International Journal of Innovation Management and Organizational Behavior (IJIMOB)

Designing a Model for Enhancing the Symbolic Capital of Managers (Case Study: SAIPA Automotive Group)

Alireza Habibi

; Jafar Beikzad *

; Rahim Abdollahfam

Objective: This study aims to design a model for enhancing the symbolic capital of managers in the SAIPA Automotive Group.

Methods and Materials: The research method is qualitative and based on grounded theory. The statistical population of the study in the documents section includes articles, theses, books, and scientific documents related to the research topic between the years 2000-2024 and in the interview section includes three groups: academic experts, experienced specialists, and executive managers of the SAIPA Automotive Group. In this study, purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the sample, which was achieved based on the saturation rule by conducting 15 interviews. The data were analyzed using the seven-stage approach of Sandelowsky et al. (2007) grounded theory and MAXQDA2020 software.

Findings: According to the analysis of the data obtained from the interviews, this study identified a total of 93 concepts within four main categories (development of managerial skills and capabilities, integrated performance management, personal and professional capitalization of managers, and sustainable and innovative value management), and sixteen subcategories (team empowerment and development, improvement of motivation and self-confidence, conflict management and team diversity, strategic and operational planning, commitment to quality and performance, risk management, structuring and regulating activities, improvement of psychological capabilities, strengthening behavioral and ethical values, creation and development of effective communication networks, creation of a dynamic and flexible organizational culture, protection of shareholder value, co-creation of value, sustainable competitive development, enhancement of service-oriented motivation, and development of organizational resilience capacity).

Conclusion: This study presents a model for enhancing the symbolic capital of managers in the SAIPA Automotive Group, focusing on key areas like managerial skills development, integrated performance management, and sustainable value creation.

Explaining and Prioritizing Factors Influencing Retirement Incentives Using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach

Jafar Abrishambaf

; Hassan Ghodrati Ghazaani *

; Hossein Panahian

, Meysam Arabzadeh

, Hossein Jabari

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The purpose of the present study is to explain and prioritize factors influencing retirement incentives using a multi-criteria decision-making approach.

Methodology: This research is applied in its aim and relies on a survey design with a descriptive-inductive reasoning approach. Regarding the nature of data and analysis methods, the study is quantitative. For the expert population, the study employed multi-criteria descriptive reasoning with an analytical network process (ANP) using snowball sampling, selecting 21 experts. Furthermore, through multi-criteria decision-making methods, factors influencing social security retirement incentives were identified and subsequently prioritized using fuzzy DEMATEL analysis. The complementary statistical population comprises workers employed in over 600 industrial companies, several service organizations, self-employed individuals subject to social security laws, and government companies, totaling more than 8,200 individuals. Given the extensive population, a minimum of 384 participants was required based on Cochran’s formula. In this study, 540 individuals were randomly selected using a computer-simulated method based on social security codes, focusing on their last five years prior to retirement.

Findings: According to the study’s findings, retirement incentives include: accrued value, peak payments, and optional value, estimated based on each individual’s social security pension and income profile. The dynamic interaction between wage income and retirement benefits may provide more accurate estimates of retirement incentives. The study hypothesizes that due to relatively low levels of social security pensions, workers in the study region are more likely to respond to changes in monthly wage income rather than retirement benefits.

Conclusion: The research findings indicate that for all three criteria, the estimates decrease with age. This trend suggests that retirement costs increase until a specific age and then begin to decline.

Ranking the Indicators of the Model for Enhancing the Quality of Virtual University Education with a Knowledge Management Approach

Amir Sadeghi Samarjani

; Ali Maghool *

; Mohammad Karimi

, Moslem Cherabin

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The present study aims to rank the indicators of a model for enhancing the quality of virtual university education with a knowledge management approach, conducted at the Electronic Branch of the Islamic Azad University.

Methodology: This study employs a mixed-methods approach with an exploratory objective. The statistical population comprises professors and faculty members of the Electronic Branch of the Islamic Azad University, with 20 individuals purposefully selected for interviews. Data collection tools include semi-structured interviews for qualitative data and a researcher-made questionnaire for quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed using Glaser's (1992) coding method, while the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) method was applied in the quantitative phase to assess the significance and performance of the indicators. Additionally, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was utilized to stratify the dimensions of the model.

