Volume & Issue: Volume 15, Issue 1, February 2011 

Developing a Human Resource Strategy ‎Framework:‎ A Knowledge Oriented Approach

Pages 1-29

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Abstract In today’s business world, human resource is concerned as fundamental capital ‎of organizations. In fact, human resource is the chief organizational tool to ‎achieve the strategies and goals. According to the significance of human ‎resource, the present research aimed to develop a framework, by which the ‎human resource strategies can be developed on the basis of the knowledge ‎dimension, which is one of the most important resources for generating ‎competitive advantage. Previous models and approaches did not concern to the ‎knowledge aspect of the employees in human resource strategy process, which ‎is a significant lack in these models. The main difference of the framework of ‎this research and that of previous study is paying due attention in work to the ‎knowledge in human resource strategy development process as a determinant ‎factor, especially for the knowledge based organizations. Indeed, the main ‎finding of this study is development of a human resource strategy framework ‎that emphasizes to the knowledge aspect, which is applicable in new ‎businesses of the present era of transferring to the knowledge based ‎organizations. For validating the suggested framework, the expert opinion, one ‎of the research methods for conceptual studies, was used. ‎

Increasing Human Capital: ‎ Step toward Social Capital Development ‎(A Case Study: National Petrochemical ‎Company)‎

Pages 31-50

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Abstract This article investigates the effect of human capital on social capital. The ‎sample includes the employees of National Petrochemical Company and the ‎required data were collected by questionnaire. Trust, civil participation and ‎leadership, voluntariness, informal social relations and diversity in friendship ‎were considered for measuring social capital. Also experience, education, ‎creativity, skill and health were used to measure human capital. The results ‎showed that social capital will be increased by investment on human capital, ‎and one of the best ways to achieve that, is investment on education because it ‎has great effect on all factors of social capital. ‎

The Fuzzy-Robust Multiple Objectives ‎Mathematical Model for Sourcing:‎ ‎ The Approach for Risk Management in the ‎Supply Chain of Iran Khodro

Pages 51-76

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Abstract Selecting appropriate suppliers can significantly reduce costs and increase ‎the competitiveness of organizations. On the other‏ ‏hand, in today’s ‎competitive environments, high speed of changes increases uncertainty and ‎ambiguity in decision making. Considering these two important issues, in ‎this research, fuzzy-robust approach was is used to increase certainty and ‎remove ambiguity in planning of the supply parts for two products of Iran ‎Khodro Company (Tehran, Iran). Due to high number of parts were in any ‎product, only the important parts were selected for this survey. Model of ‎supply of these parts (was designed) in the form of a multi-objective linear ‎programming model. Because of the uncertainty of some parameters of the ‎model, these parameters are considered as random variables but there is no ‎exact value for them. In order to remove concern and ambiguity about these ‎parameters‏ ‏regarding the length (half-length) of their intervals, with help ‎new approach (fuzzy-robust), the model was converted into fuzzy-robust ‎model to achieve dependable solutions. Finally, the quality of solutions was ‎analyzed by simulation technique.‎

The Initial Public Offerings Underpricing and ‎Its' Determinants in Tehran Stock Exchange

Pages 77-107

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Abstract This paper seeks to investigate the initial aftermarket performance of 142 ‎Iranian IPOs listed on Tehran Stock Exchange for the period 1997-2005 to ‎contribute to the growing body of international evidence on the anomalous ‎performance of IPOs in the short run. The results suggest that Iranian IPOs ‎are underpriced on the initial trading window of 1 through 4-weeks on ‎average of 14.85%, as are almost all IPOs in different countries. In terms of ‎industry sub-sectors, the adjusted initial underpricing is 70.24% for minerals, ‎‎62.31% for oil and nuclear fuel, and 1.12% for multimedia industries. ‎Finally, the investigation of possible factors influencing the high initial ‎positive returns in TSE (the size of the issue, age of the issuing firm, ‎financial risk of the issuing firm, gross proceeds from the issue, market ‎sentiment, offer rate and the institutional ownership of the issue) indicates ‎that the offer rate and financial risk of the issuing firm are significant ‎determinants of the initial underpricing of Iranian IPOs. As such, the results ‎yield strong support for the signaling hypothesis as possible explanation for ‎the underpricing phenomenon on the Iranian IPO market.‎

Developing a Fuzzy Risk Assessment Model to ‎Assess the Schedule Risks in Construction Projects ‎(Case: Track Renewal Project in Iran Railway ‎Administration)‎

Pages 109-133

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Abstract Calculation of Derivations from every objective of the project is very ‎important for both contractors and employers. Time overrun is the function ‎of all project risks. A tool that can assess the risk levels and estimate the ‎derivations from the planed duration is very useful for contractors. This ‎research tries to propose a new methodology to determine the schedule risk ‎of construction projects and the total time overrun. This methodology uses ‎influence diagram to construct the risk model and fuzzy risk assessment ‎system to estimate time overrun for every activity. Then the information of ‎fuzzy risk assessment model is used by scheduling the softwares such as ‎MSP or Primavera to calculate the time overrun of the project. This model ‎has been used in one of the track renewal projects of Iran Railway ‎Administration. ‎ The model was validated by using the estimated data produced by model and ‎the real data of the activities’ duration. Then the mean absolute percentage ‎error (MAPE) was calculated for the activities and the project. MAPE of the ‎activities was equal to 10.75% and the estimated duration of project was ‎equal to 105.24 time unit. In comparison with the real duration of project ‎‎(which was equal to 113 time units and MAPE for the whole project was ‎equal to 6.7%), it can be concluded that fuzzy risk assessment model has ‎remarkable accuracy to be used in construction projects.‎

