Authors
1
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran- South Branch, Tehran, Iran.
2
Researcher in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, Golestan Governorate, Golestan, Iran.
10.22069/jead.2026.24128.1930
Abstract
Entrepreneurial urban regeneration, as an innovative approach to sustainable urban development, requires precise identification of institutional, physical, financial, and social challenges. This qualitative exploratory study aimed to identify and analyze the challenges of entrepreneurial urban regeneration in Gorgan, using thematic analysis. The study population included urban managers, decision-makers, and active investors in urban projects. Seventy participants were purposefully selected for interviews. The collected data were categorized through three stages of coding: open, axial, and selective. The significance of themes was determined based on frequency and intensity of focus. Findings reveal that the main challenges are concentrated in institutional, financial, infrastructural, and physical domains, accounting for over 36% of total occurrences. Key issues such as lack of institutional cohesion, weak physical management, and deficiencies in the financial system were rated as “high importance” with “very high intensity,” requiring urgent intervention. Structural and functional challenges, including social participation and innovation, represented 53% and were classified as “moderate importance,” suggesting a need for mid-term reforms. Software, educational, and environmental components accounted for approximately 42%, falling into the “low” and “very low” importance categories, and despite their complementary role, have been marginalized in policy-making. To enhance entrepreneurial urban regeneration in Gorgan, establishing an inter-organizational coordinating body and developing financial, legal, and technological infrastructures alongside support for innovation and flexible urban design is essential.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)