Analyzing and Determining a Desirable Process to Implement Rural Development Planning in Iran Based on Communication Planning Approach

  There is a close relationship between the degree of desirability, acceptance, and appropriateness of rural development planning and the quality of the planning action. The higher the level of mutual understanding and collaboration of main stakeholders in planning process, the more consistent, acceptable and effective decisions. This fact depends on planning approach. There was more emphasis on the role of experts in planning process than other actors until 1980. Gradually, the main weaknesses of this approach appeared and it was replaced by communication planning approach. In this paper the conceptualization and operationalization of this approach, and its application in rural development concurrent with the time of approval and implementation of fifth development plan law was discussed. This study used descriptive-analytical method and related documents were analyzed.