Mobile Participatory Urban Governance in a Developing Country: Women’s Acceptance of City Reporting Apps in Karaj, Iran

Afsaneh Dehghanpour-Farashah, Faezeh Behnamifard, Mostafa Behzadfar, Mehran Alalhesabi and Saeed Mojtabazadeh-Hasanlouei ()
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Afsaneh Dehghanpour-Farashah: Faculty of Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran 14176-33461, Iran
Faezeh Behnamifard: Smart City Lab, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran 13114-16846, Iran
Mostafa Behzadfar: Smart City Lab, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran 13114-16846, Iran
Mehran Alalhesabi: School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran 13114-16846, Iran
Saeed Mojtabazadeh-Hasanlouei: Department of Civil Engineering, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan 45156-58145, Iran

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: Citizen engagement in urban planning is vital for democratic governance and sustainable development. While technologies such as e-governance platforms and mobile applications have facilitated participatory processes, their success ultimately hinges on citizen acceptance. This study investigates the factors influencing female citizens’ acceptance of a participatory urban planning application, employing a theoretical model based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and its associated hypotheses. Data were collected through a survey of 390 women and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 3.2.8 . The results demonstrate that perceived usefulness ( β = 0.634, p < 0.001) and perceived ease of use ( β = 0.321, p < 0.001) significantly predict intention to use, whereas perceived privacy risk exerts a negative influence ( β = −0.190, p < 0.001). Environmental attitude ( β = 0.396, p < 0.001) and attitude toward participation ( β = 0.315, p < 0.001) also enhance perceived usefulness. Due to the impact of the environmental and participatory attitudes of citizens and their social environment on their acceptance of these apps, there is an urgent need to increase the level of citizen awareness and knowledge through targeted education. These findings offer valuable insights for both theoretical advancement and practical policy development in regards to urban governance.

Keywords: smart citizen; mobile participation; urban governance; citizen reporting apps; participatory urban sensing; mobile government (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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