University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Development of a Systemic Model for Enhancing Universities' Institutional Capacity in Policy Execution: Examining the Strategic Role of Competency-Driven Human Capital Management Development of a Systemic Model for Enhancing Universities' Institutional Capacity in Policy Execution: Examining the Strategic Role of Competency-Driven Human Capital Management 1 30 9439 10.22111/jmr.2025.50429.6297 FA Seyed Mehdi Alvani Professor of the Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0001-5942-2230 Pantea Ghafari Assistant Prof., Department of Public Administration and Public Policy, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2024 12 06 Abstract The Primary objective of this research is to design a model for enhancing administrative capacity in universities and higher education institutions for policy implementation, with an emphasis on competency-based human resources. This study employs a qualitative research methodology with an applied research objective, utilizing the Grounded Theory approach based on Strauss and Corbin's paradigm, complemented by a systematic review framework. Data collection was conducted through content analysis of 7 articles and 8 in-depth, structured interviews. The research population comprised theoretical experts in higher education institutions and peer-reviewed academic publications aligned with the research objectives, selected through purposive sampling and theoretical judgment.The analysis yielded 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes. Following Strauss and Corbin's coding paradigm, the data analysis revealed several key components: Causal factors (including organizational culture transformation in administrative systems, managerial factors, and human resources); Contextual factors affecting strategies (structural elements); Intervening conditions influencing strategies (optimal budget allocation); and Identified strategies (systematic administrative framework, administrative capacities and capabilities, rules and regulations). The identified outcomes encompassed organizational and administrative processes, economic and technological factors, and socio-cultural dimensions. Introduction Public policy formulation and implementation are crucial for organizational effectiveness and national development. Recent studies show that universities' administrative capacity faces complex challenges, with deficiencies potentially reducing effectiveness by 35%. 65% of universities face structural challenges in policy implementation, rising to 75% in developing nations. Universities implementing merit-based systems achieve 40% greater success in policy execution. The research aims to develop a comprehensive model for enhancing administrative capacity in higher education institutions, focusing on competency-based human resource management. Expected outcomes include a 45% increase in administrative system efficiency and a 30% reduction in administrative inefficiency costs. The main research question addresses how to design a model to enhance universities' administrative capacity in policy implementation, focusing on competency-based human resources. Case study The current study was carried out in Tehran metropolis. Materials and Methods This study employs a qualitative research methodology complemented by an applied research approach. The research design incorporates: Research Framework: Grounded Theory methodology following Strauss and Corbin's paradigm Systematic review approach for literature analysis Data Collection: Primary data: 8 in-depth structured interviews with higher education experts Secondary data: Systematic analysis of 7 peer-reviewed scholarly articles Sampling method: Purposive sampling with theoretical judgment criteria Data Analysis: Coding Process: Three-stage coding (open, axial, and selective coding) Result: Identification of 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes Discussion and Results This research aimed to develop a model for enhancing administrative capacity in universities through competency-based human resources. Using grounded theory methodology, the study analyzed 8 interviews and 7 articles, identifying 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes. The model identified three key areas: Causal Factors: Cultural transformation, management, and human resources Contextual Factors: Structural elements Intervening Conditions: Budget allocation The findings revealed that: - Universities using competency-based systems showed 40% higher policy implementation success - Administrative efficiency increased by 45% - Administrative costs decreased by 30% The research contributes to existing literature by providing a comprehensive framework for improving university administrative capacity, addressing current gaps in scholarship. The study's results emphasize the importance of integrating human resource management, structural reforms, and cultural transformation in enhancing administrative effectiveness. Conclusion The research developed a model for enhancing administrative capacity in universities through competency-based human resources. Using grounded theory methodology, the study analyzed data from 8 interviews and 7 articles, identifying 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes. Key Findings: Causal Factors: Cultural transformation, managerial factors, and human resources Contextual Factors: Structural elements Intervening Conditions: Optimal budget allocation Strategies: Systematic administrative framework, enhanced capabilities, and regulations Outcomes: Improved organizational processes, economic efficiency, and socio-cultural impacts Recommendations focus on: Implementing competency assessment systems Developing professional training programs Establishing clear performance metrics Integrating technology in administration The research contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical application in higher education administration, providing a framework for institutions to enhance their administrative capacity through competency-based approaches. Abstract The Primary objective of this research is to design a model for enhancing administrative capacity in universities and higher education institutions for policy implementation, with an emphasis on competency-based human resources. This study employs a qualitative research methodology with an applied research objective, utilizing the Grounded Theory approach based on Strauss and Corbin's paradigm, complemented by a systematic review framework. Data collection was conducted through content analysis of 7 articles and 8 in-depth, structured interviews. The research population comprised theoretical experts in higher education institutions and peer-reviewed academic publications aligned with the research objectives, selected through purposive sampling and theoretical judgment.The analysis yielded 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes. Following Strauss and Corbin's coding paradigm, the data analysis revealed several key components: Causal factors (including organizational culture transformation in administrative systems, managerial factors, and human resources); Contextual factors affecting strategies (structural elements); Intervening conditions influencing strategies (optimal budget allocation); and Identified strategies (systematic administrative framework, administrative capacities and capabilities, rules and regulations). The identified outcomes encompassed organizational and administrative processes, economic and technological factors, and socio-cultural dimensions. Introduction Public policy formulation and implementation are crucial for organizational effectiveness and national development. Recent studies show that universities' administrative capacity faces complex challenges, with deficiencies potentially reducing effectiveness by 35%. 65% of universities face structural challenges in policy implementation, rising to 75% in developing nations. Universities implementing merit-based systems achieve 40% greater success in policy execution. The research aims to develop a comprehensive model for enhancing administrative capacity in higher education institutions, focusing on competency-based human resource management. Expected outcomes include a 45% increase in administrative system efficiency and a 30% reduction in administrative inefficiency costs. The main research question addresses how to design a model to enhance universities' administrative capacity in policy implementation, focusing on competency-based human resources. Case study The current study was carried out in Tehran metropolis. Materials and Methods This study employs a qualitative research methodology complemented by an applied research approach. The research design incorporates: Research Framework: Grounded Theory methodology following Strauss and Corbin's paradigm Systematic review approach for literature analysis Data Collection: Primary data: 8 in-depth structured interviews with higher education experts Secondary data: Systematic analysis of 7 peer-reviewed scholarly articles Sampling method: Purposive sampling with theoretical judgment criteria Data Analysis: Coding Process: Three-stage coding (open, axial, and selective coding) Result: Identification of 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes Discussion and Results This research aimed to develop a model for enhancing administrative capacity in universities through competency-based human resources. Using grounded theory methodology, the study analyzed 8 interviews and 7 articles, identifying 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes. The model identified three key areas: Causal Factors: Cultural transformation, management, and human resources Contextual Factors: Structural elements Intervening Conditions: Budget allocation The findings revealed that: - Universities using competency-based systems showed 40% higher policy implementation success - Administrative efficiency increased by 45% - Administrative costs decreased by 30% The research contributes to existing literature by providing a comprehensive framework for improving university administrative capacity, addressing current gaps in scholarship. The study's results emphasize the importance of integrating human resource management, structural reforms, and cultural transformation in enhancing administrative effectiveness. Conclusion The research developed a model for enhancing administrative capacity in universities through competency-based human resources. Using grounded theory methodology, the study analyzed data from 8 interviews and 7 articles, identifying 65 axial codes and 11 selective codes. Key Findings: Causal Factors: Cultural transformation, managerial factors, and human resources Contextual Factors: Structural elements Intervening Conditions: Optimal budget allocation Strategies: Systematic administrative framework, enhanced capabilities, and regulations Outcomes: Improved organizational processes, economic efficiency, and socio-cultural impacts Recommendations focus on: Implementing competency assessment systems Developing professional training programs Establishing clear performance metrics Integrating technology in administration The research contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical application in higher education administration, providing a framework for institutions to enhance their administrative capacity through competency-based approaches.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9439_cf9e2fa063150b462333572ff23f6617.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Designing a Model of Open Urban Governance in Global Smart Cities Using a Meta-Synthesis Approach Designing a Model of Open Urban Governance in Global Smart Cities Using a Meta-Synthesis Approach 31 64 9436 10.22111/jmr.2025.51076.6334 FA Fatemeh Khajedad PhD Candidate, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Habibollah Salarzehi Professor of Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Aboobakr Raeesi PhD Candidate, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Elnaz Lari Yazdi PhD Candidate, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Journal Article 2025 02 09 Abstract In recent years, smart cities have emerged as a comprehensive and effective approach to urban development and addressing complex urban challenges, gaining significant attention from researchers. In this context, smart governance and open urban governance have been introduced as two key models leveraging information and communication technology (ICT) for urban management and enhancing citizen participation. This study aims to examine the role of open urban governance in achieving the objectives of smart cities and to propose a model in this regard using the meta-synthesis method. Introduction Today, smart cities have emerged as a holistic strategy and a potential approach for effective urban development, attracting significant attention worldwide. This concept offers solutions to a wide range of urban challenges, including population growth, efficient land use, infrastructure development, traffic congestion, and governance issues (Khoa et al., 2021). In recent years, the rapid advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has played a crucial role in driving smart city initiatives. Since 2005, the integration of ICT has expanded across various urban domains, including infrastructure, energy and water supply, and social security (Townsend, 2013; Sun et al., 2016). However, the realization of a smart city is not solely dependent on technology adoption; rather, it necessitates a governance model capable of leveraging technological capacities in an intelligent and coordinated manner (Tan & Taeihagh, 2020). In this context, the concept of "smart governance" has been introduced, integrating ICT-based tools with participatory governance to enhance decision-making and urban management. Smart governance facilitates a transition in social governance through technological advancements, aiming to create inclusive, integrated, and sustainable smart cities (Liu et al., 2022). In parallel with smart governance, "open governance" has emerged as a transformative approach emphasizing transparency, citizen engagement, and open data, playing a critical role in enhancing accountability and urban efficiency (Janssen & Estevez, 2013). By enabling widespread citizen participation in decision-making processes, open governance fosters public trust and facilitates collaborative solutions for urban challenges (Sáez Martín et al., 2020). This approach lays the foundation for "open urban governance," which specifically focuses on managing urban affairs through open data and participatory platforms (Meijer et al., 2019). In this model, open urban data, digital tools, and participatory platforms empower citizens to directly engage in urban planning, policymaking, and service delivery (Jansson et al., 2020). Nevertheless, integrating smart governance and open urban governance within smart cities presents several challenges, including data security concerns, privacy issues, and technical constraints. Additionally, the absence of a comprehensive and cohesive framework for implementing this governance model has resulted in fragmented and inconsistent adoption across different cities. Therefore, designing a unified framework for implementing open urban governance in smart cities—one that strengthens citizen participation while upholding the principles of smart governance—is imperative. Consequently, this study, utilizing a meta-synthesis approach, seeks to develop a comprehensive model for open urban governance in smart cities to address existing challenges and maximize the potential benefits of this governance paradigm. Case study The statistical population of this study included all articles published in the international databases Scopus, Emerald, and Web of Science from 2014 to 2024. Relevant documents were identified based on specified keywords and reviewed, with the most relevant studies selected using purposeful sampling. Materials and Methods This research is applied in nature and exploratory in essence, employing the meta-synthesis method for data collection. The study utilized the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso for conducting the meta-synthesis. A systematic review of all relevant sources on open urban governance and its critical components was performed, covering 1,196 articles, books, and theses from reputable international scientific databases. Discussion and Results A review of the existing literature on open urban governance reveals that, despite numerous studies in this area, only partial aspects and indicators of open urban governance and smart governance have been addressed. None of the existing studies has comprehensively examined the dimensions and components of open urban governance. This study systematically reviewed all foreign research conducted on open urban governance from 2014 to 2024 and identified the influential factors in open urban governance. After assessing their relevance to the research topic, primary sources were filtered, and 41 studies were selected for concept extraction and coding. In total, based on the results of the systematic review and meta-synthesis approach, seven final codes (transparency and accountability, active and inclusive participation, social justice and sustainability, innovation and digital transformation, security and risk management, strategic vision, and efficiency) and 26 secondary codes were extracted. These secondary codes included transparency and data accessibility, data-driven governance, accountability in governance, public trust, open innovation, co-creation and multilateral collaboration, inclusive virtual social networks, crowdsourcing, stakeholder interaction and collaboration, internationalization, sustainable urban development, social justice and inequality reduction, rule of law, smart transportation, mobile government and digital public organizations, smart living and smart citizens, development of online and digital businesses, the fourth industrial revolution and data-driven cities, data security and privacy, sustainable governance, multilayered governance, risk and crisis management, holistic management and comprehensive development, resource optimization, e-public services, and remote work. Conclusion The results indicate that the majority of studies focused on transparency and data accessibility, open innovation, co-creation and multilateral collaboration, sustainable urban development, social justice, rule of law, accountability in governance, and stakeholder interaction and collaboration. The least attention was given to multilayered governance, resource optimization, remote work, and e-public services. The reliability and quality control of the findings were measured using the kappa coefficient method, with the calculated kappa index for open urban governance factors showing a high level of agreement. The assessment of actions taken by governmental and executive bodies for establishing open urban governance requires the precise identification of key components and sub-components for evaluating the various dimensions of this approach. By providing an evaluation model for open urban governance through the meta-synthesis method, including its dimensions and components, governments and executive bodies can ensure the effectiveness of actions taken in the path of open urban governance and identify areas for improvement. This model, as a practical tool, enables urban managers to monitor organizational performance, develop strategies for enhancing transparency, improve citizen interactions, and promote data sharing. Consequently, with the introduction of this integrated model, the precise evaluation and continuous improvement of open urban governance are facilitated. Abstract In recent years, smart cities have emerged as a comprehensive and effective approach to urban development and addressing complex urban challenges, gaining significant attention from researchers. In this context, smart governance and open urban governance have been introduced as two key models leveraging information and communication technology (ICT) for urban management and enhancing citizen participation. This study aims to examine the role of open urban governance in achieving the objectives of smart cities and to propose a model in this regard using the meta-synthesis method. Introduction Today, smart cities have emerged as a holistic strategy and a potential approach for effective urban development, attracting significant attention worldwide. This concept offers solutions to a wide range of urban challenges, including population growth, efficient land use, infrastructure development, traffic congestion, and governance issues (Khoa et al., 2021). In recent years, the rapid advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has played a crucial role in driving smart city initiatives. Since 2005, the integration of ICT has expanded across various urban domains, including infrastructure, energy and water