A Grounded Theory Approach: Model of Knowledge Workers Leadership in Iranian Knowledge-Based Organizations

The law of protection from knowledge-based organizations has approved in 2011 by Parliament of Iran and based on that the Vice President of Science and Technology was responsible for supporting these types of companies. But the challenges that these companies face in their growth path makes decision making institutions more deeply concerned about the issues they face. By looking at knowledge as the main capital of these companies, one of the most important of these challenges is the leadership of the workers who are known as "knowledge worker". Researches show that knowledge workers behavior is different from other employees, and therefore their motivation drivers and influence mechanisms and finally leadership model are different. The purpose of this study is to present a model of knowledge workers leadership in knowledge-based organizations based on Grounded Theory. The present study carries out among qualitative studies. For this purpose, the literature and the previous studies around knowledge workers leadership have been investigated and the related questions to the model of knowledge workers leadership have been extracted. As next step, theoretical sampling and also deep and exploratory interviews have been arranged. Almost 15 useful interviews have been done which recorded in both written and voice versions. The analysis of data has been started with interviews simultaneous. Open, axial and selective coding steps were taken from recorded audio files through repeated reading and retrieval. Finally, 16 axial codes were obtained and the model of knowledge workers leadership was extracted using these codes. The results of this study indicate that supportive organizations in Islamic Republic of Iran should empower managers of these organizations in the form of business education in order to remain active in domestic and international competition. The findings of this research are also the "Mutual trust-based leadership style" and motivational strategies through trust, working conditions, jobs, and compensation.