Document Type : Research-Case Study
Authors
1
Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2
MA in Geography and Rural Planning, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3
Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
The plan for organizing rural spaces and centers is recognized as one of the appropriate strategies to establish a platform for sustainable development of the environment, hierarchical organization of rural services and facilities, and optimal distribution of the population. This research aims to evaluate the feasibility of the mentioned plan at the level of rural settlements in Mashhad based on the expected services. Therefore, given the importance of this issue, the present research was conducted at 42 villages in the county, which were randomly selected from centers, districts and satellite villages. In this applied research, which is descriptive-analytical in nature, data collection was conducted through a field survey. The statistical population of this research includes 24,636 households domiciling in the studied villages. Using Cochran's formula, a sample of 375 questionnaires was determined. Moreover, Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient for demographic (0.78), economic (0.81), social (0.82) variables confirmed the appropriateness of the research tool. The collected data was analyzed by statistical methods using SPSS and GIS software. The extent of service feasibility was analyzed based on specificity coefficient at three rural levels. The frequency and dispersion of mean in the above three levels exhibits a great variance between the capitals of centers and the district and the satellite villages. In other words, in terms of the specificity coefficient, there is not a significant difference between the capital of centers and the districts, but it was significantly greater than that of the satellite villages. As for the economic and demographic effects of the plan, there was not a significant difference between the capitals of centers and the district, but the centers surpassed the district in terms of social conditions.
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