Introduction
In all societies, the process of rural development has been aligned with the past economic, social, and cultural conditions (Savari et al., 2015; Shokati Amghani et al., 2023; Savari et al., 2024). Naturally, with the evolution of living conditions in villages over time and across different domains, the old structures no longer align with modern life (Savari et al., 2025). Uncontrolled physical growth of villages has led to an unbalanced landscape of settlements, lacking appropriate physical-spatial relationships within rural areas (Jalalian et al., 2017). To achieve sustainable rural development in physical terms, global policies and strategies for physical development in rural areas have focused on aspects such as land use, physical design, housing, services, roads and transportation systems, cultural heritage, natural heritage, and resettlement (Pourtaheri et al., 2012). Over the past four decades, rural development plans, known as "Hadi plans" have been prepared and implemented in rural areas of Iran to facilitate rural development and construction. Although the primary mission of these plans is the development of villages and the promotion of construction projects, various assessments in recent years indicate that while there have been some successes, there have also been deficiencies in infrastructure, economic, social, welfare, rural management, and health aspects (Savari et al., 2025). In this context, the present study aimed to determine the factors influencing the successful implementation of rural development plans in rural areas of Iran.
Methodology
In this study, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was used to prioritize the factors influencing the successful implementation of rural development plans in rural areas of Iran. Initially, the criteria and sub-criteria to be analyzed were identified separately through a review of previous research. Then, they were compiled into a hierarchical structure and assessed using a questionnaire designed for hierarchical analysis (Savari & Amghani, 2022). The statistical population included experts and knowledgeable faculty members who had extensively studied rural development plans. They were contacted via email and sent questionnaires. The data obtained were analyzed using Expert Choice 11 software. Pairwise comparisons of the options were conducted based on each criterion. After completing 28 questionnaires, data analysis was carried out. In the AHP method, the acceptable inconsistency ratio, which measures the validity of respondents' answers using comparison matrices, is considered less than 0.1. Thus, the inconsistency rate of each pairwise comparison was resolved using the software if it was below 0.1 (Noshad et al., 2018).
Results and discussion
The results of examining the individual and professional characteristics of the experts studied showed that the average age of the respondents was 39.38 years with a standard deviation of 11.41 years. Additionally, the average number of projects and research conducted in the field of construction activities and rural development plans was 2.35. Furthermore, the examination of the education level of the respondents indicated that nearly 60 percent had a doctoral degree and were engaged in academic and research activities at universities. The analysis of the five factors (economic, social, cultural, environmental, and physical) influencing the successful implementation of rural development plans in rural areas of Iran, based on pairwise comparisons, showed that social, economic, cultural, physical, and environmental aspects should be prioritized in that order, with weights of 0.369, 0.276, 0.182, 0.143, and 0.107, respectively. The inconsistency rate in this section was 0.07, indicating no contradictions in the results as it was below the acceptable threshold of 0.1. To prioritize the pairwise comparisons of social factors, the weights obtained from the analysis were used. According to the results, the managers of the Hadi project should pay more attention to the social factors of "accurate needs assessment," "increasing public trust and participation in the implementation of the project," and "holding informational sessions with the people" compared to other factors. Similarly, among the economic factors, the aspects of "development of side and diverse employment" with a weight of 0.524, "timely payment of demolition costs" with a weight of 0.466, and "improving the level of welfare and quality of life" with a weight of 0.324 are more important compared to other factors and should be given more attention during the implementation of the Hadi project. Additionally, the inconsistency rate in this factor is within an acceptable range, similar to other sections.
On the other hand, the results of the pairwise comparisons in the cultural sub-sections indicated that among the factors under consideration, "attention to the region's cultural and historical context," "avoiding coercion during project implementation," and "respecting the customs and traditions of each region" with weights of 0.417, 0.34, and 0.281 respectively, had higher priorities compared to other factors. Prioritizing the physical factors showed that "improving the condition of roads and precisely asphalting villages after service activities (such as gas pipelines)" with a weight of 0.501, "reinforcing rural housing to control natural disasters (such as earthquakes and floods)" with a weight of 0.429, and "upgrading rural housing based on modern construction methods" with a weight of 0.308 had higher priorities compared to other factors. Thus, these factors should be given more attention compared to other factors. Finally, examining the environmental factors influencing the successful implementation of the Hadi project in rural areas showed that "developing sanitation and collecting local wastewater and household sewage" with a relative weight of 0.401, "appropriate location for burying household waste outside the village" with a relative weight of 0.328, and "beautification and upgrading of village green spaces" with a relative weight of 0.276 had higher importance compared to other factors.
Conclusion
Rural development plans have been implemented in rural areas of Iran for nearly four decades. These plans aim to improve the quality of life and enhance the livelihoods and welfare levels of the rural population. However, in recent years, physical aspects have dominated other aspects and objectives of the plans, posing a threat to the historical and ancient structures of rural areas. Additionally, in some regions, the implementation of these plans has not achieved their intended goals and has led to dissatisfaction among the rural population. This research aimed to identify the factors influencing the successful implementation of these plans in rural areas. Overall, the findings of this study provide new insights for policymakers in the field of rural development. The results indicate that for successful implementation, attention should first be given to social, economic, cultural, physical, and environmental aspects in that order.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.