supply, and social security (Townsend, 2013; Sun et al., 2016). However, the realization of a smart city is not solely dependent on technology adoption; rather, it necessitates a governance model capable of leveraging technological capacities in an intelligent and coordinated manner (Tan & Taeihagh, 2020). In this context, the concept of "smart governance" has been introduced, integrating ICT-based tools with participatory governance to enhance decision-making and urban management. Smart governance facilitates a transition in social governance through technological advancements, aiming to create inclusive, integrated, and sustainable smart cities (Liu et al., 2022). In parallel with smart governance, "open governance" has emerged as a transformative approach emphasizing transparency, citizen engagement, and open data, playing a critical role in enhancing accountability and urban efficiency (Janssen & Estevez, 2013). By enabling widespread citizen participation in decision-making processes, open governance fosters public trust and facilitates collaborative solutions for urban challenges (Sáez Martín et al., 2020). This approach lays the foundation for "open urban governance," which specifically focuses on managing urban affairs through open data and participatory platforms (Meijer et al., 2019). In this model, open urban data, digital tools, and participatory platforms empower citizens to directly engage in urban planning, policymaking, and service delivery (Jansson et al., 2020). Nevertheless, integrating smart governance and open urban governance within smart cities presents several challenges, including data security concerns, privacy issues, and technical constraints. Additionally, the absence of a comprehensive and cohesive framework for implementing this governance model has resulted in fragmented and inconsistent adoption across different cities. Therefore, designing a unified framework for implementing open urban governance in smart cities—one that strengthens citizen participation while upholding the principles of smart governance—is imperative. Consequently, this study, utilizing a meta-synthesis approach, seeks to develop a comprehensive model for open urban governance in smart cities to address existing challenges and maximize the potential benefits of this governance paradigm. Case study The statistical population of this study included all articles published in the international databases Scopus, Emerald, and Web of Science from 2014 to 2024. Relevant documents were identified based on specified keywords and reviewed, with the most relevant studies selected using purposeful sampling. Materials and Methods This research is applied in nature and exploratory in essence, employing the meta-synthesis method for data collection. The study utilized the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso for conducting the meta-synthesis. A systematic review of all relevant sources on open urban governance and its critical components was performed, covering 1,196 articles, books, and theses from reputable international scientific databases. Discussion and Results A review of the existing literature on open urban governance reveals that, despite numerous studies in this area, only partial aspects and indicators of open urban governance and smart governance have been addressed. None of the existing studies has comprehensively examined the dimensions and components of open urban governance. This study systematically reviewed all foreign research conducted on open urban governance from 2014 to 2024 and identified the influential factors in open urban governance. After assessing their relevance to the research topic, primary sources were filtered, and 41 studies were selected for concept extraction and coding. In total, based on the results of the systematic review and meta-synthesis approach, seven final codes (transparency and accountability, active and inclusive participation, social justice and sustainability, innovation and digital transformation, security and risk management, strategic vision, and efficiency) and 26 secondary codes were extracted. These secondary codes included transparency and data accessibility, data-driven governance, accountability in governance, public trust, open innovation, co-creation and multilateral collaboration, inclusive virtual social networks, crowdsourcing, stakeholder interaction and collaboration, internationalization, sustainable urban development, social justice and inequality reduction, rule of law, smart transportation, mobile government and digital public organizations, smart living and smart citizens, development of online and digital businesses, the fourth industrial revolution and data-driven cities, data security and privacy, sustainable governance, multilayered governance, risk and crisis management, holistic management and comprehensive development, resource optimization, e-public services, and remote work. Conclusion The results indicate that the majority of studies focused on transparency and data accessibility, open innovation, co-creation and multilateral collaboration, sustainable urban development, social justice, rule of law, accountability in governance, and stakeholder interaction and collaboration. The least attention was given to multilayered governance, resource optimization, remote work, and e-public services. The reliability and quality control of the findings were measured using the kappa coefficient method, with the calculated kappa index for open urban governance factors showing a high level of agreement. The assessment of actions taken by governmental and executive bodies for establishing open urban governance requires the precise identification of key components and sub-components for evaluating the various dimensions of this approach. By providing an evaluation model for open urban governance through the meta-synthesis method, including its dimensions and components, governments and executive bodies can ensure the effectiveness of actions taken in the path of open urban governance and identify areas for improvement. This model, as a practical tool, enables urban managers to monitor organizational performance, develop strategies for enhancing transparency, improve citizen interactions, and promote data sharing. Consequently, with the introduction of this integrated model, the precise evaluation and continuous improvement of open urban governance are facilitated.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9436_fd275460e2b02402c9bb4f562caa2267.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Causal Model of the Relationship Between Servant Leadership Characteristics and Perceived Social Support: the Mediating Role of Emotional Energy and Cognitive Flexibility Causal Model of the Relationship Between Servant Leadership Characteristics and Perceived Social Support: the Mediating Role of Emotional Energy and Cognitive Flexibility 65 90 9252 10.22111/jmr.2024.48313.6164 FA Maryam Eslami Ph.D Student of Higher Education Management, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. Hassan Ghalavandi Professor of Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. Mohammad Hassani Professor of Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. Journal Article 2024 03 26 Abstract This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of servant leadership characteristics on perceived social support, emphasizing the mediating role of emotional energy and cognitive flexibility. The current research is a structural equation model in terms of applied purpose and in terms of descriptive-correlation data collection. The statistical population of this research was 17933 non-faculty employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. For sampling, the available sampling method was used and the final sample size according to Cochran's formula was 403 people. To collect the research data, the standard questionnaires of Patterson's servant leadership, Zimet's perceived social support, emotional energy of Van Katwyk and cognitive flexibility of Dennis and Vander Wal were used. Their validity and reliability were confirmed. SPSS and SmartPLS softwares were used for data analysis. The findings of the research showed that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support, and cognitive flexibility plays a mediating role in this relationship. But the role of emotional energy in the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support was not confirmed as a mediator. Based on the results, servant leadership characteristics have a positive effect on perceived social support, emotional energy and cognitive flexibility of employees. Therefore, it is suggested that managers consider the characteristics of servant leadership in order to serve employees and Increase their motivation and performance with different methods. Introduction In the 21st century, organizations have faced many changes, including the rapid development of technology, pervasive competition, entering the global market, changes in demand, and changing attitudes of customers and employees. Organizations are trying to provide an environment where employees not only have job satisfaction, but also actively participate in organizational activities and goals and display behaviors beyond their primary duties. Various factors are effective in creating such job behaviors in the organizational environment. According to the results of some researches, a very important factor that can lead to the occurrence of this type of occupational behavior is the role of the organization's leaders. The success of organizations depends on the presence of leaders who, with foresight, determine the vision of the organization and guide and encourage their employees to achieve it and create transformation. One of the new approaches in the field of leadership is servant leadership, which can positively affect the talent recruitment process. Case study The statistical population of this research was the non-faculty employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, including the employees of the central headquarters, all faculties, hospitals and research institutes under the university, numbering 17933 people. For sampling, the available sampling method was used and the final sample size was considered to be 403 people according to Cochran's formula. Materials and Methods The current research is a structural equation model in terms of applied purpose and in terms of descriptive-correlation data collection. To collect the research data, the standard questionnaires of Patterson's servant leadership (2003), Zimet's perceived social support (1988), emotional energy of Van Katwyk (2000) and cognitive flexibility of Dennis and Vander Wal (2010) were used. Their validity and reliability were confirmed. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLS softwares. Discussion and Results The findings of the research showed that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support, and cognitive flexibility plays a mediating role in this relationship. But the role of emotional energy in the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support was not confirmed as a mediator. Based on the results, servant leadership characteristics have a positive effect on perceived social support, emotional energy and cognitive flexibility of employees. Conclusion Considering the positive effects of servant leadership on the perceived social support, emotional energy and cognitive flexibility of employees, and in order to increase these positive effects, it is suggested that managers consider the characteristics of servant leadership in order to serve employees and increase their motivation and performance in various ways. Also, the managers of the organization should take measures to support their employees so as to increase the sense of belonging, sense of duty and perceived social support of the employees. Finally, considering the need to remove obstacles and move towards the improvement of human resources, it is suggested to hold training workshops in the organization in order to provide the basis for increasing the qualities of servant leadership in managers. Abstract This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of servant leadership characteristics on perceived social support, emphasizing the mediating role of emotional energy and cognitive flexibility. The current research is a structural equation model in terms of applied purpose and in terms of descriptive-correlation data collection. The statistical population of this research was 17933 non-faculty employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. For sampling, the available sampling method was used and the final sample size according to Cochran's formula was 403 people. To collect the research data, the standard questionnaires of Patterson's servant leadership, Zimet's perceived social support, emotional energy of Van Katwyk and cognitive flexibility of Dennis and Vander Wal were used. Their validity and reliability were confirmed. SPSS and SmartPLS softwares were used for data analysis. The findings of the research showed that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support, and cognitive flexibility plays a mediating role in this relationship. But the role of emotional energy in the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support was not confirmed as a mediator. Based on the results, servant leadership characteristics have a positive effect on perceived social support, emotional energy and cognitive flexibility of employees. Therefore, it is suggested that managers consider the characteristics of servant leadership in order to serve employees and Increase their motivation and performance with different methods. Introduction In the 21st century, organizations have faced many changes, including the rapid development of technology, pervasive competition, entering the global market, changes in demand, and changing attitudes of customers and employees. Organizations are trying to provide an environment where employees not only have job satisfaction, but also actively participate in organizational activities and goals and display behaviors beyond their primary duties. Various factors are effective in creating such job behaviors in the organizational environment. According to the results of some researches, a very important factor that can lead to the occurrence of this type of occupational behavior is the role of the organization's leaders. The success of organizations depends on the presence of leaders who, with foresight, determine the vision of the organization and guide and encourage their employees to achieve it and create transformation. One of the new approaches in the field of leadership is servant leadership, which can positively affect the talent recruitment process. Case study The statistical population of this research was the non-faculty employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, including the employees of the central headquarters, all faculties, hospitals and research institutes under the university, numbering 17933 people. For sampling, the available sampling method was used and the final sample size was considered to be 403 people according to Cochran's formula. Materials and Methods The current research is a structural equation model in terms of applied purpose and in terms of descriptive-correlation data collection. To collect the research data, the standard questionnaires of Patterson's servant leadership (2003), Zimet's perceived social support (1988), emotional energy of Van Katwyk (2000) and cognitive flexibility of Dennis and Vander Wal (2010) were used. Their validity and reliability were confirmed. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLS softwares. Discussion and Results The findings of the research showed that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support, and cognitive flexibility plays a mediating role in this relationship. But the role of emotional energy in the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and perceived social support was not confirmed as a mediator. Based on the results, servant leadership characteristics have a positive effect on perceived social support, emotional energy and cognitive flexibility of employees. Conclusion Considering the positive effects of servant leadership on the perceived social support, emotional energy and cognitive flexibility of employees, and in order to increase these positive effects, it is suggested that managers consider the characteristics of servant leadership in order to serve employees and increase their motivation and performance in various ways. Also, the managers of the organization should take measures to support their employees so as to increase the sense of belonging, sense of duty and perceived social support of the employees. Finally, considering the need to remove obstacles and move towards the improvement of human resources, it is suggested to hold training workshops in the organization in order to provide the basis for increasing the qualities of servant leadership in managers.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9252_da96870e0a18cc271e60b9fedc2df500.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Mapping the Effective Factors in Designing Sustainable Business Model Innovation: The Meta-Synthesis Method Mapping the Effective Factors in Designing Sustainable Business Model Innovation: The Meta-Synthesis Method 91 122 9273 10.22111/jmr.2024.47874.6146 FA Mohsen Nazari Profesor., Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0003-2861-2052 Manochehr Ansari Associate Prof., Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Mohammad Javad Ashari Pour PhD candidate in business administration, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2024 01 31 Abstract Despite the fact that business models have been studied in much research, it seems that business models have stopped in the era of technology and have not fully engaged with sustainability and the post-pandemic era. The aim of the current research is to identify the effective factors in the design of sustainable and innovative business models based on a systematic review of the characteristics of these models for the first time, in which the content analysis of scientific documents has been done in a meta- Synthesis method. The statistical population includes all articles published in English in the aforementioned field, which were determined by a systematic review of 161 selected samples and their validity with the Critical Assessment Skills Program (CASP). The research findings were identified by content analysis and using MAXQDA software, combined in the form of 50 components and 260 codes, and ranked using Shannon's entropy method. Based on the results of the components of dynamic capabilities in drivers, the processes related to innovation and its implementation in the business model and competitive advantage in the results were identified as the most important components. Cohen's kappa index was used to measure the validity of the study. Finally, the results of the research were presented in the form of a comprehensive framework model of drivers, sustainable business model innovation, and consequences. The proposed model can be used as a basis by managers, policymakers and entrepreneurs for the effective use of economic, social and environmental strategies in an innovative way. Introduction The essence of a business model lies in defining the manner in which the enterprise delivers value to customers, entices customers to pay for value, and converts those payments to profit (Teece, 2010). Also the value proposition provides measurable ecological and social value in harmony with economic value (Bocken, Schuit, & Kraaijenhagen, 2018). Studies have therefore argued that the required fundamental changes in the purpose of business and in many aspects of how it is conducted necessitate sustainable business model innovation (Bocken et al., 2014). Research questions are: What are the effective factors in sustainable and innovative business models, and how can they be classified? What are the driving forces and consequences for the implementation of sustainable and innovative business models, and how can they be classified? What is the importance of each of the components of the sustainable and innovative business model in the three parts of the main model: drivers and consequences? Materials and Methods Using the meta-synthesis approach and the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso, the research is done. This research seeks to answer the questions, What? Who? When? And how? According to the responses of components, drivers and consequences of sustainabl business model innovation, the Web of Science and Scopus databases, the time period from 1994 to 2023 and finally, secondary data analysis and how to categorize their answers, which are in line with the main research questions mentioned earlier. To select suitable texts from among the 3559 articles searched to carry out the synthesis process, four steps were used. In this research, by using