نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Rural development is a multidimensional, spatial, and uneven phenomenon that cannot be accurately assessed using a single indicator or broad provincial and county-level averages. This study aims to assess, rank, and typologize rural development at the level of rural districts in Iran using an integrated BWM–VIKOR approach. In terms of purpose, the study is applied, and in terms of method, it is quantitative and model-based. The research data include 23 rural development indicators covering economic, educational, health, basic infrastructure and services, spatial accessibility, settlement and physical structure, cultural–sports, and social support/deprivation dimensions. First, the indicator weights were determined using the Best–Worst Method (BWM). Then, rural districts were ranked using the VIKOR model based on the S, R, and Q indices. In addition, to improve the interpretation of the results, rural districts were classified into five development classes based on the Q index using Jenks Natural Breaks Optimization, and the dominant source of their development weakness was identified. The results show that the indicator of the population of villages with access to safe drinking water, with a weight of 0.1092, is the most important in the model. It is followed by indicators such as the unemployment rate, literacy rate, health services, asphalted roads, and access to gas, which are highly important. The VIKOR results indicate that the Q value ranges from 0.0251 to 0.9538, reflecting a considerable development gap among rural districts. Natel Kenar-e Sofla rural district in Nur County, Mazandaran Province, ranked highest, while Sardasht rural district in Bashagard County, Hormozgan Province, ranked lowest. The typology results also reveal that health weakness and weakness in basic infrastructure and services are the two main sources of rural districts’ distance from the ideal development status. Accordingly, rural development policymaking should consider not only the overall level of development but also the dominant type of weakness in each rural district. The findings indicate that the integrated BWM–VIKOR approach can serve as a transparent decision-support tool for spatial comparison, identification of deprivation hotspots, and prioritization of rural development interventions at the rural district level.
کلیدواژهها English