Volume & Issue: Volume 14, Issue 3, December 2010 

Reconceptualization of Employees' Discipline: ‎Quranic Approach

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Abstract One of the main issues in human resource management is employees' ‎discipline that concentrates on controling and preventing the employees from ‎misconducting. There are three approaches of discipline including ‎traditional, progressive and positive. In traditional approach, when any ‎unaccepted behavior happens, the managers react immediately and punish ‎the non-obedient worker, but in progressive approach, the managers do a ‎progressive and step-wise action. In positive approach, not every kind of ‎punishment is accepted; the workers should have time to correct their ‎unaccepted behavior. In this paper, we tried to show the social science ‎propositions of these three approaches as ideal types of employees' discipline ‎and suggest new type of discipline according to Quranic instructions. ‎Strategy of this research is qualitative; and we used analytical approach to ‎reconcept the discipline in a typological framework through management, ‎social science thinkers and Quran text. Finally, four approaches were ‎suggestedto employees' discipline through ontological dichotomy. At the end ‎of this paper, we explained the transcendental employee discipline as ‎Quranic approach to discipline. ‎

A model for Improving the Performance Through ‎Alignment of Organizational Change Strategies

Pages 1-22

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Abstract Objective: The purpose of the present research is to study the relationship ‎between the alignment of different typologies of strategies for organizational ‎change strategies (structure, technology, culture, human resources and goals) ‎with improving the performance .‎ Methodology: The sampling of the present study was done on foreign airlines, ‎which are operating in Iran and the total population way under examination as the ‎subjects of the research. This study was done through both qualitative and ‎quantitative methods. The qualitative method included the grounded theory and ‎the data collection for this research was made by observation, interview and ‎Literature review. The applied quantitative method was a correlational field study. ‎The instrumentation was made through three researcher-made questionnaires. ‎ Results: Applying of the qualitative and quantitative methods approved that the ‎more the performance of the airlines improves, the more the typologies of strategic ‎reference points and strategic change variables will increase. Meanwhile, the more ‎the alignment among the typologies of organizational change strategies increases, ‎the more will be their performance (efficiency and effectiveness).‎ Conclusion: The results gained in both qualitative and quantitative methods are ‎in harmony with each other and it can be declared that making alignment ‎between the typologies of organizational change strategies (structure, ‎technology, culture, human resources and goals) can improve the performance.‎

A Methodology for knowledge Management ‎Strategy Development; Multi-case Study in Three ‎Organizations

Pages 24-59

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Abstract In order to evaluate and select the appropriate knowledge management strategy, ‎a lot of organizational factors must be considered. On the other hand, in the ‎approach of dynamic knowledge management strategy; the processes of creation ‎and transferring of knowledge have direct effects on the selected strategies. The ‎human-oriented and system-oriented approaches of knowledge management ‎strategy are essentially different and need different infrastructures, methods and ‎tools. In this research, the related literature about developing knowledge ‎management strategy has been reviewed. The effective factors on knowledge ‎management strategy have been extracted from different conceptual ‎frameworks, models and methods. Then a comprehensive methodology for ‎developing knowledge management strategy has been presented.‎ The factors of this methodology, which have direct effects on the final ‎chosen strategy, include: general business strategy, organizational structure, ‎cultural factors and knowledge creation process in knowledge intensive area ‎of the organization. Also in this methodology, the interrelated effect of ‎information technology strategy and human resource strategy on the ‎knowledge management strategy is considered and the final strategy is ‎shown ranging from human oriented approach to system oriented approach. ‎The elements of this methodology have been validated in the form of the ‎research hypothesis by asking the viewpoints of experts and all of them have ‎been accepted. Three companies have used this methodology for developing ‎

A Fuzzy Approach to Justice Perception in the ‎Frame of the Fairness Theory

Pages 61-89

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Abstract This paper focuses on the measurement of justice perception using fuzzy ‎logic. The measurement of justice perception is not a simple matter, because ‎it is a subjective, complex, vague and ambiguous construct, which is also ‎involved with the judgmental process. Therefore, the low accuracy and ‎reliability of the measurement are among the main concerns in using justice ‎perception measurements. The object of this paper was to develop a new ‎method for measuring justice perception in the frame of the Fairness Theory ‎with three types of fairness: distributive, procedural and interactional. It was ‎performed in a Iranian Bank (Melat Bank) with the aim of decreasing the ‎measurement bias and increasing its reliability. The outputs of this fuzzy ‎measurement are significantly different to those of the other conventional ‎methods. The reliability and the construct validity of this fuzzy measurement ‎were confirmed by statistical results. Comparison of the means of the crisp ‎and fuzzy scores using two-paired T- test showed a significant difference ‎between the means of crisp and fuzzy scores in the distributive, interactional ‎and general justice, but there was no not significant difference in this regard ‎in the procedural justice‏.‏‎ It also could represent the latent factors of human ‎cognitive judgment and, therefore, contribute to improve the justice ‎perception process in organizations.‎

Explanation of the Mediator Role of Emotional ‎Involvement between Commitment to Change ‎and Change Process Factors ‎(Case Study: Khorasan Regional Electric ‎Company)‎