the CASP tool, the selected articles of the meta-synthesis method were identified. In the current research, each of the 161 selected articles was carefully studied, and key points related to each one in the form of key codes (components) were noted down in the open coding method. Accuracy and validation in the implementation method using the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso, benefiting from the calculation of the Kappa statistic index to 0.67 and the significance level of less than 0.05. Discussion and Results In this research, according to the purpose of this article, which is to present a comprehensive and holistic model of drivers, sustainable and innovative business models and consequences based on the meta-combination method, after reviewing 161 reviewed articles, 50 components and 260 identified codes, the elements of sustainable and innovative business models in the form of drivers (two categories, 15 components and 60 codes), business models (seven categories, 27 components and 156 codes) and consequences (three categories, 8 components and 44 codes) have been classified. The business model consisted of 156 codes, which were classified into 27 components and seven categories. The drivers consisted of 60 codes, which were classified into 15 components and two categories. Also, the results were made up of 44 codes, which are classified in the form of eight components and three categories. Conclusion According to the research results, among the drivers, dynamic capabilities are the most important and ranked first. In the business models, the component of processes related to innovation and its implementation, which is among the categories of value creation, has the first rank. In terms of consequences, the competitive advantage component, which is in the category of economic consequences have first rank. The present research has innovated and contributed to scientific participation in several ways. First, a comprehensive research with a systematic review method has not been done in order to accurately identify the effective factors in sustainable and innovative business models. Also, in this research, inspired by the sustainable business model (Bocken et al., 2018), a new model of events, a sustainable and innovative business model, and its consequences have been presented for the first time. Abstract Despite the fact that business models have been studied in much research, it seems that business models have stopped in the era of technology and have not fully engaged with sustainability and the post-pandemic era. The aim of the current research is to identify the effective factors in the design of sustainable and innovative business models based on a systematic review of the characteristics of these models for the first time, in which the content analysis of scientific documents has been done in a meta- Synthesis method. The statistical population includes all articles published in English in the aforementioned field, which were determined by a systematic review of 161 selected samples and their validity with the Critical Assessment Skills Program (CASP). The research findings were identified by content analysis and using MAXQDA software, combined in the form of 50 components and 260 codes, and ranked using Shannon's entropy method. Based on the results of the components of dynamic capabilities in drivers, the processes related to innovation and its implementation in the business model and competitive advantage in the results were identified as the most important components. Cohen's kappa index was used to measure the validity of the study. Finally, the results of the research were presented in the form of a comprehensive framework model of drivers, sustainable business model innovation, and consequences. The proposed model can be used as a basis by managers, policymakers and entrepreneurs for the effective use of economic, social and environmental strategies in an innovative way. Introduction The essence of a business model lies in defining the manner in which the enterprise delivers value to customers, entices customers to pay for value, and converts those payments to profit (Teece, 2010). Also the value proposition provides measurable ecological and social value in harmony with economic value (Bocken, Schuit, & Kraaijenhagen, 2018). Studies have therefore argued that the required fundamental changes in the purpose of business and in many aspects of how it is conducted necessitate sustainable business model innovation (Bocken et al., 2014). Research questions are: What are the effective factors in sustainable and innovative business models, and how can they be classified? What are the driving forces and consequences for the implementation of sustainable and innovative business models, and how can they be classified? What is the importance of each of the components of the sustainable and innovative business model in the three parts of the main model: drivers and consequences? Materials and Methods Using the meta-synthesis approach and the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso, the research is done. This research seeks to answer the questions, What? Who? When? And how? According to the responses of components, drivers and consequences of sustainabl business model innovation, the Web of Science and Scopus databases, the time period from 1994 to 2023 and finally, secondary data analysis and how to categorize their answers, which are in line with the main research questions mentioned earlier. To select suitable texts from among the 3559 articles searched to carry out the synthesis process, four steps were used. In this research, by using the CASP tool, the selected articles of the meta-synthesis method were identified. In the current research, each of the 161 selected articles was carefully studied, and key points related to each one in the form of key codes (components) were noted down in the open coding method. Accuracy and validation in the implementation method using the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso, benefiting from the calculation of the Kappa statistic index to 0.67 and the significance level of less than 0.05. Discussion and Results In this research, according to the purpose of this article, which is to present a comprehensive and holistic model of drivers, sustainable and innovative business models and consequences based on the meta-combination method, after reviewing 161 reviewed articles, 50 components and 260 identified codes, the elements of sustainable and innovative business models in the form of drivers (two categories, 15 components and 60 codes), business models (seven categories, 27 components and 156 codes) and consequences (three categories, 8 components and 44 codes) have been classified. The business model consisted of 156 codes, which were classified into 27 components and seven categories. The drivers consisted of 60 codes, which were classified into 15 components and two categories. Also, the results were made up of 44 codes, which are classified in the form of eight components and three categories. Conclusion According to the research results, among the drivers, dynamic capabilities are the most important and ranked first. In the business models, the component of processes related to innovation and its implementation, which is among the categories of value creation, has the first rank. In terms of consequences, the competitive advantage component, which is in the category of economic consequences have first rank. The present research has innovated and contributed to scientific participation in several ways. First, a comprehensive research with a systematic review method has not been done in order to accurately identify the effective factors in sustainable and innovative business models. Also, in this research, inspired by the sustainable business model (Bocken et al., 2018), a new model of events, a sustainable and innovative business model, and its consequences have been presented for the first time.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9273_ee324ac9fe18e2b90273c1d2868fb9ca.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Factors of Failure of Competition Regulatory Policies in Developing Countries, a Systematic Review of the Literature Factors of Failure of Competition Regulatory Policies in Developing Countries, a Systematic Review of the Literature 123 154 9253 10.22111/jmr.2024.48929.6197 FA Mohammad Mahdi Jafarian Ph.D. Student, Public Policy and Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran. Vajhollah Ghorbanizadeh Professor of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran. Hosien Aslipour Associate Professor, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran. Morteza Zamanian Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Science and Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology,Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2024 06 04 Abstract This study systematically reviews the literature on the failure of competition regulatory policies in developing countries. While competition regulation is widely recognized as a key mechanism for enhancing efficiency, innovation, and consumer welfare, many developing nations that established regulatory bodies since the 1980s have faced limited success. Using a systematic literature review of one hundred studies, of which ten met the inclusion criteria, this research identifies six main factors contributing to policy shortcomings: (1) structural and institutional design problems, such as insufficient independence and authority of regulators; (2) limited technical and financial capacity for law enforcement; (3) political economy constraints and state intervention; (4) inefficiencies within judicial systems; (5) underdeveloped markets and weak economic structures; and (6) a lack of competition culture and public awareness. By mapping these recurring challenges and highlighting gaps in the literature, the study offers a comprehensive framework for understanding why competition regulatory policies often fail in developing countries and provides insights for more effective policy design and implementation. Introduction: One of the topics consistently addressed in classical economic literature is that, given favorable conditions, it is through competition that consumer welfare and overall welfare, including both consumer and producer welfare, are maximized in any market. Moreover, competition is essential in the medium and long term for achieving productive efficiency and innovation (Rahbari et al., 2013). Consequently, various governments employ different policies to promote competition in markets and industries to enhance productivity and innovation. One such policy for fostering competition is competition regulation. Today, competition regulation is a crucial component of economic governance in most developed and developing countries, aimed at improving the quality of goods and services, fostering business development, and increasing consumer welfare (Alaeddini & Shiri, 2016). From an economic perspective, the most common cause of market failure, justifying government intervention and regulation, is the formation of monopolies (Baldwin et al., 2011). Hence, many countries have specific laws to protect competition or prevent anti-competitive behavior under terms such as antitrust laws or competition laws. These laws prohibit anti-competitive behaviors such as "anti-competitive agreements," "abuse of dominant position," "mergers and acquisitions," "attempts to monopolize," and "discriminatory practices in transactions" (Whish & Bailey, 2021) (Alaeddini & Shiri, 2016) (Jafarzadeh & Ansari, 2014). Furthermore, one of the critical structures of economic governance is competition regulators, responsible for enforcing competition policies and laws. These regulators continuously monitor markets for monopolistic entities and potential anti-competitive behaviors, ensuring fair competition (Motta, 2004). Case Study: However, developing countries that began establishing competition regulatory bodies and implementing related policies gradually from the 1980s have experienced diverse outcomes, often marked by failure or shortcomings. In the public policy literature, such a significant policy, along with its tools and components, has been less examined and evaluated. Materials and Methods: This article attempts to review studies that evaluate or investigate the causes of failure/shortcomings of competition regulatory policies in developing countries, creating an overall framework of the emphasized points and identifying gaps in the literature. To this end, a systematic literature review method was employed. Initially, one hundred articles were selected, and after multiple screenings, ten final studies were chosen that addressed the topic in developing countries. Conclusion: An analysis of these studies revealed a general framework of the literature on the subject, emphasizing six main factors:1) Structural and institutional design problems – such as the independence of the regulator, lack of sufficient power and authority, and exemptions granted in the law. 2) Technical capacity for law enforcement – including shortages of financial resources, specialized human resources, and access to data and information. 3) Political economy conditions. 4) Inefficient or defective judicial systems. 5. Underdeveloped markets or economies in a country. 6) Weak competition culture. Abstract This study systematically reviews the literature on the failure of competition regulatory policies in developing countries. While competition regulation is widely recognized as a key mechanism for enhancing efficiency, innovation, and consumer welfare, many developing nations that established regulatory bodies since the 1980s have faced limited success. Using a systematic literature review of one hundred studies, of which ten met the inclusion criteria, this research identifies six main factors contributing to policy shortcomings: (1) structural and institutional design problems, such as insufficient independence and authority of regulators; (2) limited technical and financial capacity for law enforcement; (3) political economy constraints and state intervention; (4) inefficiencies within judicial systems; (5) underdeveloped markets and weak economic structures; and (6) a lack of competition culture and public awareness. By mapping these recurring challenges and highlighting gaps in the literature, the study offers a comprehensive framework for understanding why competition regulatory policies often fail in developing countries and provides insights for more effective policy design and implementation. Introduction: One of the topics consistently addressed in classical economic literature is that, given favorable conditions, it is through competition that consumer welfare and overall welfare, including both consumer and producer welfare, are maximized in any market. Moreover, competition is essential in the medium and long term for achieving productive efficiency and innovation (Rahbari et al., 2013). Consequently, various governments employ different policies to promote competition in markets and industries to enhance productivity and innovation. One such policy for fostering competition is competition regulation. Today, competition regulation is a crucial component of economic governance in most developed and developing countries, aimed at improving the quality of goods and services, fostering business development, and increasing consumer welfare (Alaeddini & Shiri, 2016). From an economic perspective, the most common cause of market failure, justifying government intervention and regulation, is the formation of monopolies (Baldwin et al., 2011). Hence, many countries have specific laws to protect competition or prevent anti-competitive behavior under terms such as antitrust laws or competition laws. These laws prohibit anti-competitive behaviors such as "anti-competitive agreements," "abuse of dominant position," "mergers and acquisitions," "attempts to monopolize," and "discriminatory practices in transactions" (Whish & Bailey, 2021) (Alaeddini & Shiri, 2016) (Jafarzadeh & Ansari, 2014). Furthermore, one of the critical structures of economic governance is competition regulators, responsible for enforcing competition policies and laws. These regulators continuously monitor markets for monopolistic entities and potential anti-competitive behaviors, ensuring fair competition (Motta, 2004). Case Study: However, developing countries that began establishing competition regulatory bodies and implementing related policies gradually from the 1980s have experienced diverse outcomes, often marked by failure or shortcomings. In the public policy literature, such a significant policy, along with its tools and components, has been less examined and evaluated. Materials and Methods: This article attempts to review studies that evaluate or investigate the causes of failure/shortcomings of competition regulatory policies in developing countries, creating an overall framework of the emphasized points and identifying gaps in the literature. To this end, a systematic literature review method was employed. Initially, one hundred articles were selected, and after multiple screenings, ten final studies were chosen that addressed the topic in developing countries. Conclusion: An analysis of these studies revealed a general framework of the literature on the subject, emphasizing six main factors:1) Structural and institutional design problems – such as the independence of the regulator, lack of sufficient power and authority, and exemptions granted in the law. 2) Technical capacity for law enforcement – including shortages of financial resources, specialized human resources, and access to data and information. 3) Political economy conditions. 4) Inefficient or defective judicial systems. 5. Underdeveloped markets or economies in a country. 6) Weak competition culture.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9253_584fd1eb0748af1ac8fd66ecb8c8b0b7.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Identifying Behavioral Biases and Nudges in Crisis Management Identifying Behavioral Biases and Nudges in Crisis Management 155 188 9254 10.22111/jmr.2025.49726.6243 FA Seyed Kamal Vaezi Associate Prof., Department of Leadership and Human Capital, Faculty of Public Administration and Organizational Sciences, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Arash Shirani Faradonbeh PhD in Public Administration, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2024 09 04 Abstract This study examines behavioral biases that influence crisis managers' decisions and actions during natural disasters, often leading to suboptimal decision-making. Drawing on behavioral economics, this research identifies cognitive patterns and biases that shape crisis management behavior. Using Q methodology with semi-structured interviews, insights from 25 crisis managers were analyzed. The findings reveal that optimism bias is the most prevalent in Iranian crisis management, while social pressure reduction and conservative service orientation also significantly affect decision-making. Before a crisis, managers exhibit biases such as managerial instability, learned helplessness, media framing, normalization, and cognitive consistency. During crises, additional biases emerge, including collective action bias, projection bias, emotional bias, and distrust in leadership. Post-crisis, reliance on prominent figures significantly shapes public trust and decision-making. The study suggests that nudges can help mitigate these biases. A total of 23 nudges were identified for the pre-crisis phase, 17 for crisis response, and 4 for post-crisis recovery. Introduction Human settlements are frequently exposed to natural, technological, and anthropogenic hazards. Among these, earthquakes and floods have increased in frequency and severity. Iran ranks 7th in Asia and 13th globally in seismic activity, with 90% of its landmass located in earthquake-prone zones. The over-centralization of Tehran, combined with rapid environmental changes, exacerbates its disaster vulnerability. Although rational decision-making is ideal in crisis management, behavioral economics highlights how cognitive biases often distort judgment. Crisis situations further amplify these biases due to uncertainty, emotional stress, and high-pressure environments, affecting both crisis managers and the affected population. This study investigates: What cognitive biases influence crisis managers' decision-making during natural disasters? Which nudging strategies can effectively mitigate these biases? Materials and Methods This study employs Q methodology, designed to explore subjective perceptions and cognitive patterns. The research process involved: Sampling: 25 crisis managers were selected through snowball sampling, followed by 5 additional senior crisis executives, bringing the total to 30 participants. Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify key cognitive biases. Participants ranked 25 identified statements on a Q-sort matrix, ranging from highly agree (+4) to highly disagree (-4). Data Analysis: Factor analysis using SPSS was performed to identify dominant mental models influencing crisis management. Discussion and Results The findings revealed three dominant mental models among crisis managers: Optimistic Political Mindset Overestimation of crisis response capabilities. Emphasis on positive narratives rather than risk mitigation. Biases: Optimism bias, overconfidence, near-sightedness, normalization of risk. Example: Underestimating the severity of a future Tehran earthquake based on previous minor tremors. Social Pressure Reduction Mindset Crisis response prioritizes symbolic actions over practical solutions. Measures focus on reducing public criticism rather than actual preparedness. Biases: Ostrich effect, media-driven framing, selective risk perception. Example: Constructing emergency shelters that may not be operational during an actual disaster. Conservative Service-Oriented Mindset Emphasis on immediate, emotional responses rather than strategic long-term planning. Strong focus on public image and humanitarian aid, often at the cost of systemic crisis management. Biases: Emotional bias, groupthink, collective action bias. Example: High-profile rescue efforts for isolated cases while neglecting broader systemic needs. Nudging Strategies To counteract these biases, experts identified 44 nudging techniques, categorized as follows: Pre-crisis (23 nudges): Awareness campaigns, media strategies, early warning systems. During crisis (17 nudges): Structured crisis communication, trust-building, decision support systems. Post-crisis (4 nudges): Transparency measures, public trust restoration. Conclusion Crisis management in Iran is heavily influenced by behavioral biases, leading to reactive rather than proactive strategies. The three mental models—optimism bias, social pressure reduction, and conservative service orientation—explain many of the challenges observed in disaster response. These biases contribute to: Delayed responses. Symbolic decision-making. Emotion-driven rather than strategic crisis management. Behavioral nudges provide cost-effective interventions that can help crisis managers make better, evidence-based decisions by subtly steering them toward rational choices. This study offers valuable insights into the intersection of behavioral economics and disaster risk reduction. Future research should focus on experimentally validating nudging interventions to assess their real-world effectiveness in crisis management. Abstract This study examines behavioral biases that influence crisis managers' decisions and actions during natural disasters, often leading to suboptimal decision-making. Drawing on behavioral economics, this research identifies cognitive patterns and biases that shape crisis management behavior. Using Q methodology with semi-structured interviews, insights from 25 crisis managers were analyzed. The findings reveal that optimism bias is the most prevalent in Iranian crisis management, while social pressure reduction and conservative service orientation also significantly affect decision-making. Before a crisis, managers exhibit biases such as managerial instability, learned helplessness, media framing, normalization, and cognitive consistency. During crises, additional biases emerge, including collective action bias, projection bias, emotional bias, and distrust in leadership. Post-crisis, reliance on prominent figures significantly shapes public trust and decision-making. The study suggests that nudges can help mitigate these biases. A total of 23 nudges were identified for the pre-crisis phase, 17 for crisis response, and 4 for post-crisis recovery. Introduction Human settlements are frequently exposed to natural, technological, and anthropogenic hazards. Among these, earthquakes and floods have increased in frequency and severity. Iran ranks 7th in Asia and 13th globally in seismic activity, with 90% of its landmass located in earthquake-prone zones. The over-centralization of Tehran, combined with rapid environmental changes, exacerbates its disaster vulnerability. Although rational decision-making is ideal in crisis management, behavioral economics highlights how cognitive biases often distort judgment. Crisis situations further amplify these biases due to uncertainty, emotional stress, and high-pressure environments, affecting both crisis managers and the affected population. This study investigates: What cognitive biases influence crisis managers' decision-making during natural disasters? Which nudging strategies can effectively mitigate these biases? Materials and Methods This study employs Q methodology, designed to explore subjective perceptions and cognitive patterns. The research process involved: Sampling: 25 crisis managers were selected through snowball sampling, followed by 5 additional senior crisis executives, bringing the total to 30 participants. Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify key cognitive biases. Participants ranked 25 identified statements on a Q-sort matrix, ranging from highly agree (+4) to highly disagree (-4). Data Analysis: Factor analysis using SPSS was performed to identify dominant mental models influencing crisis management. Discussion and Results The findings revealed three dominant mental models among crisis managers: Optimistic Political Mindset Overestimation of crisis response capabilities. Emphasis on positive narratives rather than risk mitigation. Biases: Optimism bias, overconfidence, near-sightedness, normalization of risk. Example: Underestimating the severity of a future Tehran earthquake based on previous minor tremors. Social Pressure Reduction Mindset Crisis response prioritizes symbolic actions over practical solutions. Measures focus on reducing public criticism rather than actual preparedness. Biases: Ostrich effect, media-driven framing, selective risk perception. Example: Constructing emergency shelters that may not be operational during an actual disaster. Conservative Service-Oriented Mindset Emphasis on immediate, emotional responses rather than strategic long-term planning. Strong focus on public image and humanitarian aid, often at the cost of systemic crisis management. Biases: Emotional bias, groupthink, collective action bias. Example: High-profile rescue efforts for isolated cases while neglecting broader systemic needs. Nudging Strategies To counteract these biases, experts identified 44 nudging techniques, categorized as follows: Pre-crisis (23 nudges): Awareness campaigns, media strategies, early warning systems. During crisis (17 nudges): Structured crisis communication, trust-building, decision support systems. Post-crisis (4 nudges): Transparency measures, public trust restoration. Conclusion Crisis management in Iran is heavily influenced by behavioral biases, leading to reactive rather than proactive strategies. The three mental models—optimism bias, social pressure reduction, and conservative service orientation—explain many of the challenges observed in disaster response. These biases contribute to: Delayed responses. Symbolic decision-making. Emotion-driven rather than strategic crisis management. Behavioral nudges provide cost-effective interventions that can help crisis managers make better, evidence-based decisions by subtly steering them toward rational choices. This study offers valuable insights into the intersection of behavioral economics and disaster risk reduction. Future research should focus on experimentally validating nudging interventions to assess their real-world effectiveness in crisis management.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9254_949509debfe8859d29354249c2ca799e.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Development of a Stratified Model of Export Incentives in Free Trade Zones With the ISM Approach(Case study: Aras Free Trade Zone) Development of a Stratified Model of Export Incentives in Free Trade Zones With the ISM Approach(Case study: Aras Free Trade Zone) 189 216 9434 10.22111/jmr.2024.46954.6080 FA Samad KHabbaz Bavil Assistant professor, Department of Business Management, Payame Noor university, Tehran, Iran. Reza Norouzi Ajirloo Assistant professor, Department of Business Management, Payame Noor university, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0001-5787-6140 Moslem Soleymanpor Assistant professor, Department of Business Management, Payame Noor university, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2023 10 16 Abstract The country's free trade zones have always been one of the basic issues of the officials and economic policymakers of the Islamic Republic of Iran; As by examining the country's macroeconomic policies and five-year development plans, it is clear that the export-oriented development of free zones is considered one of the most important economic issues in the country's upstream documents. Based on this, the governments in the Islamic Republic of Iran are trying to provide opportunities for increasing the export of free trade zones in the country by providing export stimuli in different formats and forms. The present article, while identifying the influential export drivers in free trade zones centered on Aras Free Zone, has attempted to stratify and determine their relationships in the form of a structural-interpretive model (ISM). Introduction Export is not just a word, but it has great and extensive consequences in terms of the development of the country, the promotion of social welfare, employment and especially the employment of the country's educated manpower, the promotion of national power and the links of the national economy with the world economy; And in this way, it effectively helps to maintain and maintain national security. The development of free zones, focusing on export markets, will use the vast human, physical, and natural resources of the country in an optimal and efficient manner, and due to industrial connections, with its extensive diffusion and induction effects, it will lead to the prosperity of the national economy. In recent years, several measures have been taken, including the establishment of export incentives, in order to develop the export of free zones in the country. According to the annual reports of the Trade Development Organization of Iran, despite the increase in non-oil exports, this increase is not what the country and its potential deserve. Among the reasons that have had an important effect on this issue is the level of perception of export drivers and not paying attention to their mutual effects. Based on this, this article tries to stratify and determine their relationships in the form of a structural model, due to Iran's potential in exporting free trade zones and its role in the country's economic mobility. make an interpretation It is hoped that the results of this research will be taken into consideration by the decision makers and planners of the export development of the country's free trade zones. Case study Since the ISM method has a qualitative approach and is based on the opinions of experts, the opinions of 23 experts in the field of export in Aras Free Zone have been used. Materials and Methods The current research is a descriptive-applied research that was conducted in the field in terms of methodology; And the library method has been used as a complementary method in this research. In a step-by-step approach using library studies and conducting interviews with experts, first the important drivers and their main indicators in the development of exports of free trade zones centered on Aras Free Zone were determined. Then, an interview card was compiled for the leveling of export drivers identified in the Aras Free Zone. The desired information was collected in the form of field research from companies producing products at the level of Aras Free Trade Zone. An expert-oriented approach was used to analyze the information in the form of structural-interpretive modeling method; The findings of which are presented based on the views and opinions of the experts of the statistical research community, in the form of different matrices and finally the stratified model of the relations of export drivers in free economic zones, centered on Aras Free Zone. Discussion and Results The final and main result of the research includes an integrated model of export drivers in free trade zones, centered on Aras Free Zone, in a hierarchy with one-way or two-way relations. free zones are obtained; And it helps managers and decision-makers in the field of trade and export of the country to have a comprehensive view and attitude of the complex relationships between the drivers affecting the export field of free zones. This issue also enables managers and decision makers to have proper order and direction in their policies and to identify priorities. The model obtained from the research shows four drivers: 1- delegation of authority to the provinces and decentralization in export planning and development, 2- development of commercial and export infrastructure, 3- transparency of laws and elimination of redundant regulations in the export process, 4- formation of tables Export specialization is one of the basic factors in the development of exports of free zones based on the opinion of experts in the statistical research community. Five drivers: 1- Development and strengthening of export enterprises and organizations, 2- Market research and marketing in the target countries for export, 3- Reforming the pricing process of export products, 4- Development and promotion of parts packaging, 5- Development and attraction of foreign investment in the regions Free trade of the country is among the final drivers in the integrated leveling model of export drivers in the free zone of Aras. Of course, according to the return relations in the research model, export stimuli are also influential on their basic stimuli. If by examining the MICMAC matrix, most of the export drivers are located in the linked area or close to it; This issue indicates that most of the export drivers in the free trade zones of Ares have effective relationships and are influenced by each other. Abstract The country's free trade zones have always been one of the basic issues of the officials and economic policymakers of the Islamic Republic of Iran; As by examining the country's macroeconomic policies and five-year development plans, it is clear that the export-oriented development of free zones is considered one of the most important economic issues in the country's upstream documents. Based on this, the governments in the Islamic Republic of Iran are trying to provide opportunities for increasing the export of free trade zones in the country by providing export stimuli in different formats and forms. The present article, while identifying the influential export drivers in free trade zones centered on Aras Free Zone, has attempted to stratify and determine their relationships in the form of a structural-interpretive model (ISM). Introduction Export is not just a word, but it has great and extensive consequences in terms of the development of the country, the promotion of social welfare, employment and especially the employment of the country's educated manpower, the promotion of national power and the links of the national economy with the world economy; And in this way, it effectively helps to maintain and maintain national security. The development of free zones, focusing on export markets, will use the vast human, physical, and natural resources of the country in an optimal and efficient manner, and due to industrial connections, with its extensive diffusion and induction effects, it will lead to the prosperity of the national economy. In recent years, several measures have been taken, including the establishment of export incentives, in order to develop the export of free zones in the country. According to the annual reports of the Trade Development Organization of Iran, despite the increase in non-oil exports, this increase is not what the country and its potential deserve. Among the reasons that have had an important effect on this issue is the level of perception of export drivers and not paying attention to their mutual effects. Based on this, this article tries to stratify and determine their relationships in the form of a structural model, due to Iran's potential in exporting free trade zones and its role in the country's economic mobility. make an interpretation It is hoped that the results of this research will be taken into consideration by the decision makers and planners of the export development of the country's free trade zones. Case study Since the ISM method has a qualitative approach and is based on the opinions of experts, the opinions of 23 experts in the field of export in Aras Free Zone have been used. Materials and Methods The current research is a descriptive-applied research that was conducted in the field in terms of methodology; And the library method has been used as a complementary method in this research. In a step-by-step approach using library studies and conducting interviews with experts, first the important drivers and their main indicators in the development of exports of free trade zones centered on Aras Free Zone were determined. Then, an interview card was compiled for the leveling of export drivers identified in the Aras Free Zone. The desired information was collected in the form of field research from companies producing products at the level of Aras Free Trade Zone. An expert-oriented approach was used to analyze the information in the form of structural-interpretive modeling method; The findings of which are presented based on the views and opinions of the experts of the statistical research community, in the form of different matrices and finally the stratified model of the relations of export drivers in free economic zones, centered on Aras Free Zone. Discussion and Results The final and main result of the research includes an integrated model of export drivers in free trade zones, centered on Aras Free Zone, in a hierarchy with one-way or two-way relations. free zones are obtained; And it helps managers and decision-makers in the field of trade and export of the country to have a comprehensive view and attitude of the complex relationships between the drivers affecting the export field of free zones. This issue also enables managers and decision makers to have proper order and direction in their policies and to identify priorities. The model obtained from the research shows four drivers: 1- delegation of authority to the provinces and decentralization in export planning and development, 2- development of commercial and export infrastructure, 3- transparency of laws and elimination of redundant regulations in the export process, 4- formation of tables Export specialization is one of the basic factors in the development of exports of free zones based on the opinion of experts in the statistical research community. Five drivers: 1- Development and strengthening of export enterprises and organizations, 2- Market research and marketing in the target countries for export, 3- Reforming the pricing process of export products, 4- Development and promotion of parts packaging, 5- Development and attraction of foreign investment in the regions Free trade of the country is among the final drivers in the integrated leveling model of export drivers in the free zone of Aras. Of course, according to the return relations in the research model, export stimuli are also influential on their basic stimuli. If by examining the MICMAC matrix, most of the export drivers are located in the linked area or close to it; This issue indicates that most of the export drivers in the free trade zones of Ares have effective relationships and are influenced by each other.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9434_6c253144880be03b1b0c449699602abc.