film and video components stood higher than performing arts and toys. Finally, regarding the expansion of higher education institutions and science, the research and development component was ranked higher than printing and publishing. Furthermore, among all 32 indicators, advertisements, natural heritage quality, historical contexts, the number of historic and registered heritage sites, the number and quality of annual festivals, the number of quality of hotels, the number and quality of museums, the annual tourism percentage, the number and quality of shopping centers, and the number and quality of science and technology parks had the highest points from the total of 9 components. With their knowledge-based nature, cultural industries borrow from culture as one of the aspects of urban life and sustainable development to affect other aspects of urban development in Iranian cities, especially on social, economic, and physical aspects, with impact coefficients of 39.207%, 16.901%, 12.150%, respectively