Findings: The study identified 68 quality enhancement components for virtual university education. The indicator "educational system capabilities" (code 4) ranked first with a weight of 0.0294, positioned in the first quadrant of the Importance-Performance Matrix, where importance is high, but performance is low. For knowledge management indicators, "knowledge retention and prevention of misuse" (code 17) ranked first with a weight of 0.0545. Using ISM, dimensions were stratified, with "university management and leadership" placed at the highest level (Level 10) and "services and responsiveness" at the lowest level (Level 1).

Conclusion: The findings highlight that knowledge management dimensions significantly impact the quality enhancement of virtual university education. The hierarchical structure underscores the importance of "university management and leadership" as a foundational element, cascading down to "services and responsiveness" as an outcome influenced by other dimensions.

The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Employee Creativity in the Ministry of Sport and Youth with the Mediating Role of Creative Self-Efficacy

Mohammadsaeed Salehnia

; Mohammad Reza Esmaili *

; Zahra Haji Anzehaei

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Background and purpose: Transformational leadership is one of the leadership approaches that plays a significant role in enhancing employee performance by focusing on inspirational motivation, encouraging creativity, and fostering organizational transformation. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and employee creativity in the Ministry of Sport and Youth, with the mediating role of creative self-efficacy. Methodology: This study was descriptive and correlational in nature. The statistical population consisted of all 1,171 employees of the Ministry of Sport and Youth. Ultimately, 370 individuals were randomly selected as the sample. The research instruments included three questionnaires: Bass and Avolio's Transformational Leadership Questionnaire (2000), George and Zhou's Employee Creativity Questionnaire (2001), and Kavussanu et al.'s Creative Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (2013). The face and content validity of the tools were confirmed by a panel of expert faculty members, and the construct validity was established through confirmatory factor analysis based on structural equation modeling. Additionally, the reliability of the questionnaires was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: The results revealed that creative self-efficacy impacts employee creativity. Transformational leadership influences employee creativity and creative self-efficacy. Furthermore, transformational leadership indirectly affects employee creativity through its impact on creative self-efficacy. Conclusion: Overall, it can be concluded that creative self-efficacy acts as a critical factor in enhancing employee creativity. Transformational leadership also plays a pivotal role in fostering employee creativity, both directly and indirectly, through its influence on creative self-efficacy. These findings suggest that leaders, by creating motivational visions, supporting innovation, and bolstering employees' confidence in their creative abilities, can provide an environment conducive to the emergence and development of creativity within the organization.

Institutional Isomorphism Model and Its Impact on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Reporting

Saeed Mohammadnezhad ; Samad Ayazi * ; Arash Naderian

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The aim of this research is to present an institutional isomorphism model and examine its impact on environmental, social, and corporate governance reporting.

Methodology: This study employs a mixed-methods approach, conducted simultaneously. The quantitative part is descriptive-survey and correlational, with data collected from 385 managers of publicly traded companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange through a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using LISREL software. In the second part of the study, a qualitative approach using ethnography and purposive sampling was employed to collect data from individuals holding doctoral degrees in accounting and working in publicly traded companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis and content analysis methods.

Findings: Based on the findings of the first study, the institutional isomorphism factors (coercive, normative, and mimetic) explain 65.9% of the variance in environmental, social, and corporate governance reporting. Additionally, in the second study, after conducting interviews with 10 participants, a total of 33 categories were identified during the open coding phase, which were considered as the main categories. The category of labor rights had the most repetitions in the interviews, and the categories of performance compensation, labor rights, and corporate social responsibility investment were repeated in all interviews. During the axial coding phase, the 33 main categories were classified into four categories: social dimension, corporate governance, environmental dimension, and finally, institutional isomorphism. The environmental dimension, with 10 main categories and 96 repetitions in the interviews, had the highest number of repetitions, with the categories of corporate social responsibility investment, biodiversity, and environmental issues in products, services, and supply chains being the most important from the interviewees’ perspectives. The social dimension, with 11 main categories and 183 repetitions, had the highest frequency, with the categories of labor rights, social issues related to customers and the supply chain, stakeholder social perceptions, and health, safety, and productivity being the most important. Finally, the corporate governance dimension, with 9 main categories and 105 repetitions, had the most importance in the interviews, with the categories of investment risk management and performance compensation being the most significant. In the selective coding phase, the social dimension, with 11 main categories, was introduced as the central category.

Conclusion: This study highlights the critical role of institutional pressures—coercive, normative, and mimetic—in shaping sustainability assurance practices. By addressing legal, cultural, and industry-specific factors, it underscores assurance as a vital tool for legitimacy and stakeholder alignment. The findings advance institutional theory and offer practical insights for policymakers, companies, and stakeholders.

