Organizational structure and creative urban branding: Exploring the mediating role of urban spaces and historical capacities

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study explores the role of organizational structure, historical and cultural capacities, and creative urban spaces in enhancing the branding of creative cities. Focusing on Rasht, a historically and culturally rich city in Iran, the research aims to understand the mediating role of creative urban spaces and historical-cultural capacities in the relationship between organizational structure and urban branding. Despite extensive research on urban branding and its determinants, a theoretical gap exists in understanding how organizational structures influence creative city branding through the interplay of historical-cultural capacities and creative urban spaces as mediators. This study seeks to address this gap by providing a comprehensive framework that integrates structural, spatial, and cultural dimensions in urban branding, particularly in creative cities.METHODS: Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines a literature review with quantitative data collection. 500 online surveys were distributed among Rasht residents using random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS), to test hypotheses regarding the direct and indirect relationships between organizational structure, creative urban spaces, historical-cultural capacities, and city branding.FINDINGS: The study reveals that the organizational structure significantly influences creative urban spaces (β = 0.654) and historical-cultural capacities (β = 0.713). These mediating factors play a pivotal role in enhancing creative city branding, with historical-cultural capacities demonstrating a stronger impact (β = 0.352) than creative urban spaces (β = 0.212). The model accounts for 54.5% of the variance in creative city branding, emphasizing the critical interplay between organizational structure, cultural capacities, and urban spaces in shaping and strengthening the city's brand identity.CONCLUSION: This research contributes to the literature on urban branding by integrating organizational structure, cultural capacities, and creative urban spaces as interconnected factors. The findings underscore the importance of cohesive organizational policies, preservation of cultural heritage, and development of vibrant urban spaces in achieving sustainable and effective city branding. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed.