Presenting a Model of Organizational Pride in Tehran Municipality: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The present study aimed to develop and explain a qualitative model of organizational pride in Tehran Municipality by identifying its underlying dimensions, components, and thematic structure from the perspectives of academic experts, organizational specialists, and municipal managers. This study employed a qualitative research design using thematic analysis. The statistical population consisted of university faculty members in the fields of public administration, human resource management, and organizational behavior, experienced organizational experts, and senior managers of Tehran Municipality. Participants were selected through purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Saturation was reached after the twelfth interview, although three additional interviews were conducted to ensure completeness, resulting in a final sample of fifteen participants. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews lasting between 60 and 120 minutes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic network analysis with the support of MAXQDA 2024 software. To enhance trustworthiness, member checking, peer review, participant feedback, and expert evaluation procedures were employed. Intercoder reliability was assessed using Holsti’s coefficient, which indicated a high level of agreement. The analysis revealed that organizational pride in Tehran Municipality is a multidimensional construct composed of three overarching themes, twelve organizing themes, and one hundred twenty basic themes. The first overarching theme, identity and belonging pride, encompassed deep organizational belonging, pride in individual and team development, pride in workplace and welfare, security and reward-based validation, and pride in cultural and traditional heritage. The second overarching theme, mission-oriented and value-based pride, included social impact competence, ethical credibility and organizational transparency, and respect for leadership and senior management. The third overarching theme, efficiency and performance pride, comprised organizational credibility and position, competence in innovation and performance achievements, credibility of processes and systems, and pride in qualitative and practical achievements. The findings indicated that organizational pride is formed through the interaction of employees’ emotional attachment to the organization, commitment to meaningful public service and organizational values, and perceptions of organizational effectiveness, innovation, and social reputation. The findings demonstrate that organizational pride is a comprehensive and multidimensional phenomenon that extends beyond emotional attachment and encompasses identity, values, social contribution, organizational reputation, leadership, innovation, and performance. In the context of Tehran Municipality, employees’ pride is strengthened when they experience a strong sense of belonging, perceive their work as socially meaningful, trust organizational leadership and ethical practices, and recognize organizational competence and achievements. The proposed model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding organizational pride in public-sector organizations and offers practical insights for managers seeking to enhance employee engagement, commitment, citizenship behavior, and organizational effectiveness through the development of pride-enhancing organizational environments.