Background & Purpose: In recent decades, public participation has received widespread attention as one of the pillars of good governance and responsive policymaking. Despite the emphasis of upstream documents and new management approaches on the need to involve citizens in policymaking processes, public participation still remains at a symbolic level or limited to sectional consultations and does not have a coherent and operational implementation framework. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of designing a model for implementing public participation policies.
Methodology: This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and exploratory in nature, and the content analysis method was used in combination with the Attridge and Strelbag frameworks. Research data were collected through semi-structured interviews with human resources experts and managers of government organizations. The data analysis process was carried out in three steps, including extracting basic themes, forming organizing themes, and finally explaining overarching themes.
Findings: Based on the analysis of research data, the model of implementing the public participation policy was organized into three policy-institutional dimensions of implementing the participation policy, including designing a participation-oriented policy, institutionalizing participation in the implementation process, and the policy governance and accountability system; the process-operational dimension of implementing the participation including designing participatory processes, diversifying participation methods, and coordinating and integrating implementation; and the support-empowering dimension of implementing the participation policy, including empowering stakeholders and participants, providing resources and infrastructure for participation, and a system for evaluating and continuously improving public participation.
Conclusion: The research findings show that effective implementation of the public participation policy requires a multidimensional and systematic approach that includes the policy-institutional, process-operational, and support-empowering dimensions in a synergistic manner..