Assessment of the livability condition in metropolises based on the global livability literature: A case study of Tabriz Metropolis

ABSTRACT
Livability is one of the most significant urban planning ideas in the contemporary era, and its realization among the cities of the third world is a worrying issue. Therefore, the importance of studying urban livability is one of the new tasks of urban planning; its responsibility is to improve the quality of life. So, the current research with a descriptive-analysis approach aims to investigate the livability of Tabriz metropolis in social, economic, and environmental dimensions based on the global livability literature. In order to evaluate the livability of Tabriz metropolis (in the form of 3 dimensions, 15 indicators, and 158 items), first, a relevant questionnaire was designed after determining the statistical sample at the level of the 10 Regions of Tabriz using Cochran's method (383 samples) and validating and reliability of the questionnaire, relevant information has been collected. In order to analyze the relevant information, Shannon's entropy method was used to weigh the indicators and research subjects, and the modified Morris method was used to determine the livability Condition of the regions based on the global livability literature at 5 levels. The research findings show that the economic dimension, with a weight of 0.429, is more important than social and environmental dimensions. Also, the livability Condition of Tabriz metropolis is not suitable because in the 10 Regions of Tabriz metropolis, the largest number of regions, 8 regions such as 4, 6, 10, 9, 7, 1, 3, and 8, are in an unfavorable livability Condition. Only Region 2 is in full favorability (acceptable) Condition. Also, Region 5 has a moderate livability condition. Thus, the results show that most urban regions of Tabriz need special attention from city managers
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Experts, specialists, and managers in the field of planning have accepted the concept of livability as one of the new concepts in urban planning that is closely related to the sustainability of cities and improving the quality of life. The main goal of livability is to improve the quality of urban spaces on a human scale in cities. The livability of a city, which includes social, economic, and environmental dimensions, assumes a fundamental role in determining the quality of life. A city can achieve sustainable urban growth only through coordinated development in these areas. The increase in population in Iran in various dimensions (economic, social, and environmental) has caused adverse effects such as unfavorable physical-spatial development of cities, intense rural-urban migrations, high costs of transportation and urban services, etc. Tabriz metropolis is the sixth most populous city in Iran, which was once known as the healthiest city in the country. Today, it has moved away from its once-brilliant past and faces numerous social, economic, and environmental issues. Therefore, the current research is conducted based on the need for planning in the area of urban livability and improving the quality of life in Tabriz metropolis, and while specifying the criteria of livability in social, economic, and environmental dimensions, the state of this explains what is important at the level of the city and different regions in mental dimensions (residents' perceptions).
 
Methodology
The current research is applied in terms of the type and purpose of the research, and in terms of the data collection method, it is survey, descriptive-analytical. In this research, urban livability has been evaluated in the subjective dimension (residents' perception). First, livability indicators were extracted in the subjective dimension by studying the research literature. The statistical population includes residents of 10 areas of Tabriz metropolis (68,898 households, 1,558,693 people), who were selected based on the Cochran formula, 383 people (in the present study, the statistical population of the study is the number of households in Tabriz city). Citizens' answers to the desired questions were collected and entered into SPSS21 software, and the average of each index in the region was calculated. Then, the Shannon entropy method was used to weigh the indicators, and the raw matrix in the Shannon entropy method is the average response of citizens in each region. Finally, the livability condition of Tabriz metropolitan regions was determined using the modified Morris method and based on the global livability literature.
 
Results and discussion
In a general summary of the findings of the research, it can be said that among the dimensions examined related to livability, social, economic, and environmental; the economic dimension has a higher degree of importance than other dimensions, which is the case with the results of the studies: Aseraei et al. (2022), Emdadi et al. (2022), Vahidifar et al. Mojtabi-Zadeh (2019), Ali Akbari et al. (2019), Veysi Nab et al. (2018), Isalou et al. (2013), Yi et al. (2021) who considered the economic dimension of urban livability to be more important than other dimensions are in line. Also, the livability assessment of Tabriz metropolis shows its unfavorable condition. In the Tabriz metropolis, out of 10 regions, 8 are in poor condition, while only Regions 2 and 5 have acceptable and average livability conditions, respectively. This case is consistent with the findings of Mousavi et al. (2023), Thaqbi et al. (2022), Nazm Far et al. (2022), Piri et al. (2021), Ali Akbari et al. (2019), Khazaee Nezhad et al. (2017) who evaluated the livability of the studied areas as unsuitable, is consistent. The present research results can be used in urban planning to increase services, facilities, and reforms in the 8 Regions of Tabriz metropolis to increase livability and reduce social anomalies. This article, together with the low amount of urban livability in social, economic, and environmental dimensions, points to the need for proper planning to increase livability in Tabriz metropolis as an international metropolis.
Conclusion
Examining the livability of Tabriz metropolis shows the fact that this metropolis is far from a livable city. If today the essential solutions to improve the livability and reduce the many challenges of this metropolis, And if the relevant planning is not done, we can expect that in the not too distant future, we will face a metropolis full of problems that even life in this metropolis is difficult. Therefore, making the challenged regions livable can help solve the countless problems of Tabriz metropolis caused by the city's horizontal expansion and inappropriate land use patterns.
 
Funding
This research is supported by the research grant of the University of Tabriz (number ص/1157)
 
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.