Structural Leveling of strategic objectives in Iran Alloy Steel Company

 Seting the strategic objectives map is considered a step to upgrade the effectiveness of company as an effective tool for aligning the strategic objectives and organizational strategies, and show the causal relationships between the strategic objectives. Drawing the strategic objectives map is done visually in the experimental space of organizations. With this method, the causal relationships between the strategic objectives in the various layers are not entirely clear, and it is unclear which the strategic objectives are interrelated. Therefore, it is essential providing an intellectual approach based on mathematics such as the Interpretive Structural Modeling for drawing the strategic objectives map. Interpretive Structural Modeling is a technique construct and understands the relationships between the elements of a complex system based on experts' opinions. The problem of this study is the uncertainty of the causal relationships between the strategic objectives in functional Levels of Iran Alloy Steel Company. Therefore, the purpose of the study is Leveling of the strategic objectives in multiple layers on the four perspectives of Balanced Scorecard in Iran Alloy Steel Company that multiple objectives are considered in each layer.

The research category in the study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the study includes 34 senior managers and experts in Iran Alloy Steel Company. In this study, the required data has been collected using library studies (documentary studies, study of domestic and foreign books and publications and search in databases) and field studies (interview and questionnaire). In the questionnaire of this study, the relationship between all the objectives in terms of how they relate and their impact on each other has been questioned. According to the 17 strategic objectives of Iran Alloy Steel Company, the number of questionnaire questions was 136. Matlab software used to draw causal relationships between the strategic objectives of the company through Interpretive Structural Modeling on the four perspectives of Balanced Scorecard in order to improve the performance of calculations and analysis.

 The findings showed the relationships between the strategic objectives are leveled in 6 layers on the Balanced Scorecard. In terms of the driving power and dependence, the objectives of “Increasing investment to complete the unfinished projects in Iran Alloy Steel Company”, and “Expansion of the interactions between steel industry and research centers” were identified as the most effective objectives which were at level 6. At level 5, there was only the objective of "IT infrastructure development" which is in the category of independent (driving) objectives. At level 4, there were two

"attracting efficient manpower" and "upgrading the performance of knowledge and information management" which are in the category of independent (driving) objectives. At level 3, there were seven

“upgrading employee's ability”, “optimal technology management”, “development of superior technologies”, “upgrading product quality”, “development of production capacities”, “sustainable supply of raw materials, items, parts and equipment” and “promotion of social performance” which are in the category of  linkage objectives. At level 2, there were two

"increasing the utilization rate of equipment" and "optimal use of assets" which are in the category of dependent objectives. Finally, at level 1, there were three

“strengthening brand in target economic markets”, “increasing customer satisfaction”, and “growing profitability” which were identified as the most dependent objectives.

According to the findings, Iran Alloy Steel Company to strengthen its infrastructure in the field of manpower and information technology, and the development and improvement of automation and information processing systems will be able to improve its internal processes, increase productivity, and while strengthening its brand in the market and attracting customer satisfaction to achieve profitability. Also, the results of this study are aligned and consistent with the logic of the four perspectives of balanced scorecard and real world in terms of the ISM model presented and the MICMAC analysis. For example, the five lower-level objectives in Interpretive Structural Modeling all include the learning and growth perspective of the Balanced Scorecard. Also, these are in the category of independent (driving) objectives in the MICMAC analysis, and are known as drivers for other objectives that the causal relationships between the objectives in the strategic objectives map are consistent with the balanced scorecard framework and the real world. In addition, the all objectives were located in three category of independent, linkage and dependent, and conflicting and autonomous objectives were not observed in results. However, the findings of this study in practice will enable Iran Alloy Steel Company to have a better understanding of the relationships of its objectives, and take conscious action to achieve objectives, and prioritize and budget them.