Presentation of a Professional Competency Model for Employees of Bank Mellat, Islamic Republic of Iran, with a Qualitative and Quantitative Approach

Seyed Mahmoud Kianezhadtejenaki

; Seyed Ahmad Jafari Kalarijani *

; Asadollah Mehrara

, Mohammad Hasan Shakki

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The present study aims to present a professional competency model for employees of Bank Mellat, Islamic Republic of Iran, based on human and social development.

Methodology: In this research, the participants in the qualitative section included all experts and specialists in the field of public administration and managers and heads of Bank Mellat, Islamic Republic of Iran, with a scientific background related to human resources and a history of working as a manager or consultant in the banking industry in 2022, totaling 15 individuals. The statistical population in the quantitative section included all managers and employees of Bank Mellat, Islamic Republic of Iran, in 2023-2024. In the quantitative phase, the sample size was determined using Cochran's formula, resulting in 384 individuals, who were selected through cluster random sampling. The findings from the qualitative phase were analyzed using MAXQDA software.

Findings: From the analysis of 15 interviews, a total of 236 initial codes were extracted. After analyzing the interview texts, 41 basic themes and 15 organizing themes were identified. The results of the quantitative section showed that the dimensions of professional competencies for Bank Mellat employees included: the organizational competency dimension, with a factor loading of 0.873, ranked first; the social competency dimension, with a factor loading of 0.823, ranked second; the leadership competency dimension, with a factor loading of 0.746, ranked third; and the individual competencies and self-development dimension, with a factor loading of 0.685, ranked fourth.

Conclusion: The model highlights fostering continuous learning, effective communication, and innovation through training and feedback. Future research should explore broader applications across diverse organizations to validate and refine these findings.

Examining the Impact of Strategic Leadership and Organizational Culture on Organizational Performance Considering the Mediating Role of Organizational Innovation (Case Study: Iran Khodro Company)

Siavash Borhan Ashkevari *

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of strategic leadership and organizational culture on organizational performance, with a focus on the mediating role of organizational innovation.

Methodology: A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS). Data were collected from 190 managers and experts at Iran Khodro Company using standardized questionnaires. The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed through Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted (AVE).

Findings: The results showed that both strategic leadership and organizational culture have significant positive effects on organizational performance and organizational innovation. Organizational innovation also positively impacts performance and mediates the relationships between strategic leadership and performance, as well as between culture and performance.

Conclusion: Strategic leadership and organizational culture are critical drivers of organizational performance, and their effects are significantly enhanced through organizational innovation. These findings underscore the importance of fostering innovation as a mediating mechanism to improve performance outcomes in dynamic business environments.

The Impact of Organizational and Situational Factors on the Relationship Between Disclosure Triangle Elements and Auditors' Whistleblowing Motivation

Zahra Akbari

; Arezoo Aghaei chadegani *

; Ehsan Kamali

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of organizational and situational factors on the relationship between disclosure triangle elements and internal auditors' whistleblowing motivation.

Methodology: The research employs a descriptive survey method, using a cross-sectional design and structural equation modeling to analyze data collected from a sample of 384 internal auditors through a questionnaire.

Findings: The results reveal that the disclosure triangle elements, specifically opportunity and rationalization, positively influence whistleblowing motivation, while pressure does not have a significant effect. Additionally, organizational and situational factors do not moderate the relationship between disclosure triangle elements and whistleblowing motivation.

Conclusion: Whistleblowing motivation is significantly driven by opportunity and rationalization, but organizational and situational factors fail to exert a moderating influence, emphasizing the need for ethical support and rational justification mechanisms within organizations to encourage whistleblowing behavior.

About the Journal

ISSN: 3041-8992
Director in Charge: Sepehr Khajeh Naeini
Editor-in-chief: Dr. Yus Nugraha
Owner: KMAN Research Institute
Publisher: KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB)
Email: ijimob@kmanpub.com / journalimobs@gmail.com
Open Access: YES

International Journal of Innovation Management and Organizational Behavior (IJIMOB) is a scientific open access peer-reviewed journal. The primary purpose of the International Journal of Innovation Management and Organizational Behavior (IJIMOB) is to publish scholarly research articles in the fields of Management and Organizational Behavior. As an official journal of the KMANPUB, the IJIMOB is recognized as an instrument for projecting and supporting the goals and objectives of this organization, which include scholarly research and the free exchange of ideas. IJIMOB appreciates original articles, review articles, short-papers, and conceptual papers research on all aspects of Innovation Management and Organizational Behavior.