Utilizing Soft Systems Methodology: Designing a Regulatory Model in Information and Communications Technology

In today’s world, Due to the high speed of changes and the emergence of new technologies in the field of communication and information technology and the problems due to the lack of an efficient institution to monitor and enforce regulations on license holders of telecommunication service providers as well as lack of protection of consumer rights on the other hand, the monopoly of telecommunication and communication infrastructures and anti-competitive behavior in hegemonic pricing and lack of supervision and control and enforcement of regulations, the creation of constraints is added to the ICT business market. This paper aims to provide operational, efficient, and flexible solutions for the regulatory organization, which is presented in the form of designing a powerful regulatory model. In this paper, however, by examining the regulatory systems in the leading countries of the world, a regulatory model in the ICT industry was presented applying seven steps of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and DEMATEL. Moreover, the model was implemented and analyzed in the real world and the results showed that the proposed model may act as a legal and executive framework to help increase the efficiency of the ICT market and realize the revival of healthy competition and comprehensive monitoring of the activities in both public and private sectors. Furthermore, the model is effective in the establishment of regulatory laws and regulations and executive mechanisms and should be used in decision-making, arbitration, and application of regulations.