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Investigating the Mediating Role of Social Capital, Organizational Citizen behavior and Organizational Agility in the Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Organizational Innovation Investigating the Mediating Role of Social Capital, Organizational Citizen behavior and Organizational Agility in the Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Organizational Innovation 217 250 9255 10.22111/jmr.2025.50321.6286 FA Reza Fathi Department of Energy, Materials and Energy Research Center, karaj, Iran. Somayeh Negahdari Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences. Payame Noor University. Tehran , Iran. Mohammad Hasan Seyf Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences. Payame Noor University. Tehran, Iran. Jalil Hosein Poor MA, Department of Educational Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2024 11 23 Abstract The overall objective of this study is to investigate the mediating role of social capital, organizational citizenship behavior, and organizational agility in the relationship between psychological capital and organizational innovation in education in the Azadegan Plain. The research method was descriptive-correlation and field data collection. The statistical population of the research includes the educators of Azadegan Plain, whose number was 300. To collect data from Luthans psychological capital questionnaire (2007), Jimenez-Jimens et al.'s organizational innovation (2008), Nahapit and Ghoshal's social capital (1998), Sharifi and Young's (2000) organizational agility, Podsakoff et al.'s organizational citizenship behavior. (1991), was used. The structural equation modeling approach was used to analyze the data. The results showed that hope has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation, self-efficacy has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation. Optimism has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation and resilience has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Social capital has a direct effect on citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation. Citizenship behavior has a direct effect on organizational agility and organizational innovation, and organizational agility has a direct effect on organizational innovation. Introduction Today, the success of schools also depends to some extent on the willingness of teachers to perform activities beyond the established requirements to achieve the school's goals (Karimi, 2019). Considering that the Education Organization considers a teacher to be one of the most important educational and service institutions that have an important position in the improvement and prosperity of society, increasing attention to the role of teachers' psychological capital is necessary to improve the quality of teachers' lives (Mohammadi and Dashti-Chahgahi, 2019). Psychological capital is known as a force for individual advancement, improving individual performance, and increasing competitive advantage (Heidari Sarban, 2013). Also, today, innovation has been raised as a fundamental challenge for organizational survival and success. Innovation is the application of new ideas resulting from creativity, which can be a new product, a new service, or a new way of doing things. Research shows that organizational innovation requires social capital (Rezaei et al., 2016), because social capital creates the basis for innovation (Faccian et al., 2016) and continuous improvement and synergy in performance. Today, managers want employees with organizational citizenship behavior or extra-role behaviors (Selajegheh and Ahmadzadeh, 2015). Organizational citizenship behavior can be considered important in the light of organizational agility to achieve organizational goals (Seydi Qahfarkhi et al., 2019). Considering the above, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of psychological capital components on organizational innovation: the mediating role of social capital, organizational citizenship behavior, and organizational agility. Case study According to the research objective, the statistical population of this study includes education educators in the Azadegan Plain in the academic year 2022-2023, which numbered 2000 people. 300 questionnaires were distributed and collected among them. Materials and Methods This research is an applied research in terms of purpose and descriptive- survey based on the method. To collect data, Luthans's Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) (2007), Jimenez-Jimenez et al.'s Organizational Innovation (2008), Nahapit and Ghoshal's Social Capital (1998), Sharifi and Zhang's Organizational Agility (2000), and Podsakoff et al.'s Organizational Citizenship Behavior (1991) were used. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by the Cronbach’s alpha method and its validity by the factor analysis method. Structural equation modeling and Amose software were used to test the research hypotheses. Discussion and Results The results showed that hope has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Self-efficacy also has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Resilience has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Hope also has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. The results also showed that social capital has a direct and positive effect on organizational citizenship, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Citizenship behavior has a direct and positive effect on organizational agility and organizational innovation, and ultimately organizational agility has a direct and positive effect on organizational innovation. Conclusion The review of the research literature shows that the education organization is considered one of the most important educational and service institutions of a country, which has an important place in the improvement and prosperity of society, therefore, increasing attention to the role of psychological capital of teachers is necessary to improve the quality of life of teachers. Humanities researchers believe that the root of many psychological and social problems such as stress, frustration, anxiety, depression and hopelessness, feelings of helplessness, loneliness, reduced social tolerance, etc. lies in the low level of psychological capital of individuals, societies and nations, and that these problems can be combated by strengthening psychological capital. Psychological capital is known as a force for individual advancement, improving individual performance, and increasing competitive advantage. Also, innovation has been raised as a fundamental challenge for organizational survival and success today. Therefore, in today's world, if an organization does not take serious action towards innovation, it will definitely face failure because the development of science and technology and the introduction of new goods and products is so great that non-dynamic and non-innovative organizations quickly leave the competitive scene and lose the ability to influence and deal with new issues, and become closed and isolated organizations, which causes the organization to lag behind and fail to successfully carry out its organizational missions. Abstract The overall objective of this study is to investigate the mediating role of social capital, organizational citizenship behavior, and organizational agility in the relationship between psychological capital and organizational innovation in education in the Azadegan Plain. The research method was descriptive-correlation and field data collection. The statistical population of the research includes the educators of Azadegan Plain, whose number was 300. To collect data from Luthans psychological capital questionnaire (2007), Jimenez-Jimens et al.'s organizational innovation (2008), Nahapit and Ghoshal's social capital (1998), Sharifi and Young's (2000) organizational agility, Podsakoff et al.'s organizational citizenship behavior. (1991), was used. The structural equation modeling approach was used to analyze the data. The results showed that hope has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation, self-efficacy has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation. Optimism has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation and resilience has a direct effect on social capital, citizenship behavior, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Social capital has a direct effect on citizenship behavior, organizational agility and organizational innovation. Citizenship behavior has a direct effect on organizational agility and organizational innovation, and organizational agility has a direct effect on organizational innovation. Introduction Today, the success of schools also depends to some extent on the willingness of teachers to perform activities beyond the established requirements to achieve the school's goals (Karimi, 2019). Considering that the Education Organization considers a teacher to be one of the most important educational and service institutions that have an important position in the improvement and prosperity of society, increasing attention to the role of teachers' psychological capital is necessary to improve the quality of teachers' lives (Mohammadi and Dashti-Chahgahi, 2019). Psychological capital is known as a force for individual advancement, improving individual performance, and increasing competitive advantage (Heidari Sarban, 2013). Also, today, innovation has been raised as a fundamental challenge for organizational survival and success. Innovation is the application of new ideas resulting from creativity, which can be a new product, a new service, or a new way of doing things. Research shows that organizational innovation requires social capital (Rezaei et al., 2016), because social capital creates the basis for innovation (Faccian et al., 2016) and continuous improvement and synergy in performance. Today, managers want employees with organizational citizenship behavior or extra-role behaviors (Selajegheh and Ahmadzadeh, 2015). Organizational citizenship behavior can be considered important in the light of organizational agility to achieve organizational goals (Seydi Qahfarkhi et al., 2019). Considering the above, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of psychological capital components on organizational innovation: the mediating role of social capital, organizational citizenship behavior, and organizational agility. Case study According to the research objective, the statistical population of this study includes education educators in the Azadegan Plain in the academic year 2022-2023, which numbered 2000 people. 300 questionnaires were distributed and collected among them. Materials and Methods This research is an applied research in terms of purpose and descriptive- survey based on the method. To collect data, Luthans's Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) (2007), Jimenez-Jimenez et al.'s Organizational Innovation (2008), Nahapit and Ghoshal's Social Capital (1998), Sharifi and Zhang's Organizational Agility (2000), and Podsakoff et al.'s Organizational Citizenship Behavior (1991) were used. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by the Cronbach’s alpha method and its validity by the factor analysis method. Structural equation modeling and Amose software were used to test the research hypotheses. Discussion and Results The results showed that hope has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Self-efficacy also has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Resilience has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Hope also has a direct and positive effect on social capital, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. The results also showed that social capital has a direct and positive effect on organizational citizenship, organizational agility, and organizational innovation. Citizenship behavior has a direct and positive effect on organizational agility and organizational innovation, and ultimately organizational agility has a direct and positive effect on organizational innovation. Conclusion The review of the research literature shows that the education organization is considered one of the most important educational and service institutions of a country, which has an important place in the improvement and prosperity of society, therefore, increasing attention to the role of psychological capital of teachers is necessary to improve the quality of life of teachers. Humanities researchers believe that the root of many psychological and social problems such as stress, frustration, anxiety, depression and hopelessness, feelings of helplessness, loneliness, reduced social tolerance, etc. lies in the low level of psychological capital of individuals, societies and nations, and that these problems can be combated by strengthening psychological capital. Psychological capital is known as a force for individual advancement, improving individual performance, and increasing competitive advantage. Also, innovation has been raised as a fundamental challenge for organizational survival and success today. Therefore, in today's world, if an organization does not take serious action towards innovation, it will definitely face failure because the development of science and technology and the introduction of new goods and products is so great that non-dynamic and non-innovative organizations quickly leave the competitive scene and lose the ability to influence and deal with new issues, and become closed and isolated organizations, which causes the organization to lag behind and fail to successfully carry out its organizational missions.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9255_9198fd11dd64886f152a06469e1086b2.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Understanding the Impact of Leadership Capital on the Empowerment of Human Resources; Analysis of the Mediating Role of Leaders' Empowering Behaviors Understanding the Impact of Leadership Capital on the Empowerment of Human Resources; Analysis of the Mediating Role of Leaders' Empowering Behaviors 251 286 9251 10.22111/jmr.2025.48143.6158 FA Amirhoushang Nazarpouri Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran. Ali Shariatnejad Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran. Ali Omidi PhD Public Administration, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran. Journal Article 2024 03 04 Abstract Today, according to the rapid growth of technology in the competitive space of organizations and the emergence of challenges in the field of human resources, in order to prevent the weakening of human capital as the most valuable capital of organizations, against these challenges and to improve their performance, human resources must be empowered. Attention mode. One of the influential factors in this field is the role of leaders and their empowering behaviors. Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of understanding the impact of leadership capital on the empowerment of human resources with the mediating role of leaders' empowering behaviors. This research is based on the practical purpose and in terms of the descriptive survey method with the approach of structural equations. The statistical population of the research is the managers and employees of the government organizations of Lorestan province, which was determined using Cochran's formula and the confidence level was 95/. The number of sample members was determined as 384 people and these people were selected by simple random sampling method. In this research, the questionnaires of Bannister et al. (2015), Spritenzer and Mischer (1992) and Larikova (2013) were used to collect information, and their validity and reliability were confirmed by content validity and Cronbach's alpha. The structural equation modeling method and PLS software were used to test the hypotheses and analyze the data. The findings of the research show that capital-leadership has a positive and significant effect on the empowerment of human resources and the empowering behaviors of leaders. Therefore, as a general conclusion, it should be said that managers and leaders who have leadership capital can take effective steps towards empowering human resources in government organizations. Introduction Change is an element for the survival of the fittest, so that today, in a competitive era, there is a need for talented and competent leaders who cultivate efficient and skilled workforce by displaying their empowering behaviors (Ostanov, 2022). In fact, considering that human resources play a key role in the implementation of organizational operations, leaders who empower human resources with their behavior are an important necessity (Gelencser & et al, 2024). On the other hand, there are various methods to increase employee productivity in order to advance the organization's goals, one of which is human resource empowerment (vanova & scheve, 2020). One of the arts of skilled managers and leaders is to identify talented people in the organization and empower them to become a skilled workforce (Stano, 2022). Based on this index, it can be concluded that a large part of the inefficiency of the workforce is related to the lack of detailed employee empowerment programs in organizations, the main task of which is to develop and implement them is the responsibility of the managers and leaders of the organization; therefore, if leaders show empowering behaviors and provide detailed workforce empowerment programs, it is expected that this issue will improve and the workforce empowerment rate will show a better number. In addition to what was said, what deepens the research issue and makes this research necessary and important is the theoretical and empirical gap in the research. By reviewing the literature and background, it was determined that there is a theoretical and empirical gap regarding the research topic. In this regard, the title should be In the field of domestic research, no research has been conducted that attempts to explain the role of leadership capital and empowering behaviors of leaders on human resource empowerment. It can be acknowledged that none of the studies have examined the mediating role of empowering behaviors of leaders, and in a way, it can be said that this is the innovative aspect and knowledge-enhancing contribution of the present study. So, as mentioned above, what makes the importance of conducting the present study doubly important is the theoretical and practical gap regarding the research topic; therefore, the present study, by explaining the types of empowering behaviors of leaders and their role in empowering human resources, tries to reduce the research gap and theoretical vacuum related to this issue. Materials and Methods The present study is an applied research in terms of its purpose and a descriptive survey in terms of its data collection method with a structural equation modeling approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) enables researchers to simultaneously model and estimate complex relationships between multiple dependent variables. The concepts under study are usually unobservable (latent) and are indirectly measured by variables with multiple indicators (Hayer, 2021). The statistical population of the study consists of managers and employees of government organizations in Lorestan province. Given that the size of the statistical population in this study is limited and specific to 178,000 government employees in Lorestan province, the Cochran sample calculation formula was used to determine the sample size, and based on that, the sample size was determined at a confidence level of 0.95 equal to 384 people and the sample members were selected using simple random sampling. The data collection tool in this study is a standard questionnaire. Discussion and Results The results of this study indicate that employee empowerment depends to a large extent on the behaviors, plans, and strategies of organizational leaders. By having empowering behaviors and creating favorable conditions for employees, leaders increase their sense of competence, so that employees become risk-takers and more interested in facing new challenges to learn more, instead of being afraid of failure or inability to do difficult tasks. The results of the study included testing the main hypotheses of the study, in which the effect of leadership capital on leaders' empowering behaviors and human resource empowerment was measured using structural equation modeling. The results of the hypotheses separately indicate that all research hypotheses were confirmed at a confidence level of 0.95. Given the research results and the types of empowering behaviors of leaders, some of the important strategies that can be followed in this regard are presented below: 1- Based on the research findings, sharing power is one of the empowering behaviors of leaders, and in this regard, it is suggested that managers strengthen the decision-making ability of employees by decentralizing and provide the necessary basis for increasing the motivation, speed, efficiency, and continuous effort of employees, making better use of the ideas of elites, and avoiding scattered decisions in the organization. 2- The research results indicate that delegation of authority and independence play an important role in empowering employees. Therefore, it is suggested that managers give their employees freedom of action and independence in their work so that they can determine the method and speed of performing the task themselves. To implement this suggestion, it is recommended that managers and supervisors use the Eisenhower Matrix, which shows them well which activities and tasks are best to delegate. 3- According to the research findings, it is suggested that leaders take action through team building, establishing trust-based communications, and encouraging teamwork to accomplish important tasks, because establishing trust-based communications among group members results in knowledge sharing in the organization, increases employee participation, and enhances their creativity, innovation, and problem-solving capabilities, and provides an ideal cycle for reducing costs and improving organizational productivity. 