Future of Work and Digital Management Journal

Futures Studies of Artificial Intelligence–Based Banking Services in the Payment Industry: Iranian Private Banks

Mehdi Taleb iD , Mohammadreza Sanaei ^* iD , Alireza Aminkhaki iD

The present study aimed to conduct a futures study of artificial intelligence–based banking services in the payment industry of Iranian private banks. The study employed an exploratory mixed-methods approach (qualitative–quantitative). In the qualitative phase, data were collected through meta-synthesis and a systematic review of studies published in international scientific databases and were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Structural analysis was also conducted using MICMAC software to examine the relationships among the variables. The results showed that the variables of “strategic leadership and support,” “organizational digital maturity,” “technological innovation,” and “interorganizational synergy” were located in the linkage cluster and played key roles in the dynamics of the banking system. Subsequently, using Scenario Wizard software, four plausible future scenarios were developed: “Coordinated Smart Ecosystem,” “Technological Advancement amid Distrust,” “Structural Loss of Opportunities,” and “Digital Crisis.” The final findings indicated that achieving a desirable future for intelligence-driven banking in Iran requires effective digital leadership, adaptive policymaking, secure infrastructure, and targeted investment in digital trust and technological innovation. Otherwise, the likelihood of a digital crisis and the erosion of banks’ competitive advantage will increase. Finally, the development of a national digital trust standard, enhancement of strategic leadership, establishment of interbank and bank–fintech collaboration networks, and implementation of technology-monitoring systems were proposed as strategic measures.

Developing a Talent Management Capability Model for Enhancing Organizational Agility: A Grounded Theory Study in a Municipal Organization

Ali Zarifzadeh iD , Nabiollah Mohammadi ^* iD , Alireza Rezghi Rostami iD

As a fundamental institution, the Iranian educational system requires fundamental transformations his study aimed to develop a model of talent management capabilities for enhancing organizational agility in a municipality. The study employed a qualitative approach based on grounded theory. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 managers, deputy managers, and experts with experience and expertise in human resource management and municipal planning. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The data were analyzed manually through open, axial, and selective coding. Continuous review, research process auditing, test–retest coding, and expert evaluation were used to enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings. The findings revealed that the proposed model of talent management capabilities for enhancing organizational agility in the municipality comprises causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and outcomes. The model’s principal components include a positive organizational structure, effective communication, participative management, a merit-based human resource management system, a positive organizational climate, collaborative learning, ineffective management, political pressure, the recruitment and deployment of competent personnel, employee training, and the localized adaptation of successful practices. The study concludes that transforming talent management into a strategic and dynamic capability can improve organizational performance, build trust, enhance responsiveness, and strengthen organizational agility within the municipality.

Designing a Causal Model of Value-Based Competitiveness in Pharmaceutical Companies Based on Production System Efficiency

Ali Eskandari iD , Houshang Taghizadeh ^* iD

In the pharmaceutical industry, competitiveness is no longer defined solely in terms of price and market share; rather, sustainable value creation for customers, quality improvement, supply responsiveness, and operational productivity are regarded as strategic competitive advantages. Nevertheless, many pharmaceutical companies face ambiguity regarding how production system efficiency contributes to the development of value-based competitiveness. Therefore, designing a causal model can clarify the relationships between the dimensions of production system efficiency and the components of value-based competitiveness and provide a basis for managerial decision-making and the enhancement of companies’ competitive performance. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to design a causal model of value-based competitiveness in pharmaceutical companies based on production system efficiency. An exploratory mixed-methods research design was employed. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis was used to identify the components shaping value-based competitiveness based on production system efficiency. Interviews were used as the data collection instrument in this phase. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached, and 14 experts participated in the interviews. In the quantitative phase, confirmatory factor analysis and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) were employed to design the causal model of value-based competitiveness in pharmaceutical companies based on production system efficiency. Quantitative data were collected using two questionnaires, which were distributed among the members of the statistical sample after their validity and reliability had been examined and confirmed. The statistical population in the quantitative phase consisted of managers and experts at different organizational levels of pharmaceutical companies across the country, from whom a sample of 260 participants was selected. The qualitative findings revealed eight main themes and 36 subthemes. In the quantitative phase, the results of Interpretive Structural Modeling indicated that the causal model of value-based competitiveness in pharmaceutical companies based on production system efficiency comprised six hierarchical levels. In this model, human capital and productivity culture demonstrated the greatest driving influence, whereas sustainability and stakeholder value creation exhibited the greatest dependence.

