Designing a Conceptual Model for Preventing Stubborn Policy-Making in Iran’s Governance System

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Professor of Public Policy and Public Administration, Faculty of Public Administration and Organizational Sciences, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/jppolicy.2026.106372

Abstract

The aim of this study is to design a conceptual model for preventing stubborn policy-making in Iran’s governance system. Stubbornness in policy-making refers to policymakers’ insistence on continuing decisions whose ineffectiveness has been revealed despite contradictory evidence and negative feedback. Such an approach leads to consequences such as resource waste, decline of public trust, and weakened governance effectiveness. This research adopted a developmental–applied orientation and employed a mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis of interviews with 20 academic and executive experts was used to extract the initial dimensions and indicators of the model. In the quantitative phase, a three-round Delphi method was applied to achieve expert consensus. The findings identified five main dimensions—recognition of policymakers’ biases and stubbornness, evaluation and analysis of data and evidence, policy flexibility and revision, consultation and dialogue, and transparency and accountability—as the key components of avoiding stubborn policy-making (the core category). Kendall’s coefficient of concordance at the end of the third Delphi round was 0.76, indicating a high level of agreement among experts. The results demonstrate that preventing stubborn policy-making requires not only reforming policymakers’ individual behaviors, but also establishing institutional, evidence-based, and participatory mechanisms. The proposed model can serve as an operational framework to enhance the effectiveness, legitimacy, and sustainability of policies in Iran’s governance system.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Public Policy
Volume 12, Issue 1
March 2026
Pages 70-91

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