4- The research findings show that granting responsibility is another empowering behavior of leaders. Granting responsibility is the most motivating and main factor in maintaining and retaining human resources, which is suggested by using human resources in decision-making and management processes in organizations, while increasing employee motivation, preventing the waste of knowledge and problem-solving skills, and guiding them towards the organization's goals. 5- Finally, considering the importance of self-development and self-management in empowering human resources, it is suggested that by training them, developing and implementing self-management programs, and continuously measuring the success of these programs, a step be taken to strengthen the empowerment of employees in the organization, and also to provide the basis for the growth and career advancement of employees. It is also suggested that future research in this field: examine the structural, legal, and managerial obstacles that exist in the way of each component of employee empowerment. Also, examine issues such as the interaction and combination of other individual and organizational variables that affect employee empowerment. Abstract Today, according to the rapid growth of technology in the competitive space of organizations and the emergence of challenges in the field of human resources, in order to prevent the weakening of human capital as the most valuable capital of organizations, against these challenges and to improve their performance, human resources must be empowered. Attention mode. One of the influential factors in this field is the role of leaders and their empowering behaviors. Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of understanding the impact of leadership capital on the empowerment of human resources with the mediating role of leaders' empowering behaviors. This research is based on the practical purpose and in terms of the descriptive survey method with the approach of structural equations. The statistical population of the research is the managers and employees of the government organizations of Lorestan province, which was determined using Cochran's formula and the confidence level was 95/. The number of sample members was determined as 384 people and these people were selected by simple random sampling method. In this research, the questionnaires of Bannister et al. (2015), Spritenzer and Mischer (1992) and Larikova (2013) were used to collect information, and their validity and reliability were confirmed by content validity and Cronbach's alpha. The structural equation modeling method and PLS software were used to test the hypotheses and analyze the data. The findings of the research show that capital-leadership has a positive and significant effect on the empowerment of human resources and the empowering behaviors of leaders. Therefore, as a general conclusion, it should be said that managers and leaders who have leadership capital can take effective steps towards empowering human resources in government organizations. Introduction Change is an element for the survival of the fittest, so that today, in a competitive era, there is a need for talented and competent leaders who cultivate efficient and skilled workforce by displaying their empowering behaviors (Ostanov, 2022). In fact, considering that human resources play a key role in the implementation of organizational operations, leaders who empower human resources with their behavior are an important necessity (Gelencser & et al, 2024). On the other hand, there are various methods to increase employee productivity in order to advance the organization's goals, one of which is human resource empowerment (vanova & scheve, 2020). One of the arts of skilled managers and leaders is to identify talented people in the organization and empower them to become a skilled workforce (Stano, 2022). Based on this index, it can be concluded that a large part of the inefficiency of the workforce is related to the lack of detailed employee empowerment programs in organizations, the main task of which is to develop and implement them is the responsibility of the managers and leaders of the organization; therefore, if leaders show empowering behaviors and provide detailed workforce empowerment programs, it is expected that this issue will improve and the workforce empowerment rate will show a better number. In addition to what was said, what deepens the research issue and makes this research necessary and important is the theoretical and empirical gap in the research. By reviewing the literature and background, it was determined that there is a theoretical and empirical gap regarding the research topic. In this regard, the title should be In the field of domestic research, no research has been conducted that attempts to explain the role of leadership capital and empowering behaviors of leaders on human resource empowerment. It can be acknowledged that none of the studies have examined the mediating role of empowering behaviors of leaders, and in a way, it can be said that this is the innovative aspect and knowledge-enhancing contribution of the present study. So, as mentioned above, what makes the importance of conducting the present study doubly important is the theoretical and practical gap regarding the research topic; therefore, the present study, by explaining the types of empowering behaviors of leaders and their role in empowering human resources, tries to reduce the research gap and theoretical vacuum related to this issue. Materials and Methods The present study is an applied research in terms of its purpose and a descriptive survey in terms of its data collection method with a structural equation modeling approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) enables researchers to simultaneously model and estimate complex relationships between multiple dependent variables. The concepts under study are usually unobservable (latent) and are indirectly measured by variables with multiple indicators (Hayer, 2021). The statistical population of the study consists of managers and employees of government organizations in Lorestan province. Given that the size of the statistical population in this study is limited and specific to 178,000 government employees in Lorestan province, the Cochran sample calculation formula was used to determine the sample size, and based on that, the sample size was determined at a confidence level of 0.95 equal to 384 people and the sample members were selected using simple random sampling. The data collection tool in this study is a standard questionnaire. Discussion and Results The results of this study indicate that employee empowerment depends to a large extent on the behaviors, plans, and strategies of organizational leaders. By having empowering behaviors and creating favorable conditions for employees, leaders increase their sense of competence, so that employees become risk-takers and more interested in facing new challenges to learn more, instead of being afraid of failure or inability to do difficult tasks. The results of the study included testing the main hypotheses of the study, in which the effect of leadership capital on leaders' empowering behaviors and human resource empowerment was measured using structural equation modeling. The results of the hypotheses separately indicate that all research hypotheses were confirmed at a confidence level of 0.95. Given the research results and the types of empowering behaviors of leaders, some of the important strategies that can be followed in this regard are presented below: 1- Based on the research findings, sharing power is one of the empowering behaviors of leaders, and in this regard, it is suggested that managers strengthen the decision-making ability of employees by decentralizing and provide the necessary basis for increasing the motivation, speed, efficiency, and continuous effort of employees, making better use of the ideas of elites, and avoiding scattered decisions in the organization. 2- The research results indicate that delegation of authority and independence play an important role in empowering employees. Therefore, it is suggested that managers give their employees freedom of action and independence in their work so that they can determine the method and speed of performing the task themselves. To implement this suggestion, it is recommended that managers and supervisors use the Eisenhower Matrix, which shows them well which activities and tasks are best to delegate. 3- According to the research findings, it is suggested that leaders take action through team building, establishing trust-based communications, and encouraging teamwork to accomplish important tasks, because establishing trust-based communications among group members results in knowledge sharing in the organization, increases employee participation, and enhances their creativity, innovation, and problem-solving capabilities, and provides an ideal cycle for reducing costs and improving organizational productivity. 4- The research findings show that granting responsibility is another empowering behavior of leaders. Granting responsibility is the most motivating and main factor in maintaining and retaining human resources, which is suggested by using human resources in decision-making and management processes in organizations, while increasing employee motivation, preventing the waste of knowledge and problem-solving skills, and guiding them towards the organization's goals. 5- Finally, considering the importance of self-development and self-management in empowering human resources, it is suggested that by training them, developing and implementing self-management programs, and continuously measuring the success of these programs, a step be taken to strengthen the empowerment of employees in the organization, and also to provide the basis for the growth and career advancement of employees. It is also suggested that future research in this field: examine the structural, legal, and managerial obstacles that exist in the way of each component of employee empowerment. Also, examine issues such as the interaction and combination of other individual and organizational variables that affect employee empowerment.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9251_5e98f47a0de8d3d6b426776018bd8691.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Presenting the Market Orientation Model of Knowledge-Based Companies Presenting the Market Orientation Model of Knowledge-Based Companies 287 322 9435 10.22111/jmr.2025.50959.6332 FA Banafshe Akbari Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Branch, Birjand, Iran. 0009-0004-7085-0980 Mahdi Mahmoudzade Vashan Assistant professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Branch, Birjand, Iran. Nour Mohammad Yaghoubi Professor of Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. 0000-0001-6808-0594 Mohammad Mohammadi Assistant professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Branch, Birjand, Iran. Journal Article 2025 01 31 Abstract In today's business environment, which is characterized by changes in consumer preferences, market liberalization, rapid technological advancement, and global competition, market orientation is recognized as a key competitive weapon. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of presenting a model of market orientation in knowledge-based companies in the country using a meta-synthesis method. And five dimensions of competitiveness, advantage orientation, customer orientation, innovation orientation, and technology orientation with 25 concepts and 145 codes were identified as factors affecting market orientation and development of these companies. Introduction In today's business environment, which is characterized by changes in consumer preferences, market liberalization, rapid technological progress and global competition, market orientation is known as a key competitive weapon (Gholipour et al., 2022: 86). However, in most developing countries, evidence suggests that the lack of market orientation in many businesses has often led to low levels of performance and higher risks of failure (Abbasi Esfenjani, 2024: 171). On the other hand, it should be acknowledged that the growing growth of financial markets and the development and development of new technologies in the infrastructure and software technology platforms has led many modern and special shapes to become a new form (Pizzurro et al., 2019) and working on science and technology (Emerzue et al., 2022). This form of new businesses known as knowledge -based companies are the motor for the knowledge -based economy (Bayat et al., 2021: 66). In our country, one of the most important focus on the policies of the Resistance Economics is the pioneer of knowledge -based economy and the support and expansion of internal knowledge -based companies (Imani et al., 2018: 292). However, in our country evidence suggests that despite the development and implementation of development programs, policy measures and various financial, tax, hardware and software facilities and incentives, many knowledge -based companies at a failure rate. There is high (Samadi Ansari et al., 2024: 192). Therefore, the present study attempts to present a market orientation model in knowledge -based companies by presenting an indigenous pattern that is appropriate to the country's contextual conditions and take a step towards resolving this issue. Case study The statistical population of this research includes all articles published in domestic and foreign scientific databases between 2004 and 2024, and finally 41 studies that were closely related to the subject under study were selected as a sample. Materials and Methods The research is of an applied type with an exploratory nature, and the meta-synthesis method (Sandelowski and Barroso's seven-step model (2007)) was used to collect data. Text analysis was also performed based on content analysis, and the dimensions and codes of the desired model were extracted. In addition, the Kappa index was used to examine the validity from the point of view of specialists and experts in the field of research and to measure reliability. Discussion and Results According to the analysis conducted using the content analysis method on 41 final studies, a total of 5 categories: competitiveness, advantage orientation, customer orientation, innovation orientation, and technology orientation, 25 concepts, and 146 indicators were discovered and labeled as factors affecting the development of market orientation in the country's knowledge-based companies in this study. Conclusion According to the studies conducted in this field and also according to the extraction of 146 indicators through the application of meta-synthesis method, it was determined that the factors affecting the development of market orientation in the country's knowledge-based companies are in five categories: competitiveness, advantage orientation, and customer orientation. , innovativeness and technological orientation, and the use of these factors can provide a suitable basis for the development and success of more knowledge-based companies in the country. Further, the findings of the research showed that the 7 components of research and development activities, competitive value creation, strategic competitiveness, intelligent behavior, opportunism, competitor analysis, principled pricing and strategic market orientation in the form of the concept of competitiveness; 5 components of strategic human capital, inter-functional coordination, emphasis on resources, market-oriented management and market-oriented capabilities in the form of the concept of advantage; 5 components of customer valuation, customer satisfaction, customer needs assessment, customer attraction and customer retention in the form of the concept of customer orientation; 5 components of distinctive products and services, idea-oriented, knowledge-oriented, management's commitment to innovation and management's innovative thinking in the form of the concept of innovation; And finally, 2 components of digital marketing and emphasis on new technologies in the form of the concept of technological orientation formed the foundations of the model of market orientation in the country's knowledge-based companies. Abstract In today's business environment, which is characterized by changes in consumer preferences, market liberalization, rapid technological advancement, and global competition, market orientation is recognized as a key competitive weapon. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of presenting a model of market orientation in knowledge-based companies in the country using a meta-synthesis method. And five dimensions of competitiveness, advantage orientation, customer orientation, innovation orientation, and technology orientation with 25 concepts and 145 codes were identified as factors affecting market orientation and development of these companies. Introduction In today's business environment, which is characterized by changes in consumer preferences, market liberalization, rapid technological progress and global competition, market orientation is known as a key competitive weapon (Gholipour et al., 2022: 86). However, in most developing countries, evidence suggests that the lack of market orientation in many businesses has often led to low levels of performance and higher risks of failure (Abbasi Esfenjani, 2024: 171). On the other hand, it should be acknowledged that the growing growth of financial markets and the development and development of new technologies in the infrastructure and software technology platforms has led many modern and special shapes to become a new form (Pizzurro et al., 2019) and working on science and technology (Emerzue et al., 2022). This form of new businesses known as knowledge -based companies are the motor for the knowledge -based economy (Bayat et al., 2021: 66). In our country, one of the most important focus on the policies of the Resistance Economics is the pioneer of knowledge -based economy and the support and expansion of internal knowledge -based companies (Imani et al., 2018: 292). However, in our country evidence suggests that despite the development and implementation of development programs, policy measures and various financial, tax, hardware and software facilities and incentives, many knowledge -based companies at a failure rate. There is high (Samadi Ansari et al., 2024: 192). Therefore, the present study attempts to present a market orientation model in knowledge -based companies by presenting an indigenous pattern that is appropriate to the country's contextual conditions and take a step towards resolving this issue. Case study The statistical population of this research includes all articles published in domestic and foreign scientific databases between 2004 and 2024, and finally 41 studies that were closely related to the subject under study were selected as a sample. Materials and Methods The research is of an applied type with an exploratory nature, and the meta-synthesis method (Sandelowski and Barroso's seven-step model (2007)) was used to collect data. Text analysis was also performed based on content analysis, and the dimensions and codes of the desired model were extracted. In addition, the Kappa index was used to examine the validity from the point of view of specialists and experts in the field of research and to measure reliability. Discussion and Results According to the analysis conducted using the content analysis method on 41 final studies, a total of 5 categories: competitiveness, advantage orientation, customer orientation, innovation orientation, and technology orientation, 25 concepts, and 146 indicators were discovered and labeled as factors affecting the development of market orientation in the country's knowledge-based companies in this study. Conclusion According to the studies conducted in this field and also according to the extraction of 146 indicators through the application of meta-synthesis method, it was determined that the factors affecting the development of market orientation in the country's knowledge-based companies are in five categories: competitiveness, advantage orientation, and customer orientation. , innovativeness and technological orientation, and the use of these factors can provide a suitable basis for the development and success of more knowledge-based companies in the country. Further, the findings of the research showed that the 7 components of research and development activities, competitive value creation, strategic competitiveness, intelligent behavior, opportunism, competitor analysis, principled pricing and strategic market orientation in the form of the concept of competitiveness; 5 components of strategic human capital, inter-functional coordination, emphasis on resources, market-oriented management and market-oriented capabilities in the form of the concept of advantage; 5 components of customer valuation, customer satisfaction, customer needs assessment, customer attraction and customer retention in the form of the concept of customer orientation; 5 components of distinctive products and services, idea-oriented, knowledge-oriented, management's commitment to innovation and management's innovative thinking in the form of the concept of innovation; And finally, 2 components of digital marketing and emphasis on new technologies in the form of the concept of technological orientation formed the foundations of the model of market orientation in the country's knowledge-based companies.