A Model for Public Issues Management in the Police Force Based on a Participatory Governance Approach: A Mixed-Methods Study

Saeed Ehsani iD , Kambiz Hamidi ^* iD , Mohammad Azim Khodayari iD , Ameneh Malmir iD

Citizens’ expectations have highlighted the necessity of reconsidering traditional approaches to public issues management within the police force. The present study aimed to develop a model for public issues management in the police force based on participatory governance. Philosophically, the study was grounded in the pragmatist paradigm, and methodologically, it employed a mixed-methods approach with a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts and specialists in policing and public management, and thematic analysis was used to identify the dimensions, components, and indicators of the public issues management model. In the quantitative phase, the extracted model was tested using questionnaire data obtained from 250 respondents. Quantitative data were analyzed through structural equation modeling using SmartPLS, and the reliability, convergent validity, explanatory power, and model fit were assessed. The qualitative analysis resulted in the identification of seven main dimensions: enhancement of social capital and public trust with an emphasis on family-centeredness; empowerment of women, children, and adolescents in public issues management; participatory management of emerging crimes and social harms; development of participatory mechanisms and policies within the police; management of social challenges and opportunities in citizen participation; technology, innovation, and smartening of citizen participation in public issues management; and lived experience of digital media literacy in interactive environments. The quantitative results also showed that the study constructs possessed satisfactory reliability and convergent validity. The coefficients of determination for the endogenous constructs ranged from 0.77 to 0.989, indicating high explanatory power. Moreover, the Goodness-of-Fit index was calculated as 0.884, demonstrating a very strong fit for the proposed model. The findings indicate that effective public issues management in the police force requires a transition from a traditional, reactive, and organization-centered approach toward a participatory, preventive, network-based, and technology-oriented approach. According to the proposed model, strengthening trust and social capital, empowering social groups, expanding family and citizen participation, promoting intersectoral collaboration, utilizing emerging technologies, and attending to digital media literacy can enhance the effectiveness, accountability, and social legitimacy of the police force. The model may serve as a context-specific framework for policymaking and planning in the field of participatory public issues management within the police force.

Designing a Performance Evaluation Model for Knowledge Workers in the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran

Mehrdad Faraghat iD , Bahram Alishiri ^* iD , Seyed Ahmad Hosseini Golafshani iD

This study aimed to design and validate a comprehensive performance evaluation model for knowledge workers in the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 academic and organizational experts selected purposively until theoretical saturation was reached. Interview data were analyzed through thematic analysis, thematic-network analysis, and the fuzzy Delphi technique using MAXQDA. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population consisted of 110 knowledge workers, managers, and supervisors, of whom 85 were selected through stratified simple random sampling based on Cochran’s formula. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire whose content validity was confirmed by 10 experts. A pilot study was conducted with 30 employees, and the questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and partial least squares structural equation modeling. Qualitative coding generated 60 indicators classified into eight dimensions: perceived supervisory support, team empowerment, perceived support for innovation, psychological safety, social cohesion, information sharing, internal communication, and external communication. Inter-coder reliability was confirmed by a significant Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.758 (p < .001). All indicators were retained after two fuzzy Delphi rounds, with inter-round differences below 0.80. Exploratory factor analysis was supported by KMO = 0.914 and a significant Bartlett’s test, χ²(1770) = 11,876.408, p < .001. Eight factors with eigenvalues greater than one explained 57.585% of the variance. All first-order factor loadings exceeded 0.40 and were significant at p < .001. Second-order loadings ranged from 0.730 to 0.867. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.733 to 0.947, composite reliability ranged from 0.849 to 0.952, and all AVE values exceeded 0.50. Discriminant validity was confirmed through the Fornell–Larcker criterion, cross-loadings, and HTMT values below 0.90. Model fit was acceptable, with SRMR = 0.071 and NFI = 0.800. Expert validation also confirmed the model’s internal, external, and overall validity (p < .01). The validated model provides a reliable and multidimensional framework for evaluating knowledge-worker performance by integrating managerial, team-based, innovative, psychological, social, and communicational dimensions.

A Systematic Review of the Roles of Knowledge Management in the Public Sector: Synthesis and Future Directions

Shahram Begzadeh ^* iD , Raana Kazemi iD

The primary objective of this study was to examine and synthesize the role of knowledge management in the public sector. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, this study evaluated the role of knowledge management in public-sector organizations by analyzing 33 selected articles published in journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. The findings indicated that researchers employed diverse methodologies and applied a range of theoretical perspectives in this field. Furthermore, the publication trend during the period under review demonstrated a gradual and continuous increase in studies addressing knowledge management in the public sector, with researchers adopting a variety of research methodologies. This systematic review identified three principal themes in knowledge management research: first, knowledge management aimed at organizational improvement; second, knowledge management intended to enhance citizen satisfaction; and third, knowledge management directed toward the management of collaborative innovation. These three themes constitute the central focus of research conducted in this field.

