Designing a Merit-Phobia Model of the Managers of Governmental Organizations

Merit-phobia is considered one of the organizational diseases in governmental organizations, which has hindered the favorable appointment process. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to Designing a merit-phobia model of the managers of governmental organizations in Lorestan province. The present study has a qualitative design and uses the grounded theory method. Participants in the study were managers of government organizations in Lorestan province. Data were collected through purposive sampling with 20 managers using semi-structured interviews. In the process of data collection and analysis, the grounded theory method proposed by Strauss and Corbin was adopted. Six main categories and 45 concepts were extracted from the interviews. The findings revealed that conditions such as the weakness of the succession system, fear of losing position, traditional management systems, narrow-mindedness, partisanship, lack of a decent career path bring about the phenomenon of managers' merit-phobia. Factors such as unhealthy competition, politicization, greed, the relationship-oriented culture, and nepotism provide a background for managers' merit-phobia. According to the findings, salaries and benefits, selfishness, dependence on power, utilitarianism modify this phenomenon, which leads to consequences such as dwarfism, reduced investment of knowledge and skills for the future, reduced efficiency and effectiveness, job boredom, degradation of the manager's social reputation, increased the employee voluntary leave, reduced organizational creativity, and lack of organizational progress. Finally, the study model was approved by experts.