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9435_f919854ae1d2861cc6f7624ac21a95c5.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Challenges of Using Cloud Computing in Acceptance of Enterprise Architectures in Small and Medium Enterprises Challenges of Using Cloud Computing in Acceptance of Enterprise Architectures in Small and Medium Enterprises 323 350 9437 10.22111/jmr.2025.51280.6350 FA Ahmad Bakhtiyari Shahri Department of Information Technology Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Faroogh Hasanzehi Master of Information Technology Engineering, , Department of Information Technology Engineering, Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Fereshteh Shahbazi Master of Science in Computer Engineering, Educational Administration, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran. Journal Article 2025 02 28 Abstract Today, information and communication technology in the world has progressed at an unimaginable speed, this technology has caused synergy due to convergence, however, threats such as information security and privacy of people are related to these technologies. This research was conducted with a qualitative and quantitative combined approach in three stages of open coding, central coding and selective coding. In order to validate the model, the interpretive research criteria of trustworthiness, transferability, dependability, and verifiability were used, and in order to measure the reliability of the interview, the within-subject agreement method was used. Finally, a questionnaire was designed to prioritize the challenges and the challenges were prioritized using the AHP method. The results showed that two infrastructure challenges and management-security challenges were identified as cloud-based enterprise architecture adoption challenges, the infrastructure challenge includes three sub-components of communication infrastructure, processing infrastructure and software challenges. In general, 29 coders were obtained through interviews. Finally, among the challenges, the management-security challenge was recognized as the most important challenge. Also, the security challenge was introduced as the most important sub-component of the management-security challenge and the software challenge as the most important sub-component of the infrastructure challenge in small and medium-sized companies. Introduction Modern organizations require continuous changes in their business to stay competitive. Many face challenges in aligning business processes with technology, especially in response to environmental changes. Enterprise architecture serves as a tool for managing change and helps control this process, but a lack of awareness of its challenges can lead to wasted time and costs. The development of information technology and cloud computing approaches has added complexities to IT governance. Cloud computing offers companies an opportunity to increase their capacities and provide rental services without the need for investing in infrastructure. Cloud computing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provides advanced technologies, high security, and enhanced capabilities, creating opportunities for growth and improved access to services, while adding strategic and operational value. Using cloud computing can help improve business operations and create real advantages for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but its adoption is still not satisfactory. Major challenges include the lack of specific standards, technological readiness, awareness, security issues, and trust concerns. In the literature, understanding the behavior of cloud computing adoption in SMEs—especially in developing countries—has not been sufficiently explored. Existing limited studies mainly focus on technical and initial aspects, and criticisms have been raised due to exploratory research and a focus on developed countries. Organizational architecture is also evolving and advancing; rich organizational architecture research describes the current state, but a comprehensive analysis of the challenges related to cloud architecture is necessary. Today, researchers have examined enterprise architecture from various perspectives, and numerous studies have been conducted regarding its frameworks and models. Additionally, success factors for enterprise architecture in organizations that have adopted it have been identified. Research highlights the benefits and challenges of adopting enterprise architecture, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises. The aim of this study is to understand and prioritize the challenges of adopting cloud-based enterprise architecture. Case study Numerous studies have been conducted related to enterprise architecture and cloud computing. Velayi and Mohemdi-Sefat (1400) designed a native cloud computing architecture model for the defense sector and provided frameworks for implementing local cloud computing. Farahi and Kardanian Maleki-Nejad (1399) emphasized the importance of cloud computing in human resource management and reducing maintenance costs. D’Pier and colleagues (1393) highlighted the significance of security architecture in cloud services, while Jafari (1392) examined various deployment models of cloud computing, such as public and private clouds. Alonso et al. (2023) provided a comprehensive overview of the challenges and multi-cloud architecture models in native application development and analyzed research trends in this field. Additionally, Achar (2022) demonstrated that cloud-based architecture can improve energy efficiency in software development and deployment processes, and Yu (2011) explored concepts and policies related to cloud computing architecture. Khalid Khan (2009), focusing on the impact of cloud computing features on enterprise architecture, identified challenges such as reduced organizational control over data and technology. Although extensive research has been conducted in the field of enterprise architecture and cloud computing, there has yet to be a study specifically examining the challenges of adopting cloud-based enterprise architecture in small and medium-sized enterprises. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate and analyze the challenges of adopting this type of architecture in small and medium-sized companies. Materials and Methods This study is based on an applied categorization goal and, in terms of implementation, employs a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) exploratory approach. The statistical population for the qualitative part includes experts in the fields of management and information technology, such as IT engineers and managers, who were selected through purposive sampling; 11 faculty members in the field of information technology engineering were chosen as the sample. In evaluating the quality of qualitative research, scientific rigor and accuracy replace the traditional validity and reliability criteria used in quantitative studies, since there are no specific tests for validity in qualitative research, and validity has a different meaning. During data collection and interpretation, both processes should be evaluated and validated. For the reliability of interviews, an intra-coder agreement method was used with two coders, resulting in an overall reliability of 78%, which exceeds the minimum threshold of 60% and is therefore confirmed. In the quantitative section, a pairwise comparison questionnaire was used for data collection, with its validity confirmed by expert faculty members. Reliability was assessed using the inconsistency index; if the inconsistency is less than 0.1, the questionnaire is considered valid. To identify challenges related to the adoption of enterprise architecture, multi-criteria decision-making models and the AHP technique were employed. The analysis steps included constructing a decision tree, designing an expert questionnaire, determining the weights of criteria, conducting pairwise comparisons of options, calculating priorities, and measuring consistency ratio. The data were analyzed using SPSS21 and Excel software. Discussion and Results This text examines the growing trend of cloud technology adoption in companies within the country and emphasizes its importance in improving organizational architecture. Despite the numerous benefits of cloud computing, the lack of a native secure model has led companies to resort to non-indigenous models, which creates challenges related to security and management. Interviews indicate that the main challenges in implementing cloud architecture fall into two categories: infrastructural (such as communications, processing, and software) and managerial-security (such as service management, operations, and security). Additionally, issues like the risk of infiltration and malicious attacks have been identified as common security challenges in various studies. The development of communication networks, a revolution in access to information, and the creation of global communities have made the need for robust infrastructure, proper maintenance, and management within organizations and technical, military, and research centers increasingly essential. Consequently, rapid technological advancement and the importance of planning and control in utilizing computing technologies are key points to prevent potential crises in this field. In this study, the results obtained from the AHP method indicated that the most significant challenges in cloud technology adoption are related to management-security issues, with security ranking first. Infrastructure challenges are in second place, and within this category, software challenges hold the highest priority. Security, as one of the key components, plays an important role in building user trust, and neglecting security controls can pose serious threats to companies. The aim of the study is to examine the challenges of adopting cloud-based enterprise architecture in small and medium-sized enterprises, which, as a result of international developments and standards—especially in the fields of electronic services and risk management—have experienced an increase in the type and severity of these challenges. Small and medium-sized companies need to prepare themselves to face these challenges. Conclusion To increase customer satisfaction, small and medium-sized enterprises must go beyond their clients' economic needs and develop a deep understanding of their customers. Achieving this goal requires suitable technical and business infrastructure, including the integration of customer information across all communication channels and the use of advanced analytical tools. Strategic utilization of cloud computing technology enables quick and cost-effective investment evaluation, data sharing, and process improvement. As a result, developing and localizing information technology within a cloud computing ecosystem necessitates coordination between industry, academia, and government. Challenges such as security, infrastructure, and organizational architecture must be addressed through cultural promotion and training. Additionally, small and medium-sized companies should focus on overcoming challenges related to communication infrastructure, cloud-based organizational architecture, and security, and find appropriate solutions for managerial and security issues. Ultimately, developing a cloud-based organizational architecture and paying attention to software and security concerns are key to progress in the country's information exchange environment. Abstract Today, information and communication technology in the world has progressed at an unimaginable speed, this technology has caused synergy due to convergence, however, threats such as information security and privacy of people are related to these technologies. This research was conducted with a qualitative and quantitative combined approach in three stages of open coding, central coding and selective coding. In order to validate the model, the interpretive research criteria of trustworthiness, transferability, dependability, and verifiability were used, and in order to measure the reliability of the interview, the within-subject agreement method was used. Finally, a questionnaire was designed to prioritize the challenges and the challenges were prioritized using the AHP method. The results showed that two infrastructure challenges and management-security challenges were identified as cloud-based enterprise architecture adoption challenges, the infrastructure challenge includes three sub-components of communication infrastructure, processing infrastructure and software challenges. In general, 29 coders were obtained through interviews. Finally, among the challenges, the management-security challenge was recognized as the most important challenge. Also, the security challenge was introduced as the most important sub-component of the management-security challenge and the software challenge as the most important sub-component of the infrastructure challenge in small and medium-sized companies. Introduction Modern organizations require continuous changes in their business to stay competitive. Many face challenges in aligning business processes with technology, especially in response to environmental changes. Enterprise architecture serves as a tool for managing change and helps control this process, but a lack of awareness of its challenges can lead to wasted time and costs. The development of information technology and cloud computing approaches has added complexities to IT governance. Cloud computing offers companies an opportunity to increase their capacities and provide rental services without the need for investing in infrastructure. Cloud computing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provides advanced technologies, high security, and enhanced capabilities, creating opportunities for growth and improved access to services, while adding strategic and operational value. Using cloud computing can help improve business operations and create real advantages for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but its adoption is still not satisfactory. Major challenges include the lack of specific standards, technological readiness, awareness, security issues, and trust concerns. In the literature, understanding the behavior of cloud computing adoption in SMEs—especially in developing countries—has not been sufficiently explored. Existing limited studies mainly focus on technical and initial aspects, and criticisms have been raised due to exploratory research and a focus on developed countries. Organizational architecture is also evolving and advancing; rich organizational architecture research describes the current state, but a comprehensive analysis of the challenges related to cloud architecture is necessary. Today, researchers have examined enterprise architecture from various perspectives, and numerous studies have been conducted regarding its frameworks and models. Additionally, success factors for enterprise architecture in organizations that have adopted it have been identified. Research highlights the benefits and challenges of adopting enterprise architecture, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises. The aim of this study is to understand and prioritize the challenges of adopting cloud-based enterprise architecture. Case study Numerous studies have been conducted related to enterprise architecture and cloud computing. Velayi and Mohemdi-Sefat (1400) designed a native cloud computing architecture model for the defense sector and provided frameworks for implementing local cloud computing. Farahi and Kardanian Maleki-Nejad (1399) emphasized the importance of cloud computing in human resource management and reducing maintenance costs. D’Pier and colleagues (1393) highlighted the significance of security architecture in cloud services, while Jafari (1392) examined various deployment models of cloud computing, such as public and private clouds. Alonso et al. (2023) provided a comprehensive overview of the challenges and multi-cloud architecture models in native application development and analyzed research trends in this field. Additionally, Achar (2022) demonstrated that cloud-based architecture can improve energy efficiency in software development and deployment processes, and Yu (2011) explored concepts and policies related to cloud computing architecture. Khalid Khan (2009), focusing on the impact of cloud computing features on enterprise architecture, identified challenges such as reduced organizational control over data and technology. Although extensive research has been conducted in the field of enterprise architecture and cloud computing, there has yet to be a study specifically examining the challenges of adopting cloud-based enterprise architecture in small and medium-sized enterprises. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate and analyze the challenges of adopting this type of architecture in small and medium-sized companies. Materials and Methods This study is based on an applied categorization goal and, in terms of implementation, employs a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) exploratory approach. The statistical population for the qualitative part includes experts in the fields of management and information technology, such as IT engineers and managers, who were selected through purposive sampling; 11 faculty members in the field of information technology engineering were chosen as the sample. In evaluating the quality of qualitative research, scientific rigor and accuracy replace the traditional validity and reliability criteria used in quantitative studies, since there are no specific tests for validity in qualitative research, and validity has a different meaning. During data collection and interpretation, both processes should be evaluated and validated. For the reliability of interviews, an intra-coder agreement method was used with two coders, resulting in an overall reliability of 78%, which exceeds the minimum threshold of 60% and is therefore confirmed. In the quantitative section, a pairwise comparison questionnaire was used for data collection, with its validity confirmed by expert faculty members. Reliability was assessed using the inconsistency index; if the inconsistency is less than 0.1, the questionnaire is considered valid. To identify challenges related to the adoption of enterprise architecture, multi-criteria decision-making models and the AHP technique were employed. The analysis steps included constructing a decision tree, designing an expert questionnaire, determining the weights of criteria, conducting pairwise comparisons of options, calculating priorities, and measuring consistency ratio. The data were analyzed using SPSS21 and Excel software. Discussion and Results This text examines the growing trend of cloud technology adoption in companies within the country and emphasizes its importance in improving organizational architecture. Despite the numerous benefits of cloud computing, the lack of a native secure model has led companies to resort to non-indigenous models, which creates challenges related to security and management. Interviews indicate that the main challenges in implementing cloud architecture fall into two categories: infrastructural (such as communications, processing, and software) and managerial-security (such as service management, operations, and security). Additionally, issues like the risk of infiltration and malicious attacks have been identified as common security challenges in various studies. The development of communication networks, a revolution in access to information, and the creation of global communities have made the need for robust infrastructure, proper maintenance, and management within organizations and technical, military, and research centers increasingly essential. Consequently, rapid technological advancement and the importance of planning and control in utilizing computing technologies are key points to prevent potential crises in this field. In this study, the results obtained from the AHP method indicated that the most significant challenges in cloud technology adoption are related to management-security issues, with security ranking first. Infrastructure challenges are in second place, and within this category, software challenges hold the highest priority. Security, as one of the key components, plays an important role in building user trust, and neglecting security controls can pose serious threats to companies. The aim of the study is to examine the challenges of adopting cloud-based enterprise architecture in small and medium-sized enterprises, which, as a result of international developments and standards—especially in the fields of electronic services and risk management—have experienced an increase in the type and severity of these challenges. Small and medium-sized companies need to prepare themselves to face these challenges. Conclusion To increase customer satisfaction, small and medium-sized enterprises must go beyond their clients' economic needs and develop a deep understanding of their customers. Achieving this goal requires suitable technical and business infrastructure, including the integration of customer information across all communication channels and the use of advanced analytical tools. Strategic utilization of cloud computing technology enables quick and cost-effective investment evaluation, data sharing, and process improvement. As a result, developing and localizing information technology within a cloud computing ecosystem necessitates coordination between industry, academia, and government. Challenges such as security, infrastructure, and organizational architecture must be addressed through cultural promotion and training. Additionally, small and medium-sized companies should focus on overcoming challenges related to communication infrastructure, cloud-based organizational architecture, and security, and find appropriate solutions for managerial and security issues. Ultimately, developing a cloud-based organizational architecture and paying attention to software and security concerns are key to progress in the country's information exchange environment.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9437_68a12735b0c20cccbaba704e14f970b3.pdf

