Designing the Professional Competencies Model of Knowledge Workers in the Public Sector Knowledge-Based Organizations

Knowledge-based organizations emphasize certain competencies to achieve goals because the competency model of employees is different for the levels of occupations. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of designing a professional competencies model for knowledge workers in knowledge-based organizations.

This research is applied in terms of purpose and exploratory mixed research in terms of data type. Participants of the qualitative section consist of 12 experts of knowledge-based organizations that were selected by non-probabilistic purposeful sampling method. The data of this section were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by thematic analysis. The statistical population of the quantitative part was 330 knowledge workers of knowledge-based organizations, among which 178 persons were selected by simple random sampling method. The data of this section was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The professional competencies model was structured in five main categories and 20 categories and 78 sub-categories including: 1. Knowledge (knowledge update, professional knowledge, environmental awareness, and knowledge management); 2. Skill (social, managerial, problem solving, negotiation, and marketing skills); 3. Ability (educational, intellectual, modeling, business counseling, and new product development ability); 4. Characteristics (self-efficacy, commitment, work ethics, and research spirit); 5. Attitude (entrepreneurship and foresight). The second-order confirmatory factor analysis indicates the significant relationship between indicators, components, and dimensions of competency model.

The professional competencies development of knowledge workers can prevent waste of time, energy, and resources of knowledge-based organizations. It also can make deep reviewing in employment criteria, staff selection, and composition of development and reform programs.