Rural Mmanagement, Empowerment of Local Stakeholders and Physical Transformation of Rural Settlements(Case Study: Semnan Province)

Following the occurrence of environmental challenges, socio - economic and especially physical inequalities in most countries are affected by the dominance of policy and approach of development management from top to bottom, the ground for paying attention and change the approach to development from the bottom to top, in order to balance the physical - spatial organization of rural settlements was provided. In this theory, by paying attention to local communities through their empowerment, power and stability of all stakeholders involved in the management process, especially local communities are recognized. However, what can be seen in the spatial management system in rural areas of developing countries is the empowerment of the local community. Thus, it has led to impaired and balanced development in rural settlements. Therefore, this study attempts to analyze the effects of local stakeholders ' empowerment on the physical changes of rural settlements in Semnan province. In modern theories of rural management, managerial thought is based on the mechanisms of empowerment of local stakeholders,the field of intervention ,creation of the capability and power penetration framework of members along with local communities in the process of rural management. However, in the current rural management systems, the empowerment of local communities and their role in the process of rural management is weak. With the introduction of a communicative and interactive approach in rural management process through facilitating methods, empowerment has been proposed, which emphasizes on rural participation and self - reliance. On this basis, the degree of desirability of rural management is closely related to the dominant approach on how to perform the action. The more the participation of the main actors in the process of rural management, the more effective decisions will be in rural development and this depends on the approach adopted in the method and stages of management. The present study has been conducted by using descriptive - analytical method and quantitative and qualitative methods. To analyze the rural management approach in Semnan province in terms of empowerment indices, local stakeholder empowerment indices were used through 14 empowerment indices. Measurement of physical transformations of rural settlements was done through seven indices. The statistical population of the study is 394 villages inhabited by Semnan province. According to the Cochran formula, 400 questionnaires were distributed and completed among 40 villages of Semnan province. In addition, a number of 30+ 1 questionnaires were distributed among villagers and members of the Islamic council of the 40 villages. Data from the questionnaire were tested after coding and entering into the SPSSsoftware. Data were analyzed by one t sample test, Kendall’s correlation coefficient and multivariate regression test. According to villagers and local management viewpoint, all measured indices in relation to empowerment of local stakeholders in the process of rural management in Semnan province are either average or lower than average. Also, there is a meaningful relation between local stakeholders ' empowerment indices and the physical changes of rural settlements in the study area. But, the significance of the most effective factors with the indices of physical changes of rural settlements is due to the low average of indicator parameters. The studied indices in this study were not in a way that led to create the power and empowerment among local stakeholders in the process of rural management. In other words, in the current approach, enabling local stakeholders, instead of the power of local stakeholders, is the state of the power. Therefore, it may create meaning, competence, trust and empowerment among local stakeholders.