In the present study, an attempt is made to explain and rationalize the formulation of mega-policies in Iran.

This research was an analytical study based on the focus group and tried to use a process method to formulate mega-program policies with an emphasis on the Seventh Development Plan in Iran.

Results show that there is no structured method to formulate general policies for development programs. Therefore, by adopting the process of formulating public policies, the following processes have been obtained for formulating policy rulings: 1) identifying priority public issues as the main axes of policy rulings; 2) identifying the requirements arising from the upstream documents in formulating general program policies; 3) identifying policy options (as sub-categories) to solve general problems by combining theoretical resources, general policies, and expertise intervention; 4) Feasibility study of policy options; 5) enumerating the main categories as policy rulings.

Originality: 

Studies have been conducted on how to formulate general program policies in Iran with a governance approach. This study has been able to propose a defensible process for formulating general program policies in Iran by focusing on policy-making methodology. In addition, in this study, 21 priority public issues have been identified and the corresponding policy rulings for each of them have been formulated.

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the achievement of goals and the quantitative indicators of higher education focusing on capacity building and human resource development according to the Sixth Development Plan and at the same time, highlighting key lessons as to the preparation of documents for the Seventh Development Plan.

Using the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology together with prescriptive orientation, this study applied the case study research method and documentary study to evaluate the outcomes of higher education in the Sixth Development Plan. In terms of data collection and analysis, independent samples of T-test and bibliographic method based on indexing were performed.

The findings of the study indicate that conceptually all indicators in the higher education sector have been input and/or output-oriented; however, effectiveness and outcomes have not been considered. In terms of performance review, such indicators as "share of non-governmental university students", "ratio of full-time faculty members including assistant professor and higher ranks to the total of full-time faculty members in universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology", as well as "number of Iranian university branches abroad" are all in a good condition; Nevertheless, the indicators "share of foreign students", "number of postgraduate students in departments of Basic Sciences" and "share of skills training" are not satisfactory.

Originality:

 Applying index-based and outcome-based model, the performance of the quantitative goals of higher education under the Sixth Development Plan has been evaluated for the first time in Iran. Accordingly, the research results provide policy implications for policymakers so that they may consider a more diverse range of indicators in different performance dimensions.

The present research, intends to formulate and propose a theoretical basis of administrative development for the Seventh Development Plan, along with the upstream documents.

This research was of evaluation type and attempted to use the evaluation process method to formulate a theoretical basis of administrative development with an emphasis on the Seventh Development Plan.

The results of the research show that there is no dependable theoretical basis for developing program rules in the field of administrative reform. Therefore, by identifying different theoretical views in the field of administrative reform and by selecting appropriate criteria in the light of upstream documents, both the evaluated theories of administrative development and the view of transcendental values management are proposed as a suitable theoretical basis for administrative development.

Originality:

 Studies have been conducted to select a theoretical basis for administrative development in Iran with an approach of Islamic governance. This study was able to propose a defensible theoretical basis for formulating program rules in the field of administrative development for the Seventh Development Plan in Iran by focusing on the evaluation methodology of theoretical views.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the actions and results of the rural development policies and their effects on the efficiency and effectiveness of the rural development policy in the Sixth Development Plan and to apply the lessons learned in the Seventh Development Plan.

As to the purpose, the present research was applied and in terms of methodology, it was descriptive. In the general methodological framework of the research, to study the goals, outputs and consequences of sustainable rural development policies, policy monitoring method was used in order to monitor and evaluate the rural development policy in accordance with the Five-Year Sixth Development Plan. The statistical population of the research included the bills and laws of budgets and programs as well as reports on the performance of government and parliament in the field of rural development on the one hand, and critical and evaluation researches on rural development programs, on the other hand. In this regard, directional content analysis based on the above documents was used in the framework of policy monitoring method.

