Designing a Model for Evaluating Comprehensive Banking Policies in Iran’s Banking System with an Emphasis on Addressing Imbalances and Financial Sustainability: Findings from a Qualitative Study Based on Thematic Network Analysis

Akbar  Mosaheb; Akbar Etebarian; Saeed  Daei-Karimzadeh

Authors

Akbar Mosaheb PhD Student, Department of Public Administration, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6143-2343
Akbar Etebarian Department of Public Administration, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0701-984X
Saeed Daei-Karimzadeh Department of Economics, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4178-0280

Keywords:

policy evaluation, comprehensive banking, imbalance resolution, financial sustainability, thematic network analysis, Attride, Stirling

Abstract

The present study aimed to design a model for evaluating comprehensive banking policies in Iran’s banking system, with an emphasis on addressing imbalances and enhancing financial sustainability. The study adopted a qualitative approach and employed Attride-Stirling’s thematic network analysis method. Data were collected through 18 semi-structured interviews with experts in banking policymaking, senior and middle managers of public and private banks, and risk management specialists. Participants were selected using purposive sampling with a maximum-variation approach. Data analysis was conducted at three levels: Basic Themes, Organizing Themes, and Global Themes. Analysis of 974 meaning units extracted from the interviews resulted in the identification of 89 Basic Themes, 17 Organizing Themes, and six Global Themes, namely “Addressing Bank Imbalances and Financial Sustainability,” “Development and Effectiveness of Comprehensive Banking,” “Integrated Risk Management and Banking Resilience,” “Governance and Institutional Legitimacy,” “Technological Infrastructure and Data-Driven Intelligence,” and “Human Capital Empowerment and Organizational Learning.” The findings indicated that imbalance is a multidimensional and systemic phenomenon rooted in structural, financial, governance-related, and behavioral factors, and that effective evaluation of comprehensive banking policies requires a multidimensional approach. The proposed model provides a comprehensive and multilevel framework for evaluating comprehensive banking policies and can serve as a basis for identifying gaps between policy objectives and outcomes, improving implementation processes, managing systemic risks, and strengthening financial sustainability in Iran’s banking system.

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