Designing an Institutional Model for Private Sector Participation in Iran’s Economic Governance: A Future-Oriented Ministerial Approach
Keywords:
Economic governance, private sector economic cabinet, policymaking, Iranian private sector, institutional analysis, ministryAbstract
This study aims to design a novel institutional model to formalize and strengthen private sector participation in Iran’s economic governance. Adopting a qualitative and exploratory design, the study employs institutional analysis, comparative analysis of international experiences, and conceptual modeling; data were collected from policy documents, academic studies, official reports, and semi-structured interviews with experts and economic actors, and analyzed using qualitative content and comparative techniques. The findings indicate that weaknesses in Iran’s economic governance stem from ineffective consultative institutions, limited transparency, and the dominance of unaccountable parallel structures; the proposed model of a “Private Sector Economic Cabinet” or a future “Ministry of Private Sector Economic Affairs” offers an institutional mechanism to enhance policymaking quality, reduce decision-making instability, and promote fair competition. The study concludes that moving from symbolic consultation toward institutionalized co-governance through the establishment of a future-oriented ministerial body can significantly narrow the state–private sector divide and contribute to sustainable improvements in Iran’s economic governance.
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