System Engineering and Productivity

System Engineering and Productivity

Developing Tehran Municipality's Participatory Budgeting System Based on Soft Systems Methodology: Insights from the "I Am the Mayor" Project

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Marzieh Samadi-Foroushani 1
Amir Shahrabi-Farahani 2
Soheil Kousari 3
1 Corresponding author: Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Eyvanekey, Eyvanekey, Iran
2 Ph.D., Department of Public Administration, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 M.Sc., Department of Environmental Engineering, Science and Research, Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/sep.2025.2054181.1272
Abstract
In recent years, participatory budgeting has been considered as a democratic approach for citizen participation in the selection and allocation of funds to local development projects in Tehran Municipality. Despite valuable efforts, effective citizen participation requires the examination and identification of system development policies. The present study, by designing a learning-in-action process based on soft systems methodology, inspired by Luhmann's social systems theory, analyzes situation of the problem in four subsystems: 1-Formation of communication with citizens, 2-Meaning and interpretation of the message by citizens, 3-Initiating the selection process, and 4-Self- referential and continuity based on successful experiences and areas in need of improvement of the "I am the Mayor" project, and provided policy recommendations for system development. The research innovation is presented from the perspective of participatory budgeting analysis based on social system behaviorism and the creative embedding of Luhmann's theory in soft systems thinking analyses. changing the attitude of urban managers towards participatory governance, coordinating the participatory planning and budgeting system, discursive development and planning of interactive approaches and local collective agreement; creating a communication network of local elites and citizens; implementing the selection process in the form of project portfolio management; flexibility in project budgets; strengthening the public trust through media; necessary measures for the protection and cybersecurity; policies to encourage voluntary participation of employees; disseminating information and transparency of project progress; reporting and strengthening public monitoring mechanisms; receiving feedback and accountability of local managers were identified in order to develop a participatory budgeting system in Tehran Municipality.

Highlights

  • Creative design of the learning process in practice based on soft systems methodology
  • Analysis of participatory budgeting inspired by Luhmann's social systems theory
  • Designing a Partially Agreed Participatory Budgeting Model in Tehran Municipality

Keywords
Participatory budgeting
Soft systems methodology
Luhmann's self-referential social systems
Organizational learning
Tehran Municipality
Subjects

Copyright © Marzieh Samadi-Foroushani, Amir Shahrabi-Farahani, Soheil Kousari

 

License

This article is released under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone is free to copy, share, translate, and adapt this article for any purpose, whether commercial or non-commercial, as long as proper citation is given to the authors and original publication.

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System Engineering and Productivity
Volume 5, Issue 2 - Serial Number 15
Serial No. 15, Summer Quarterly
Summer 2025
Pages 35-56

  • Receive Date 24 January 2025
  • Revise Date 08 March 2025
  • Accept Date 18 March 2025
  • First Publish Date 18 March 2025
  • Publish Date 23 August 2025