Investigating Position of Qaen City in Regional Development Based on Future Study Approach: Scenario Planning


https://doi.org/10.59132/geo/2022/3/11-25

Abstract

The modern world is defined by abrupt and rapid changes. Due to the importance of the potential future development awareness, future studies approaches are now an academic subject offered by several of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Undoubtedly, this knowledge is a principal instrument of the information era. This research looked at Qaen’s position in regional development using a futures studies method and presenting strategic future thinking in city planning. It is based on the goal of applied research and data-gathering techniques used in descriptive-analytical studies. Environmental monitoring methods (i.e., observations, interviews, and questionnaires) were employed to evaluate the present state of Qaen City. The acquired data were analysed using Spss and MicMac software. To improve Qaen’s position in the regional development process, a structural equations questionnaire was designed with a Likert scale based on current needs and problems, emphasising the most crucial variables and indicators of Qaen’s urban development. The final scenario aims at improving Qaen’s position in the regional development process. According to the findings, only one scenario shows potential circumstances for enhancing the city’s position in regional growth in the future; two are static state scenarios, and the other six are crisis mode scenarios. The scenario proposed by the first group includes favourable conditions based on relative economic growth, GDP, production and industrial prosperity, provincial investment, favourable policies, university development, investment security, favourable production technology, favourable employment, and improving the network of main roads that will have the greatest impact on Qaen City’s regional development process.

Povzetek

Položaj mesta Qaen v regionalnem razvoju na podlagi študije prihodnosti: načrtovanje scenarijev

Sodobni svet zaznamujejo velike in hitre spremembe. Zavedati se moramo, kaj nam prinaša prihodnost, zato so prihodnje študije akademski predmet, ki ga danes nudijo najbolj prestižne svetovne ustanove. Tovrstno znanje je nedvomno eden od ključnih instrumentov informacijske dobe. Namen pričujoče raziskave je bil s pomočjo metode prihodnjih študij ugotoviti položaj mesta Qaen v regionalnem razvoju in predstaviti strateško razmišljanje o prihodnosti pri načrtovanju mesta. Študija izhaja iz ciljev uporabnega raziskovanja in tehnik zbiranja podatkov, ki se uporabljajo v deskriptivno-analitičnih študijah. Za oceno trenutnega stanja mesta Qaen smo uporabili metode spremljanja okolja, na primer opazovanje, intervju in vprašalnik. Pridobljene podatke smo analizirali s programsko opremo Spss in MicMac. Za izboljšanje položaja mesta Qaen v procesu regionalnega razvoja smo oblikovali vprašalnik s strukturnimi enačbami z Likertovo lestvico, ki temelji na trenutnih potrebah in problemih, s poudarkom na najpomembnejših spremenljivkah in ključnih kazalnikih razvoja mesta Qaen. V zaključku je bil oblikovan scenarij za izboljšanje vloge mesta Qaen med procesom regionalnega razvoja. Mesto se spogleduje z devetimi možnimi scenariji, od katerih eden nakazuje potencialne okoliščine za izboljšanje vloge mesta v regionalnem razvoju v prihodnosti, dva ohranjata statično stanje, šest pa je kriznih scenarijev. Scenarij prve skupine vključuje ugodne pogoje, ki temeljijo na relativni gospodarski rasti, BDP, proizvodni in industrijski blaginji, naložbah province, ugodnih politikah, razvoju univerz, varnosti naložb, ugodni proizvodni tehnologiji, ugodnem zaposlovanju in izboljšanju omrežja glavnih cest, kar bo imelo največji vpliv na regionalni razvoj mesta Qaen.