Explaining the Effective Factors of Organizational Transparency in Strategic Decision-Making of Health System Managers: A Case Study: Ilam University of Medical Sciences

Transparency is a set of organizational practices that promotes good governance and democratic processes in the organization. If it is implemented in the organization, it improves the decision-making process and makes the process of organizational decisions constructive and effective. Therefore, this study aimed to explain the effective factors of transparency in the strategic decision-making of health system managers.

This exploratory (qualitative-quantitative) study was conducted based on an applied research method. In the qualitative part, the statistical population includes managers and faculty members at Ilam University of Medical Sciences. The snowball method was used for sampling. Moreover, semi-structured interviews were used to collect information in this part. Based on the rule of theoretical saturation, 17 interviews were conducted. Furthermore, Grounded Theory was employed to analyze the data in the qualitative part. In the quantitative part, the purpose was the model testing designed in the qualitative part. Accordingly, a researcher-made questionnaire based on the qualitative model was used to collect the information in this part. The statistical population of the quantitative part of the research included 250 managers and faculty members of Ilam University of Medical Sciences. Structural equations and PLS (volume 2) software were used to investigate the relationships and effects of the components in the model.

According to the findings of the qualitative part, 27 concepts and 4 final components or indicators, (managers' responsibility, employee participation, moral values, as well as information and communication management) were identified during three stages of open, central, and selective coding. The findings of the quantitative part revealed that managers' responsibility (with a coefficient of 0.546 and t-value of 3.058), employee participation (with a coefficient of 0.548 and a t-value of 3.789), moral values (with a coefficient of 0.618 and a t-value of 3.019), as well as information and communication management (with a coefficient of 0.764 and a t-value of 3.76)  have a positive and significant relationship with organizational transparency.

According to the research findings, it can be stated that the most effective factors in increasing organizational transparency in the strategic decision-making of health system managers of Ilam University of Medical Sciences are attention to information and communication management, institutionalization of moral values, employee participation, and managers' responsibility.