A New Framework for Sustainable Development Policymaking Based on Importance–Performance Analysis

Although there is a growing focus on issues and challenges related to the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs), their importance and priority need to be studied in order to have better planning and policymaking on sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to categorize and prioritize SDGs based on importance–performance analysis (IPA) from the perspective of Iran. The calculation of SDGs’ importance is considered based on the knowledge and expertise of 11 Iranian experts in the field of sustainable development. By using a paired comparison questionnaire, the data of this part of the research was collected and processed by the DEMATEL-based analytic network process (DANP) technique. Based on IPA results, The SDGs are categorized and prioritized into four levels. “Zero hunger,” “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure,” and “Reducing inequalities” are known as the most important goals to be pursued in Iran and policymakers need to pay more consideration to these goals in setting their plans and policies. Policymakers and executive managers of sustainable development can potentially use the comprehensive framework introduced in this research to stream SDGs in their country’s national plans. Based on the current SDGs scene reflected by the results of this research, valuable insights could be extracted to guide future national development plans, institutional focus, and government policies. In this research, the capabilities of modeling and prioritizing SDGs with a DANP-IPA combined approach are well demonstrated.