Analyzing and Ranking Factors Affecting Organizational Rip Currents

Abstract
In this study, to discover variables effecting on organizational rip currents, at first the literature (books, journals, databases, websites, etc). was reviewed and 15 in-depth interviews was done by experts. Many variables affecting on organizational rip currents were collected. Second, using a Delphi Panel of 40 experts, variables were formed and the consensus was reached on the 36 indicators. The questionnaire was formed based on these finalized variables and questionnaires were distributed Among 500 experts that 364 ones were collected. Next using confirmatory factor analysis technique, factors were ranked and revealed contextual factors are the most important, and structural factors and behavioral ones are the next.
Introduction
All governments over the world are constantly changing.  However, if you look at the foundations of the countries carefully, you will see that most of these changes are not based on a program and a kind of theory, but also they have some kind of contradictions within themselves that sometimes cause tensions in organizations as well. It can be said that these changes are merely to serve propaganda promises or to react to the threat of pressure groups and powerful stakeholders that target the pillars of organizations. In third world countries, when the life of a government comes to end and a new one comes to power, these changes are intensified. Therefore, this study seeks, by the inspiration of a natural phenomenon; identify the effects of developments in the society and the environment on the pillars of organization. In this study, environmental factors have been assimilated to those of marine splitter currents. The metaphor of the organizational is inspired by the natural phenomenon known as the marine splitter currents introduced by Sarlak, 2017 (Sarlak et al., 2017:105). By considering this natural phenomenon, the characteristics of changes in governments and organizations' environment can be identified that threat the pillars of organizations as splitter currents do. The recognition of the conditions, factors and environmental currents are considered as the fundamental elements of environment cognition and analysis in strategic management (Mobinian Dehkordi and Heidari, 2014: 22).
Case study
For measuring the variables of the research, 500 questionnaires containing 36 questions were distributed among managers, assistants and experienced experts in the field of employed management in Khuzestan province’s organizations and governmental administrations.
Materials and Methods
In this research, due to the novelty of the concept and metaphorical issue of organizational splitter currents, a three-branch model (background, structural and behavioral) was used to classify the variables. The distinction and recognition of these three aspects of organizational dimensions is purely theoretical and it is used only in order to analyze and understand the concepts and organizational phenomena. Then using factor analysis on the data obtained from 364 completed questionnaires, 36 variables related to splitter currents were classified into 7 factors. In fact, using exploratory factor analysis, the relationship between variables was identified and unknown factors were identified. Then, this factorization was analyzed during the first and second order confirmatory factor analysis in structured modeling techniques to investigate the effect and relationship between known factors.
Discussion and Results
In this study, seven factors have a specific value greater than 1 and remain in the analysis. These seven factors can explain 61.660% of variability (variance) of variables. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the questions of each extracted dimensions of factors and total alpha coefficient of questionnaire’s questions is higher than 0.7, which indicates the reliability of the questions that have been used. In order to evaluate the content validity of the research’s variables, 20 experts were used. Since there is initially a causal hierarchy in structural modeling in which some variables may be the possible cause of the other variables, but cannot be certainly affected, considering that there is a set of relations between independent and dependent variables, structural equations modeling is considered appropriate (Azar and Khadivar, 2014: 19). Therefore, using structural equations modeling, cause and effect relationships between variables, which are not directly visible, and the level of correlation and severity of influence on other variables of organizational splitter currents were analyzed in this research.
Conclusion
The foundation of creating these currents comes from the organizations’ environment. Based on the results of this research, it can be said that the underlying factors are the most important and effective factors in creating the splitter currents of organizations. In the second and third rank are behavioral and structural factors respectively. But it should be noted that the underlying factors are beyond the control of organizations, but behavioral and structural factors are accessible to organizations. Structural and behavioral factors must be strengthened in order to protect the organization against the splitter currents that originate from the environment. In reducing irreparable damages, organizational splitter currents are effective. And by applying the proposed solutions, damages to organizational splitter currents can be prevented and the performance and efficiency in organizations can be increased.