Designing of the Organizational Structure of Open and Distance Universities: The Case Study of Payame Noor University

This study aims at presenting a pattern for the organizational structure of open and distant universities with focusing on Payame Noor University (PNU). The population of the study consisted of all personnels working in three centers of PNU in Tehran, Kermanshah, and Kurdistan provinces located in Iran; among whom 400 persons were selected based on the purposive sampling. In order to measure the structural dimensions; Robbins’ organizational structure questionnaire was used; furthermore, for content dimensions measuring Cameron and Canon’s organizational Culture Inventory, William’s organizational environment, Daft’s organizational technology, and Farhady’s organizational strategies were utilized. The results of the study indicated that with regard to the structural dimensions, PNU has formality, complexity, and high focus and with respect to the content dimensions, it has a somewhat unpredictable environment, a fairly strong culture, Successful strategy and complex technology. The results of multiple regression indicated that culture, environment, technology and strategy are nice predictors for formality, complexity and focus. In conclusion, based on the somewhat unpredictable environment, the fairly strong culture and the complex technology, the managers need to pay close attention to reducing formality, complexity, and focus and attempt to design and implement the link structure, which is both stable and efficient and also easy and flexible, in PNU.