Evaluation of rural development policy's performance in development programs focusing on the Sixth Development Plan shows that despite the success in the outputs, in terms of their consequences, they do not correspond to the predetermined goals. Besides, the evaluation of actions and outputs of rural development policies indicate a serious imbalance between the ratio of employment and production credits to physical, service and infrastructure credits, as well as incompatibility of objectives and elements of rural development policy with bills and laws. In addition, findings of the experiences in the field of critique and evaluation of rural development programs, the lack of a comprehensive approach in designing a model for rural development and finally, the lack of a specialized and efficient agent for supporting rural development policy are all the main sources of failure in reaching the desired objectives and tasks of the rural development policies in the Sixth Development Plan.

Originality/Value:

 In addition to exposing a theoretical gap in the investigated area, this research has also explained the evaluation framework of the rural development policy based on the components of sustainable rural development. From a practical point of view, using the policy analysis method, it has provided the possibility for evaluating the performance of the rural development policy based on the latest implementation measures in the development plans.

: The stakeholders of science and technology, like other areas of public policy, have an important role in the success and failure of policies by influencing and being influenced by policies. The research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the anticipated interactions of the stakeholders of science and technology in the upstream documents.

The research is an applied research from the point of view of the goal and thematic analysis from the point of view of the data collection method. For this purpose, among the upstream documents, eleven documents were selected and analyzed in the four dimensions of stakeholder identification, type, purpose and method of stakeholder interaction.

In the analysis, stakeholders in four sections; Government, private, individuals and civil society were categorized, and the beneficiaries of the public sector had the largest share. Stakeholder interaction is predicted in seven types, and "institution-to-institution" interaction was the most frequent . The objectives of stakeholder interactions are foreseen in fifteen themes, the most important of which were "Development of science and technology" and "Strengthening interactions between stakeholders". Stakeholder interaction methods were introduced in the form of ten themes, among which "development of incentive mechanisms" and "creation of cooperation networks" were introduced as important methods of interaction.

Originality/ value:

For the first time, the research has taken a comprehensive look at the issue of stakeholder interactions, which, in addition to identifying the stakeholders, has determined how the stakeholders interact, the purpose and the modes of their interaction.

Identifying factors affecting organizational efficiency and effectiveness can be a drastic step to improve time management in organizations. Taking this into account, the present research aims to investigate the effects of web-based management on organizational time management with the mediating role of human relations.

The research method was descriptive of correlational. The statistical population consisted of all top, middle and operational managers of Hormozgan Province Islamic Azad University. Using stratified random sampling method, 201 managers were selected as the statistical sample. To collect research data, three questionnaires were used: web-based management, human relations, and organizational time management. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results show that on one hand, web-based management has a positive and significant relationship with organizational time management and human relations and on the other hand, human relations have the same relationship with organizational time management. Moreover, there is a positive and significant relationship between web-based management and organizational time management through the mediating role of human relations.

Originality: 

Studying the effects of web-based management on organizational time management, this research has developed the existing literature in this field. It has also emphasized that based on the relationship between web-based management and human relations development, we can expect the realization of development in organizational time management.

The returning of a patient to a health facility to get new services plays a significant role in creating brand identity which is a major factor of success for such an organization. On this basis, this study intends to evaluate the performance of state hospitals applying network data envelopment analysis.

Regarding the purpose, this article was applied and used descriptive-survey method. Data were gathered through assessing the organizational documentation as well as the viewpoints of experts and managers who were active in health areas. Data analysis was operated by using two-phased envelopment analysis and input-based network. Then, efficient and non-efficient hospitals were identified and eventually, data sensibility was analyzed considering the results of data envelopment analysis.

The results of input-based network data envelopment analysis show that none of the hospitals were efficient in phase 1 but in phase 2, merely 2 out of 13 hospitals were efficient. Additionally, in processes 1, 2, 3 and 4, only 2, 5, 1 and 4 hospitals were efficient respectively. Therefore, only 30% of the hospitals under study are efficient in phase 2. After examining the efficiency in the first and second phases and that of the network, the hospitals are ranked in a descending order (from the most to the least efficient).

Originality: 

Many theoretical and experimental researches have so far been conducted in order to reach a mathematical model of performance evaluation for hospitals. However, none has ever dealt with the social responsibility component of these health facilities. In this respect, the present research has not only introduced a model for performance evaluation and development of social responsibility, but also implemented the model in Yazd public hospitals as an example.