Journal of Natural Environment

Journal of Natural Environment

Developing and prioritizing management indicators in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) (Case study: Shoreline of Bushehr Province)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
MohammadHassan Shadbeh 1
Feraydoon Vafaie 2
1 Deprtament of Business Administration, Faculty of Management & Accounting, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Civil Engineering Faculty, K.N.Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
10.22059/jne.2025.402880.2843
Abstract
This study localized, tested and prioritized sustainable development indicators in four dimensions: economic, social, ecological, and governance for Bushehr province. The study showed that the ecological and governance indicators proposed in the IOC were sufficient for use in Bushehr, but the socio-economic indicators needed to be modified, adjusted, and localized. Initially, 15 goals, 80 criteria, and 210 socio-economic indicators were extracted from international sources. After two Delphi rounds with the participation of 15 experts and modifications, the final model included 13 goals, 59 criteria, and 132 indicators. The field assessment was limited to all indicators of the socio-economic dimension, and the survey was conducted as an online questionnaire in local social networks with convenient sampling (n=61); official secondary data were used to determine baseline values ​​and validate the results. Due to the multiplicity and complexity of the indicators, an optimal model for prioritizing the goals was presented by considering the ten functional benefits defined by 12 experts and using multi-criteria decision-making (AHP) (mean inconsistency ratio CR=0.06). The prioritization weights showed that in the socio-economic base, "education (0.13)"; in the ecological base, "maintaining water and sediment quality (0.15)"; and in the governance base, "supporting integrated management through the establishment of laws (0.106)" have the highest weight. The results of the "optimal model for examining indicators" are useful for regional policymakers in determining priorities and designing sustainable development programs.
Keywords
Blue economy
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
Management performance evaluation
Multi-Criteria Decision Making (AHP)
Strategic planning for coastal areas
Sustainable development indicators
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Journal of Natural Environment
Volume 78, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 455-469