Green Management in the Context of Iran’s Development Policies

Document Type : Original Article

Author

M.A. in Executive Management, Azad University, Shahrud, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
In recent decades, the world has witnessed unprecedented environmental challenges such as resource depletion, climate change, and pollution, prompting nations to seek sustainable development strategies that incorporate environmental preservation. One response to this growing concern is the concept of green management, which emerged in the mid-1980s and gained global traction after the 1992 Earth Summit. Green management is increasingly recognized as a vital framework that balances environmental responsibility with economic growth, particularly within governmental and public institutions. In the context of Iran, the significance of green management is underscored by acute environmental crises including water scarcity, air pollution, and ecosystem degradation. Despite the passage of the Green Management Law for the public sector in 2003, implementation remains fragmented. This study investigates the status, challenges, and policy frameworks associated with green management in Iran’s high-level development documents such as the 20-Year Vision Document, Five-Year Development Plans, and General Policies of the System. The research aims to address a critical gap in the literature: the absence of a comprehensive, coordinated roadmap for green management at the national policy level.
 
Materials and Methods
This study adopts a qualitative and applied research design to analyze the green management content within Iran’s key development documents. Using thematic analysis supported by Maxqda24.1.1, the research identifies recurring themes and constructs a conceptual framework for green management in national policy. The process involved multiple stages:

Document Selection: Purposeful sampling of strategic documents such as the 20-Year Vision Document, General Policies of the System, and Five-Year Development Plans.
Thematic Coding: Content was analyzed in three stages—open coding to extract primary concepts, axial coding to organize them into major themes, and selective coding to finalize a structured framework.
Validation: Credibility was ensured through expert validation in environmental policy, and reliability was strengthened by dual independent coding.
Criteria for Analysis: Codes were based on direct relevance to themes like energy efficiency, pollution reduction, renewable energy, waste management, and public environmental education.

Nine primary components and forty sub-components of green management were ultimately identified across the documents. These components include energy optimization, water resource management, pollution control, promotion of renewable energy, protection of natural resources, green infrastructure, technological innovation, environmental education, and waste management.
 
Findings
The content analysis revealed uneven attention to green management in Iran’s high-level policy documents. The Five-Year Development Plans exhibited the highest frequency of references to green management principles, followed by the General Policies of the System, while the 20-Year Vision Document focused more on overarching goals and lacked specific implementation strategies.
Key findings include:

Energy Efficiency: Despite policy emphasis on reducing energy intensity and promoting clean technologies, the execution has been hindered by weak monitoring systems and insufficient investment in clean infrastructure.
Water Resource Management: Although documents acknowledge the importance of reducing water consumption and preventing contamination, practical implementation strategies and public engagement mechanisms are lacking.
Pollution Control and Waste Management: Air pollution and waste generation are recognized issues; however, national standards for waste segregation, recycling, and emissions remain underdeveloped.
Renewable Energy Development: There is increasing policy attention on solar and wind energy, yet Iran’s renewable energy output remains below targets due to infrastructural and economic barriers.
Green Infrastructure and Technology: While policy supports green construction and eco-friendly technologies, there is little legal enforcement and financial support to stimulate widespread adoption.
Environmental Education and Culture: This component is notably underrepresented. There are no coordinated national campaigns or curricula reforms aimed at instilling environmental values among citizens.

Quantitatively, the analysis showed the highest frequency of green management themes related to energy efficiency and pollution reduction, while educational and cultural strategies were the least emphasized.
 
Discussion and Conclusion
The research concludes that while Iran’s development policies conceptually embrace green management, their practical integration remains partial, fragmented, and often symbolic. The 20-Year Vision Document sets broad sustainability goals but lacks actionable strategies. The General Policies offer normative guidance but insufficient operational mechanisms. The Five-Year Plans present the most detailed provisions, yet suffer from implementation deficits and limited institutional coordination.
Three major categories of barriers hinder green management implementation:

Policy and Legal Constraints: Absence of binding regulations, enforcement mechanisms, and financial penalties for non-compliance undermine policy effectiveness. Furthermore, inter-agency coordination is weak, and environmental priorities are overshadowed by economic and political agendas.
Infrastructure Limitations: Iran’s outdated energy and water infrastructure, coupled with insufficient investment in smart grids and green technologies, restricts the scaling of renewable solutions.
Cultural Challenges: A general lack of environmental awareness, weak public engagement, and insufficient environmental education curtail grassroots support for sustainability initiatives.

To address these challenges, the study proposes several policy recommendations:

Legal Reform: Establish enforceable legal frameworks that mandate green management practices with clear accountability measures.
Public Investment: Allocate budgetary support for green infrastructure projects, especially in the energy and water sectors.
Technology and Innovation Support: Encourage public-private partnerships to foster eco-innovation and clean technology development.
Cultural Transformation: Launch nationwide environmental education programs and campaigns to foster a culture of sustainability.
Integrated Planning: Promote inter-sectoral collaboration through centralized oversight to align development objectives with green goals.

In sum, the study highlights a pressing need for Iran to transition from rhetorical commitment to operational execution of green management. Strengthening the structural, cultural, and legal foundations of environmental governance is essential not only for ecological preservation but also for long-term economic resilience and social well-being.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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