Assessing the Role of Risk in Corporate Entrepreneurship: The Mediating Roles of Innovation and Research and Development

Farrokh Zargarian iD , Tahmoures Sohrabi ^* iD , Ahmadreza Kasraei iD

Corporate entrepreneurship is an important managerial approach that has attracted considerable attention from researchers and managers over the past several decades. Corporate entrepreneurship concerns the development of ideas and opportunities within existing organizations. This concept reflects organizations’ ability to transform threats into opportunities, improve processes, and create new value within existing organizational structures. Risk, innovation, and research and development are among the factors that may influence corporate entrepreneurship. This study aimed to assess the role of risk in corporate entrepreneurship, with innovation and research and development serving as mediating variables. Accordingly, a research framework was initially developed through a review of the theoretical literature. Based on this framework, the conceptual model was formulated, and the research hypotheses were developed. To test the hypotheses, the statistical population consisted of 60 managers and experts employed by a knowledge-based company operating in the oil and gas industry. Because the entire population was included through a census approach, the questionnaire was distributed among all personnel. The questionnaire items were adopted from valid and relevant sources, and their validity and reliability were confirmed. Convergent and discriminant validity were used to assess validity, while composite reliability was employed to evaluate reliability. Because the data were not normally distributed, partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed using SmartPLS 2. Based on the significance values obtained for the hypothesized relationships, all hypotheses were supported. The effect of risk on research and development was 0.851, the effect of risk on corporate entrepreneurship was 0.583, the effect of risk on innovation was 0.764, the effect of research and development on corporate entrepreneurship was 0.877, and the effect of innovation on corporate entrepreneurship was 0.845. Finally, recommendations were proposed for improving corporate entrepreneurship.

A Systematic Review of Human Resource Management Strategies for Enhancing Employees’ Psychological Flexibility: A Case Study of Wasit Governorate

Falah Sultan Malih AL-Duraye iD , Hassan DanaeeFard ^* iD , Mahdi Mortazavi

This study aimed to identify, classify, and integrate human resource management strategies and influential factors that enhance employees’ psychological flexibility in public organizations, with particular emphasis on Wasit Governorate, Iraq. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies addressing human resource management, psychological flexibility, employee resilience, and adaptive performance were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science, supplemented by searches in Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, MDPI, Springer Open Access, and Emerald Open Access. Eligibility criteria were developed using the PICo framework and focused on public-sector employees, managerial strategies and mechanisms, and governmental or local administrative settings. Following a multistage screening procedure, 40 eligible articles were included in the final synthesis. Methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist, and the evidence was extracted and synthesized through systematic content analysis. The integrated evidence indicated that strategic and high-involvement human resource management, supportive and adaptive leadership, continuous learning and development opportunities, flexible work arrangements, and training interventions involving mindfulness, self-regulation, and values clarification enhanced employees’ psychological flexibility. These effects were primarily explained by improvements in psychological capital, self-efficacy, emotional regulation, psychological safety, social support, mutual trust, and perceived organizational justice. The final conceptual model connected four interrelated levels: organizational strategies, psychological mechanisms, social and team resources, and individual and organizational outcomes. Enhancing employees’ psychological flexibility requires the coordinated implementation of supportive human resource practices and the development of employees’ psychological and social resources. Psychological capital and perceived organizational support emerged as the central mechanisms linking human resource strategies to adaptive and productive employee outcomes. The proposed framework can guide human resource managers and policymakers in Wasit Governorate in designing context-sensitive interventions that strengthen employee well-being, adaptability, and organizational performance.

Future of Work and Digital Management Journal

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Proposing a Framework to Strengthen Supply Chain Financing in Iran with a Focus on FinTech Capabilities

Design and Validation of a Self-Directed Learning Management Model in Organizational Training at Bank Sepah

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Iraq’s Futsal Development Model: A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Approach with Emphasis on Performance Indicators

The Relationship Between the Extent of Using Product and Service Images in Virtual Networks and the Dominant Atmosphere of Political Interactions with the Increase of Iran–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Trade Exchanges

Providing the Consumer Behavior Model with a Green Marketing Approach

The Paradox of Early Retirement: Idealized Liberation or Real Constraint? An Analysis within the Dialectic of Agency and Structure

Designing a Conceptual Model of Place Branding for the Border Provinces of West Azerbaijan with a Communicative and Persuasive Approach

Designing a Model of Antecedents and Consequences of Employees’ Loneliness in Governmental Organizations: A Case Study of Ilam City

Developing a Grounded Theory-Based Model for Building Resilience Against Organizational Stroke

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