Pages 121-143

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Abstract This research has examined the effect of change process variable on ‎commitment to change with attention to emotional involvement as a mediator ‎variable. Statistical population contained all managers and specialists of ‎Khorasan Regional Electric Company (mashhad, Iran). Randomize stratified ‎sampling was selected as a way of research sampling. A questionnaire ‎containing 6 variables based on Likert’s five scales for collecting data, was ‎used. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were supported by face ‎validity and calculating the Cronbakh’s the Alpha´s coefficient for each ‎variable. Normality of the variables distribution was confirmed by ‎Kolmogorov – Smirnov test. Structural equations model and Path analysis by ‎using Lisrel software were used for data analysis.‎ The results of this researched show that, the level of commitment to change ‎and emotional involvement was upper than medium. Also, emotional ‎involvement had a mediator role on the commitment to change between all of ‎the process variables except the time variable. Further, there was a meaningful ‎difference between managerial level and specialist level related to the ‎variables of commitment to change, emotional involvement, support of top ‎management, participating in decision making and line leadership, but there ‎was no meaningful difference between the two managerial levels in none of ‎the above mentioned variables.‎

A Review and Critique of the Cÿÿpora g Ranking ‎Streams

Pages 145-171

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Abstract This paper shows that stakeholders attempt to rely on the reports issued by ‎experts for demonstrating their corporate reputation. On the other hand, ‎experts can affect our attitude and understanding about organizations by ‎using their own criteria. This paper tries to introduce Fortune model and ‎Fombrun Reputation Quotient, which are used for reputation measurement in ‎the western countries. Furthermore, it introduces the Industrial Management ‎Institute Index (IMI100), since there is no other similar list of superior ‎companies in use. ‎ The reader will find out that in today’s conditions, the most favorable ‎streams toward reputation measurement are based on social expectations, ‎whereas there are other reputation measurement streams like reputation ‎measurement that are based on company personality or trust to company. We ‎will try explore the weak and strong points of the IMI100 and bring out ‎some suggestions to improve this model according to social expectations ‎measurement.‎

Exploring the Antecedents and Consequences of Impression Management

Pages 173-194

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Abstract The purpose of this research is to explore the effects of three stressor ‎variables including role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload on the use ‎of the three major tactics of impression management, which are ingratiation, ‎supplication and intimidation. The effect of utilizing these three tactics on ‎the two major job variables of job tension and the appraisal of employee ‎performance has also been considered. Impression management is a ‎subcategory of political behaviors, during which individuals try to control ‎their influences on the others and in fact, form their own image in the other ‎people’s minds and influence the decisions in their own interests. The ‎findings of this research suggest that in response to the role stressor ‎elements, tactics related to impression management are used, which ‎somehow affect the stress felt by employees and the appraisal of their ‎performance by their supervisors. The statistical population includes is all ‎employees of Qom Education Departments. This correlative survey research ‎is definitely based on structural equations modeling. The implementation of ‎structural equations modeling will show the confirmation of most of the ‎hypotheses and validation of the conceptual model of the research.‎

Critical Success Factors Affecting on IT-business ‎Alignment

Pages 195-226

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Abstract Meeting IT-business strategic alignment effectively in an organization ‎becomes very difficult task for top managers. Because, managers should ‎apply their best knowledge to understand the most important factors ‎affecting such strategic alignment in their organizations.‎ As a matter of the fact, there are few studies conducted to highlight such ‎factors. Therefore, we studied the critical success factors affecting IT-‎business alignment. In this regard we conducted a survey to analyze the ‎experts’ view to help to bridge such a gap.‎

An Investigation on the Fitness of Personality for ‎the High Risk Jobs (Selection, Recruitment and ‎Improving Efficiency)‎

Pages 227-249

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Abstract This editorial is a summary of the result of the research on “Recruitment ‎Strategy for Military Operational Personnel” The experience of the eight-‎year imposed war and the neutralization of the internal clashes by the ‎military forces after the victory of the Islamic Revolution proved that some ‎percentage of the operational personnel encountered problems engaging with ‎the enemy. It was then admitted that they had not taken up the right job to ‎occupy for their life.‎ Accordingly, the researcher attempted to study the type of personalities that ‎fit these kinds of high-risk engagements, with a view of screening the right ‎persons before they are employed for such high-risk operations. Recruiting the ‎individuals rightly fitting the job would ensure that the work done for their ‎improvement will be highly efficient, as intended by the rule of “Compatible ‎Work Environment with Personality Type” for employees “efficiency”, ‎corresponding with the most important factor of “Combat Readiness” as ‎reckoned in the military organizations. Besides military personnel, the ‎research was extended to other high-risk areas including firefighters maybe ‎other rescue workers, and the findings maybe recommended for all such ‎instances.‎ No need to emphasize that individual’s personality matching with the job, ‎brings the strongest relation with the enhancement of whole organizational ‎efficiency and effectiveness, which, in turn, means optimizing in the use of ‎the whole resources in the organization.‎ This research has been identified a backdrop of 82 factors as connected ‎with efficiency, “Personality Fitness with the Job” among them being chosen ‎for expounding.‎ Examining this factor, it was resolved that out of the 16 types, introduced ‎by Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs, types ESTP, ISTJ, and ISTP ‎ are the ‎best one with regards to the operational personnel and should be taken into ‎consideration in the course of selections and recruitment

Investigation of the Relation between Public ‎Accountability, Public Trust and Public ‎Participation in Public Organizations ‎(Case Study: 22 Areas of Tehran city)‎

Pages 251-274

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Abstract Public accountability is an indication of modern and democratic Governance. If ‎governments are not responsive to their people in relation to their actions, ‎mistakes and decision making, democracy will be maxim. Therefore, public ‎accountability as an institution, is complementary to public administration in a ‎modern and democratic Governance. Accountable government in a society ‎provides the citizens with public trust, increasing thier public participation in ‎political and social context. ‎ Therefore, this research investigated the impact of public accountability on ‎increasing the citizens´ public trust and public participation in the 22 areas of ‎Tehran city. Methodology of this research is measurable-correlation, which is ‎based on structural equation modeling. The findings of this research indicated ‎that public accountability can affect both public trust and public participation.‎