Management Research in Iran

Abstract The appointment of managers to new positions in Iranian public organizations is invariably accompanied by multiple challenges due to complex bureaucracy, frequent political changes, and diverse stakeholder expectations. This qualitative study, employing an interpretive phenomenological approach, aimed to explore the lived experiences of newly appointed senior managers and to identify their proactive strategies for effective adaptation to new job positions. The participants were 19 senior managers from public headquarters in Mashhad, selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected via in‑depth semi‑structured interviews conducted between August and October 2023 and were coded and analyzed using MAXQDA software. The findings revealed that successful adaptation of newly appointed managers is a self‑initiated and proactive process. Data analysis led to the extraction of seven main themes: (1) organizational environment assessment and analysis, (2) organizational communication and interactions, (3) strategy planning and implementation, (4) personal and organizational development, (5) challenge and risk management, (6) performance and productivity improvement, and (7) external and inter‑organizational networking, along with 21 sub‑themes. Since the proactive strategies of newly appointed managers serve as the key to successful organizational adaptation in the public sector context, they enable managers to reduce role ambiguity, gain social legitimacy, manage internal resistances, and implement constructive changes within bureaucratic government structures. The findings of this study extend organizational socialization from a passive framework toward proactive agency, offering an indigenous model for designing managerial training programs, role transition policies, and leadership empowerment initiatives in the public sector.

Abstract This study aims to identify the factors influencing the implementation of sustainable development policies based on the Small Wins approach in Iran. In terms of purpose, the research is applied, while methodologically it adopts a descriptive qualitative design. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach based on Glaser's emergent grounded theory methodology. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, the protocol for which was developed following a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. The interview data were subsequently analyzed through the coding procedures of Glaser's emergent grounded theory approach. The participants consisted of experts and practitioners with extensive experience in sustainable development policy implementation. Participants were selected using purposive and theoretical sampling, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved.The findings revealed that a wide range of factors influence the implementation of sustainable development policies. Drawing upon the concepts of Small Wins and sustainable development, 36 factors were identified through the coding process. These were subsequently classified into two overarching categories: driving factors and barrier factors. The results further indicated that each of these overarching factors comprises six dimensions, namely economic, social, cultural, strategic, environmental, and organizational, encompassing a total of 18 sub-factors. The analysis demonstrates that these factors constitute the key determinants of sustainable development and, within the proposed framework, represent the principal dimensions for the formulation and implementation of sustainable development policies. Furthermore, findings suggest that these factors provide a valuable analytical framework for designing and implementing sustainable development policies, particularly in developing countries such as Iran.

Abstract This study aimed to identify and analyze the key drivers influencing the adoption of gamification in the human resource management of Tejarat Bank in Birjand County. Employing a qualitative approach and thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework, data were collected during the first half of 2025 through semi-structured interviews with 18 managers, experts, and employees until thematic saturation was achieved. Participants were selected purposefully and complementarily using the snowball sampling technique, and data analysis was carried out in MAXQDA 2020. To ensure validity and reliability, member checking, source triangulation, and Cohen’s Kappa coefficient (0.79) were utilized. The analysis revealed eight main themes and fifty six subthemes, including: organizational motivation and commitment toward gamification; fairness and transparency in gamification processes; alignment of the gamified environment with organizational structures; training, empowerment, and cultural development; organizational participation and interaction; support mechanisms and resource management; enhancement of employee experience and job satisfaction; and sustainability and coherence of gamification processes. Overall, the results indicate that a well designed multidimensional motivational system characterized by transparency, interactive organizational dynamics, and structural support plays a significant role in strengthening employees’ job satisfaction and productivity, thereby improving the effectiveness of gamification initiatives within human resource management.

Abstract Objective: In a complex, ambiguous and highly uncertain environment, technology megaprojects require new and combined tools, methods and approaches for optimal and efficient management. Roadmaping as a strategic, efficient and forward-looking tool, along with lean thinking, are the latest management versions that are growing rapidly in the world; their increasing applications are supplementing the knowledge of these two fields. The aim of this thesis is to design an integrated lean roadmapping conceptual framework that can be used in technology megaprojects.
Method: The method of this research is a combination of descriptive research methods, content analysis, and meta-analysis.
Findings: The conceptual framework combining the principles of lean thinking and roadmapping provides the opportunity to improve productivity and reduce risks in projects. This framework allows managers to optimally allocate resources and achieve strategic goals by reducing waste and continuous improvement. The key components of the framework include Preparation, Integrated roadmapping development, roadmapping validation, Integrated roadmapping implementation, Pilot project, Stakeholder engagement, Value/end-user focus, Value stream mapping, Continuous flow, Pull system/demand pull, Waste elimination, Continuous improvement (Kaizen)/evolution.
Conclusion: The results of the research show that using this framework can lead to improved performance of technology megaprojects, better alignment with organizational goals, and effective resource management. It is suggested that in future research this framework be examined and analyzed in different industries to make further improvements.

Abstract This study explores the place of ideology in management and organization studies by examining its conceptual, geographical, and temporal evolution from 1961 to 2024. Employing a scoping review methodology based on the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the study systematically analyzes 111 scholarly sources, including journal articles, books, and theses, through qualitative content analysis. The findings identify nine dominant approaches to the study of ideology in management scholarship and demonstrate that ideology has evolved from a concept viewed primarily through a political lens in the first half of the twentieth century into a multidimensional construct within management research. These approaches encompass domination, legitimacy, interpretation, critique, social integration, normative logic, fantasy, grand strategy formulation, and social competitive advantage. Contrary to linear interpretations, the findings reveal that these perspectives have developed concurrently and exhibit substantial geographical diversity across different research contexts. A distinctive contribution of this study lies in highlighting the role of ideology in creating social competitive advantage and informing national grand strategies, thereby extending the boundaries of existing management scholarship. Adopting an interdisciplinary and critical perspective, the study further underscores the importance of advancing theory development in management and organization studies through greater attention to indigenous ideological foundations within diverse cultural and political contexts.

Abstract Deprivation, defined as the lack of access to resources to meet basic needs, is one of the persistent challenges of contemporary societies, intertwined with economic, social, and cultural dimensions, and structural and environmental factors contribute to its perpetuation. In Iran, despite extensive efforts in deprivation reduction, evidence indicates that policies in this area have not enjoyed adequate efficiency and effectiveness. This study aims to analyze the coherence of deprivation reduction policies in Iran and propose solutions for its improvement within the framework of public policymaking. The research employs a qualitative approach, combining two strategies: content analysis and thematic analysis. In the content analysis phase, relevant legal and policy documents from 1948 to 2024 were examined using Behardaj's model and four key indicators (institutional multiplicity, coverage of deprivation dimensions, legal contradictions, and alignment with higher-level documents). In the thematic analysis phase, data from semi-structured interviews with 15 experts in policymaking and deprivation reduction were analyzed based on Braun and Clarke's (2006) model. Findings reveal that deprivation reduction policies in Iran lack sufficient structural and functional coherence, with this incoherence identifiable at three levels: horizontal, vertical, and internal. Based on the results, policy solutions such as designating a single responsible institution, establishing a comprehensive database, redesigning the resource allocation system, and revising laws have been proposed. By emphasizing the necessity of enhancing coherence in deprivation reduction policies, this study provides an operational framework for improving the quality of policymaking and increasing the effectiveness of government interventions in this area.