Restricted perspectives for promotion and advancement in teaching profession: Analyzing the phenomenon of career plateau among Iranian teachers

This qualitative study aimed to identify teachers' career plateau indicators, components, and dimensions to provide a conceptual framework and develop theoretical foundations. It was a qualitative research with the phenomenological design. Data was collected by semi-structured interview with 25 teachers, principals and heads of education, who were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection was continued with the snowball method up to the theoretical saturation. They were analyzed by inductive content analysis at three open, axial, and selective levels. Validity of the findings was confirmed by the member check method and its reliability was calculated by the agreement between two coders (81.92%). Three dimensions were identified for indicators of career plateau among teachers, including the weakness in the psycho-physical, job skills, and organizational behavior. Weakness in the psycho-physical dimension included the components of low desire and motivation towards the work activities, negative attitude towards the job and job-organizational conditions, projection, and weakness in the mental and physical health. Weakness in the dimension of job skills including the components of less attention to the job growth and development, weakness in the teaching planning and design, negative impact on the students' academic performance, reduction in the work efficiency and quality, lack of creativity in the work, and inappropriate interaction with the parents, teachers and students. Finally, the weakness in the organizational dimension of behavior included the components of less flexibility in facing the organizational job changes, developing a negative atmosphere in the work environment and encouraging the anti-organizational behaviors, passive presence in the work environment, anti-organizational citizenship behaviors, isolationist behaviors, and reducing the occupational and organizational commitment.