University of Sistan and Baluchestan & Iranian Academy of Management Sciences Public Management Researches 2538-3418 18 69 2025 09 23 Designing and Validating the Lean Governance Model in Government Governance Designing and Validating the Lean Governance Model in Government Governance 351 385 9438 10.22111/jmr.2025.46231.6038 FA Fazel Saydi Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Yadegar Imam Khomeini Urban Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Morteza Mousakhani Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Sedigheh Tootian Esfahani Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Shahrzad Tayaran Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Management, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2023 07 23 Abstract The main goal of the current research is to design and validate the lean government model in government governance in Iran. In terms of paradigms, the present research is in the exploration phase of the interpretive model and in the test phase of the proof-oriented model, in terms of general pragmatism, and in terms of audience studies. The research sample in the qualitative phase of the academic field includes university professors, academic staff members and public sector managers, and a total of 15 experts were interviewed to collect qualitative data. The research approach is mixed and the strategy used is theme analysis using MAXQDA software. A research questionnaire was developed to collect quantitative data in accordance with exploratory factor analysis. In the quantitative section, 199 people were examined as the final sample of the research using G power sample size software at the alpha level of 0.1 and test power of 0.85%. The path analysis test of the exploratory model was also examined according to the variance-based structural equation modeling algorithm using SPSS, 24 and Smart:PLS, 3 software. The research results showed that 33 indicators and 7 predictors (lean government services, lean service management, lean performance improvement, platform-based governance, lean system design and lean government) were identified for this purpose. Introduction The current global economic landscape, marked by a significant decline in growth from 6.1% in 2021 to 3.6% in 2022 (IMF, 2022), necessitates a proactive, strategic shift in governmental operations, consistent with the actor-centered institutionalism approach. In response to escalating economic and social crises, governments are compelled to adopt new operational models (May, 2022; Puchet, 2022). The Lean Government concept has emerged as a crucial, technology-driven paradigm to meet this need. It represents an evolution beyond traditional models like e-government, focusing on optimizing activities, enhancing efficiency, and eliminating waste and costs to improve the value stream of public services (Bain, 1937; Schlein, 2007; Thompson & Venters, 2021; Haruna et al., 2019). This approach redefines the government's role from "rowing" to "steering" (Noru, 2020), acting as a coordinator to build trust and strengthen citizen relations through information sharing and process simplification (Caudle, 2018; Janssen & Estevez, 2013; Loduijkszak, 2018). Despite its demonstrated success in developed nations, Lean Government remains a novel and underexplored academic construct, facing significant research gaps. A review of major databases indicates limited scholarly output, with only a small number of specific articles indexed on the subject (Scopus data, 1996-2022), highlighting a critical need to enrich its theoretical foundations. The existing body of knowledge is further limited by a scarcity of empirical research and practical frameworks, especially concerning its application in developing countries. This lack of research that accounts for unique cultural, environmental, and political-economic contexts presents a substantial challenge to localizing and effectively implementing Lean Government methodologies. This study is thus motivated by both a theoretical imperative and a pressing practical need. In nations like Iran, characterized by high bureaucracy, inefficiency, and economic pressures, the core focus of Lean Government—doing more with fewer resources—offers a vital solution to current public administration challenges. By employing a mixed and exploratory approach, the research aims to address the identified theoretical gaps while providing policymakers and public administration leaders with a refined, context-specific model for implementation. The central goal is to define the operational framework, culminating in the research question: "What is themodel of Lean Government in governmental governance?" Materials and Methods The research operates under pragmatist philosophical assumptions, employing a mixed-methods approach that is interpretive during the model discovery phase and positivist during the model testing phase. The core analytical techniques used were Thematic Analysis (based on Clarke's (2006) method) and Quantitative Sensitivity Analysis.The study followed two main stages. The qualitative phase utilized an in-depth literature review and in-depth interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 experts (university faculty and senior government managers). Data were managed using Maxqda software to extract sub-themes (model indicators) and main themes (main research variables) through an iterative coding process.The quantitative phase focused on model testing. Data were collected via random sampling from a statistical population of public sector managers within a government ministry. The appropriate sample size for this phase was determined using G-POWER specialized software.The qualitative validity was assessed based on Creswell's (2007) perspectives, employing three methods: participant viewpoint matching (corrective coding after expert review), colleague review (achieving over 80% coding agreement among three experts), and participatory validity (incorporating participant input during the coding process).For quantitative analysis, the measurement instrument's content validity was confirmed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) confirmed the sample adequacy (Bartlett's Sig <0.05) and the variables' unidimensionality, with all 7 variables showing coefficients greater than 0.7. Given the newly discovered nature of the model, variance-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques were used for validation, following Hair's (2009) recommendation. Finally, the main themes were transformed into the final Lean Government model using sensitivity analysis. Discussion and Results The findings of the present study can be of scientific value in two respects. Firstly, given that Lean Government is a novel concept, exploratory research can contribute to its theoretical enrichment. Secondly, since the present study is based on the natural setting of the research and the localization of conducted studies, its results can have practical relevance in the governmental and governance sectors of Iran. The reason for this relates to the current state of the government institution. In the present circumstances, the government in Iran faces numerous challenges, including issues such as administrative corruption, politicization of bureaucracy, inefficiency, reduction of financial resources, etc. These factors have, on the one hand, placed the government institution in a disorganized state and, on the other hand, led to citizen dissatisfaction, as they have limited the provision of public services by the government. Consequently, although the fifth, sixth, and seventh development plans have emphasized technology-driven approaches such as e-government, it should be noted that e-government not only has weaknesses but is also considered a traditional wave in the world today. Therefore, Lean Government, as a new and efficient method, can fill this practical gap in government organizations and facilitate improvements in work processes, the provision of public services, and government efficiency. Lean Government increases the internal capacity of government organizations to accomplish more tasks without adding personnel, thus significantly contributing to government downsizing policies. Furthermore, Lean Government can reduce the costs of providing public services and lead to citizen satisfaction. Lean Government increasingly reduces the average time for completing tasks, thereby leading to the efficiency enhancement of government organizations. Therefore, the results of comparative studies on the application of Lean Government indicate that the lean idea has relevance in public domains, including legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Consequently, Lean Government plays a role in achieving higher quality, faster, and more transparent public services. Conclusion The present study aimed to design a native model for the implementation of Lean Government in Iranian governmental organizations. The output of the qualitative data analysis, in line with the identification of key indicators, reveals the extraction of 33 sub-theme codes. Furthermore, in the subsequent step, the identified codes were categorized into 7 general concepts and main themes after conducting confirmatory factor analysis. Therefore, based on path analysis for developing the relationships of the research model, concepts such as platform-based governance, lean service management, and the design of lean systems were discovered as predictors of Lean Government. Additionally, factors such as lean government services, lean performance improvement, and citizen satisfaction constitute the consequences of Lean Government implementation in governmental organizations. Moreover, the positivist validation of the model relationships indicates that the discovered theory is significant. Furthermore, the structural model in the significant state shows that the significance coefficient of all discovered relationships is outside the range of (-1.96 and 1.96), thus confirming the discovered theories. Abstract The main goal of the current research is to design and validate the lean government model in government governance in Iran. In terms of paradigms, the present research is in the exploration phase of the interpretive model and in the test phase of the proof-oriented model, in terms of general pragmatism, and in terms of audience studies. The research sample in the qualitative phase of the academic field includes university professors, academic staff members and public sector managers, and a total of 15 experts were interviewed to collect qualitative data. The research approach is mixed and the strategy used is theme analysis using MAXQDA software. A research questionnaire was developed to collect quantitative data in accordance with exploratory factor analysis. In the quantitative section, 199 people were examined as the final sample of the research using G power sample size software at the alpha level of 0.1 and test power of 0.85%. The path analysis test of the exploratory model was also examined according to the variance-based structural equation modeling algorithm using SPSS, 24 and Smart:PLS, 3 software. The research results showed that 33 indicators and 7 predictors (lean government services, lean service management, lean performance improvement, platform-based governance, lean system design and lean government) were identified for this purpose. Introduction The current global economic landscape, marked by a significant decline in growth from 6.1% in 2021 to 3.6% in 2022 (IMF, 2022), necessitates a proactive, strategic shift in governmental operations, consistent with the actor-centered institutionalism approach. In response to escalating economic and social crises, governments are compelled to adopt new operational models (May, 2022; Puchet, 2022). The Lean Government concept has emerged as a crucial, technology-driven paradigm to meet this need. It represents an evolution beyond traditional models like e-government, focusing on optimizing activities, enhancing efficiency, and eliminating waste and costs to improve the value stream of public services (Bain, 1937; Schlein, 2007; Thompson & Venters, 2021; Haruna et al., 2019). This approach redefines the government's role from "rowing" to "steering" (Noru, 2020), acting as a coordinator to build trust and strengthen citizen relations through information sharing and process simplification (Caudle, 2018; Janssen & Estevez, 2013; Loduijkszak, 2018). Despite its demonstrated success in developed nations, Lean Government remains a novel and underexplored academic construct, facing significant research gaps. A review of major databases indicates limited scholarly output, with only a small number of specific articles indexed on the subject (Scopus data, 1996-2022), highlighting a critical need to enrich its theoretical foundations. The existing body of knowledge is further limited by a scarcity of empirical research and practical frameworks, especially concerning its application in developing countries. This lack of research that accounts for unique cultural, environmental, and political-economic contexts presents a substantial challenge to localizing and effectively implementing Lean Government methodologies. This study is thus motivated by both a theoretical imperative and a pressing practical need. In nations like Iran, characterized by high bureaucracy, inefficiency, and economic pressures, the core focus of Lean Government—doing more with fewer resources—offers a vital solution to current public administration challenges. By employing a mixed and exploratory approach, the research aims to address the identified theoretical gaps while providing policymakers and public administration leaders with a refined, context-specific model for implementation. The central goal is to define the operational framework, culminating in the research question: "What is themodel of Lean Government in governmental governance?" Materials and Methods The research operates under pragmatist philosophical assumptions, employing a mixed-methods approach that is interpretive during the model discovery phase and positivist during the model testing phase. The core analytical techniques used were Thematic Analysis (based on Clarke's (2006) method) and Quantitative Sensitivity Analysis.The study followed two main stages. The qualitative phase utilized an in-depth literature review and in-depth interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 experts (university faculty and senior government managers). Data were managed using Maxqda software to extract sub-themes (model indicators) and main themes (main research variables) through an iterative coding process.The quantitative phase focused on model testing. Data were collected via random sampling from a statistical population of public sector managers within a government ministry. The appropriate sample size for this phase was determined using G-POWER specialized software.The qualitative validity was assessed based on Creswell's (2007) perspectives, employing three methods: participant viewpoint matching (corrective coding after expert review), colleague review (achieving over 80% coding agreement among three experts), and participatory validity (incorporating participant input during the coding process).For quantitative analysis, the measurement instrument's content validity was confirmed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) confirmed the sample adequacy (Bartlett's Sig <0.05) and the variables' unidimensionality, with all 7 variables showing coefficients greater than 0.7. Given the newly discovered nature of the model, variance-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques were used for validation, following Hair's (2009) recommendation. Finally, the main themes were transformed into the final Lean Government model using sensitivity analysis. Discussion and Results The findings of the present study can be of scientific value in two respects. Firstly, given that Lean Government is a novel concept, exploratory research can contribute to its theoretical enrichment. Secondly, since the present study is based on the natural setting of the research and the localization of conducted studies, its results can have practical relevance in the governmental and governance sectors of Iran. The reason for this relates to the current state of the government institution. In the present circumstances, the government in Iran faces numerous challenges, including issues such as administrative corruption, politicization of bureaucracy, inefficiency, reduction of financial resources, etc. These factors have, on the one hand, placed the government institution in a disorganized state and, on the other hand, led to citizen dissatisfaction, as they have limited the provision of public services by the government. Consequently, although the fifth, sixth, and seventh development plans have emphasized technology-driven approaches such as e-government, it should be noted that e-government not only has weaknesses but is also considered a traditional wave in the world today. Therefore, Lean Government, as a new and efficient method, can fill this practical gap in government organizations and facilitate improvements in work processes, the provision of public services, and government efficiency. Lean Government increases the internal capacity of government organizations to accomplish more tasks without adding personnel, thus significantly contributing to government downsizing policies. Furthermore, Lean Government can reduce the costs of providing public services and lead to citizen satisfaction. Lean Government increasingly reduces the average time for completing tasks, thereby leading to the efficiency enhancement of government organizations. Therefore, the results of comparative studies on the application of Lean Government indicate that the lean idea has relevance in public domains, including legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Consequently, Lean Government plays a role in achieving higher quality, faster, and more transparent public services. Conclusion The present study aimed to design a native model for the implementation of Lean Government in Iranian governmental organizations. The output of the qualitative data analysis, in line with the identification of key indicators, reveals the extraction of 33 sub-theme codes. Furthermore, in the subsequent step, the identified codes were categorized into 7 general concepts and main themes after conducting confirmatory factor analysis. Therefore, based on path analysis for developing the relationships of the research model, concepts such as platform-based governance, lean service management, and the design of lean systems were discovered as predictors of Lean Government. Additionally, factors such as lean government services, lean performance improvement, and citizen satisfaction constitute the consequences of Lean Government implementation in governmental organizations. Moreover, the positivist validation of the model relationships indicates that the discovered theory is significant. Furthermore, the structural model in the significant state shows that the significance coefficient of all discovered relationships is outside the range of (-1.96 and 1.96), thus confirming the discovered theories.

https://jmr.usb.ac.ir/article_9438_f9e5587871b4f89daf349e4d9efa2f6d.pdf