Barriers and Solutions to Implementing Iran's Human Resource Ecosystem: A Mixed Methodology based on Total Systems Intervention

Implementing the human resources ecosystem poses a significant challenge for large private and public organizations. This challenge is exacerbated by the comprehensive nature of its concepts and its dependence on the availability of rich and abundant resources. The primary objective of this research is to scrutinize the barriers hindering the implementation of the human resources ecosystem in Iran, considering the prevailing environmental conditions. The secondary goal is to propose viable steps for resolving these problems and overcoming the barriers through a comprehensive understanding of the challenges associated with implementing this ecosystem. The Total Systems Intervention (TSI) meta-methodology system was selected to achieve a holistic understanding of the system. Deploying the Total Systems Intervention framework, a systematic process was initiated to identify the system's principal challenges and pinpoint applicable methods. Nine main challenges were identified, leading to the selection of two methods—namely, the Importance-Performance Approach (IPA) and the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)—for categorization and the development of implementation solutions. The findings, based on the perspectives of seven experts in the field of human resources, revealed that non-compliance with strategic plans with the human resource ecosystem and environmental dynamism and uncertainty are the most crucial and impactful barriers. Consequently, issues such as the lack of executive flexibility and insufficient stakeholder participation were identified as additional problems of high importance but lower effectiveness. Subsequently, the research delved into discussing methods for implementing and monitoring the ecosystem, resulting in the design of a comprehensive framework for implementation. The research underscores that successfully implementing the human resources ecosystem necessitates internal system integration and alignment among managers, stakeholders, programs, and resources. This alignment accelerates and streamlines the implementation process, highlighting the importance of a cohesive approach to realizing the system's potential.