-Designing and Implementing a Performance ‎Measurement Model at R&D Centers:‎ Combining Data Envelopment Analysis and ‎Balanced Scorecard

Pages 135-158

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Abstract The need for designing and implementing performance assessment systems at ‎R&D centers is one of the urgent issues of all industries. Assessment of R&D ‎projects has become one of the most challenging decision making issues for ‎the managers of R&D centers. Multi-criteria decision making methods have so ‎far been used for the assessment of R&D projects in different stages of their ‎lifecycle. Our approach is to develop Data Envelopment Analysis by ‎combining Balanced Scorecard and Data Envelopment Analysis. Inputs and ‎outputs for the integrated DEA-BSC model have been extracted from ‎‎“Balanced Scorecard for R&D projects”. The major goals of the integrated ‎DEA-BSC approach are as follows: increasing the reliability of inputs and ‎outputs criteria, improving the calculated efficiency of all sections and striking ‎a balance between the efficiency and the effectiveness of different sections. ‎This model has been implemented in an industrial research laboratory for ‎R&D projects as a case study. The results showed that synergizing between ‎BSC and DEA in R&D projects causes the: achieving of the expected ‎objectives of each project and balancing and optimizing the usage of resources ‎to meet the desired outputs.‎ .‎

The Survey on the Role of Transformational ‎Leadership in Employee Empowerment

Pages 159-180

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Abstract In spite of the growing attention to employee empowerment, there exists little ‎understanding of how the process of employee empowerment occurs?, what are ‎the psychological processes underlying employee empowerment? and What ‎important organizational variables reliably predict employee empowerment? ‎Although many authors have emphasized the critical role of leadership in the ‎empowerment process, there are few scientific studies that have examined the ‎effects of leadership behaviors on employee empowerment. Using the existing ‎literature and theories, the focus of the current study is to answer the following ‎question: How do transformational leaders empower employees? Using data ‎collected, results of analyses suggest that transformational leadership has ‎much impact on employee empowerment. Follow- up analyses indicated that ‎there is significance relation between transformational leadership and ‎meaning, choice, competence, and impact.‎

Punctuated Equilibrium Model in Iranian ‎Annual Budgeting System

Pages 181-200

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Abstract In this article, we examined the policy makers’ attitude by the budget ‎statistical data of the education section and it's sub-plans during 1353-‎through 1388 to find the evidence of punctuated equilibrium and incremental ‎modals.‎ For this propose, we used Kolomogrov, Kurtosis and Skewness tests for ‎analyzing the fifteen plans of the education section in the annual ‎countrywide budget.‎ The results suggest that the model of core plans in education section is ‎punctuated, but the sub-and specialized plans can be defined as incremental ‎model. It seem that in addition to oil plans, cultural preferences and policy ‎makers beliefs, the relation of type of plan with the main mission is effective ‎in the fluctuations in the education section’s annual budgeting process.‎

Design of Marketing Excellence Model in ‎Manufacturing Industries Based on Mixed ‎Approach

Pages 201-222

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Abstract Marketing excellence is a comprehensive framework of core values and ‎criteria in all aspects of marketing, which can assist the managers to evaluate ‎the activities, procedures, processes and results in order to identify the ‎strengths and areas of improvement and improve the organizations in such ‎areas. ‎ In spite of implementing the concept of marketing excellence and ‎existence of too many awards in national and organizational levels in the ‎world, there is no evidence of scientific model and study in this area. ‎ The aim of this study is designing the marketing excellence model in ‎Iranian manufacturing company, through which the core values and criteria ‎in marketing area will be identified. ‎ According to the results of data analysis, the core values of marketing ‎excellence were marketing orientation, social and ethical responsibility, ‎marketing productivity, learning and continuous improvement and focusing ‎on the results and adding value. The criteria of marketing excellence model ‎were market-oriented leadership, defining & understanding the markets, ‎marketing strategy, marketing infrastructures, marketing mix and marketing ‎results. Also the sub-criteria and the conceptual relations between the ‎enablers and the results were identified. ‎

A Model to Determine Customer Lifetime Value ‎‎(CLV) in Banking Industry‎

Pages 224-239

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Abstract Financial Service Providers (FSPs) like other organizations can use ‎Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) as an instrument to achieve their targets in ‎Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Although various studies have ‎been done about this concept, CLV case studies are scarce in banking ‎industry. In this research, in order to present a model to determine CLV in ‎banking industry, customers with current account in a bank in Iran were ‎studied. Determining the relative importance of R, F and M variables that are ‎used to cluster customers, ranking the clusters of customers according to ‎their CLV and understanding the best strategies for bank to treat with each ‎cluster are among the other goals of this study. Three main variables were ‎used to apply the model; a) Recency: the length of time since the last ‎transaction (in days), b) Frequency: number of positive transactions and c) ‎Monetary: balance of account (in Rials). Also wR , wF and wM were used as ‎the relative importance of R,F and M variables. We used the ideas of experts ‎and marketing managers and the data of transactions from the random ‎samples of 382 corporate customers and 5113 individual customers, who had ‎current account in 33 branches of a bank in Tehran. The analytical Hierarchy ‎Process (AHP) was applied to determine wR , wF and wM in evaluating CLV. ‎Then WRFM model was used to cluster the customers and rank them based ‎on their CLV for two groups of corporate and individual clients Clustering ‎and Discriminant Analysis techniques were implemented for this section. ‎Finally, the best strategies for bank to treat with each cluster of the ‎customers was determined.‎ Keywords: