https://www.jgsdm.ir/ Governance Studies and Development Management en daily 1 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.jgsdm.ir/article_238096.html This article examines the position of women in managerial and political spheres, focusing on their challenges, pathways to access, and leadership characteristics. The objective is to analyze two distinct trajectories: "dependent governance" (attaining power through familial/kinship ties with male politicians) and "authentic governance" (securing positions based on individual merit). The research employs a review methodology, concentrating on empirical evidence and case studies of female leaders_particularly at the international level, due to limitations in domestic studies. Data analysis is conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach, ultimately framing the findings within conceptual and theoretical frameworks to explain factors influencing women’s presence or absence in senior management positions.Findings indicate that despite relative progress, women still face profound structural and cultural barriers such as the "glass ceiling," stereotypical perceptions, and limited access to informal power networks, often being concentrated in traditional "feminine" domains like education and health. In societies where women's political participation is limited, "derivative governance" and family connections play a pivotal role as an initial social capital and a gateway. Conversely, in societies where women's political presence is institutionalized, the path of "authentic governance" and meritocracy becomes more prominent.The future of women's governance depends on balancing the utilization of existing opportunities with an emphasis on meritocracy and inherent capabilities. The continued normalization of women's presence in politics and management can pave the way for a transition from derivative to merit-based governance. This shift would lead to more effective and humane governance for the entire society. https://www.jgsdm.ir/article_238772.html Media management is commonly defined as a set of technical and organizational practices aimed at coordinating the production, distribution, and regulation of media content. Such approaches typically frame media management in terms of efficiency, optimization, and procedural control, while paying limited attention to the philosophical rationalities underlying these managerial practices. This article adopts a historical–analytical perspective to argue that media management can be understood as an institutional manifestation of instrumental rationality rooted in Western modernity.The study begins by examining the philosophical foundations of instrumental rationality in the works of Descartes and Kant, highlighting how reason was progressively conceptualized as an active, calculative, and organizing force. It then explores the sociological institutionalization of this rationality through Max Weber’s theory of rationalization and bureaucracy, emphasizing the role of formal rationality in structuring organizational decision-making within media institutions. Drawing on Critical Theory, particularly the Frankfurt School’s critique of the culture industry, the article extends the analysis to the cultural domain, demonstrating how instrumental rationality operates not only at the organizational level but also in the production and standardization of meaning.The article further argues that control in contemporary media management functions as a multi-layered structural phenomenon encompassing organizational, cultural, and cognitive dimensions, rather than as the outcome of intentional domination by individual actors. In its final section, the study examines digital and platform-based media environments, focusing on the emergence of algorithmic rationality. It shows that data-driven systems and algorithmic governance represent an advanced, impersonal continuation of instrumental rationality, reshaping decision-making processes, content circulation, and audience attention.Without advancing normative prescriptions, this article seeks to clarify the rational foundations of media management and to provide a conceptual framework for future critical research on media governance and algorithmic control. https://www.jgsdm.ir/article_238784.html Development Management, as an interdisciplinary and applied field, plays a pivotal role in the analysis, planning, and execution of development projects and policies. This research aims to elucidate the theoretical foundations and key components of Development Management, utilizing a descriptive-analytical method and a library-based study. The findings indicate that development is a dynamic, multidimensional, and structural process that extends beyond mere economic growth to encompass cultural, social, political, human, and environmental dimensions. The paradigmatic shift in development schools of thought—from modernization and dependency theories toward institutionalism, sustainable development, human development, and good governance—reflects a transition from universalist models to multidimensional approaches. Development Management acts as an eclectic “toolkit,” integrating various theories and methods to accelerate the development process, empower communities, optimize resource allocation, and strengthen institutions through a systematic cycle encompassing goal setting, strategy formulation, implementation, monitoring, and learning. The success of this process is contingent upon adhering to prerequisites such as good governance, inter-sectoral coordination, decentralization, and effective leadership.