Journal of Urban Economics and Management

Abstract

The present study was conducted to explore the management and development of local and regional markets with an economic approach. This research is qualitative–exploratory, and the data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the study consisted of policymakers, governmental and semi‑governmental managers, and market actors with at least five years of experience or research in the field of local and regional markets. The sampling method was snowball sampling, and theoretical saturation was reached after conducting semi‑structured interviews with nine experts. The data were organized and analyzed using thematic analysis.

The findings led to the extraction of six main themes: structural and value chain challenges, business environment and economic governance, infrastructure and information technology, marketing and branding strategies, collaboration and organizational models, and sustainability and indicators of economic success. The results indicate that the main barriers to development stem from inefficiencies in the supply chain, complex administrative bureaucracy, limited financial resources, and weak digital infrastructure. In addition, the transition from individual competition to organized collaboration through cooperatives, along with emphasizing the cultural identity of products, was identified as a key factor for economic differentiation.

The study suggests that achieving sustainable development requires reforming supportive regulations, simultaneous investment in physical and digital infrastructure, and the establishment of evaluation indicators based on socio‑economic welfare.