نشریه مدیریت بهره وری
پیاپی 66 (پاییز 1402)

Knowledge workers are the main asset of knowledge-based companies and companies that make little use of such workers are likely to undergo bankruptcy and liquidation. This study was conducted to explore the factors affecting the retention of knowledge workers and design a three-factor hygiene, motivation and comprehensive model by reviewing and criticizing Herzberg’s two-factor model in knowledge-based manufacturing companies. This is a descriptive study conducted using the survey method. The sample members were selected through the relative cluster sampling method. A 34-item questionnaire was designed based on the theoretical background and through interviews with experts and managers of companies. The data were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson correlation, and confirmatory factor analysis using SPSS-20 and LISREL-72.8 software. To identify the three hygiene, motivation and comprehensive factors, a questionnaire was presented to the academic experts, and the Delphi method was utilized. According to the results of correlation coefficients, Cronbach's alpha of this questionnaire was 0.927, which is indicative of the very good internal consistency of the items. The results of the fit indices confirm the proposed model. The results indicate good reliability and validity of the model designed to retain knowledge workers in knowledge-based manufacturing companies in the areas of ICT and biotechnology with the three-factor motivation, hygiene, and comprehensive model.

After the privatization and acceptance of Iran Telecommunication Company in the stock exchange, it is inevitable for the shareholders to know the efficiency status of telecommunication exchanges. The present study seeks to answer the fundamental question of how inefficient telephone exchanges can be brought to the brink of efficiency. To this end, by collecting the opinions of experts through a pairwise comparison questionnaire and analyzing the data using the ANP method, the effective variables in the efficiency of the exchanges have been identified. The raw data have been prepared from the statistics and evaluation scores obtained from the "Planning" and "Inspection and Evaluation" departments and the financial statements up to 1396, which have been legally audited. Then, using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method and in the conditions of "returns to fixed and variable scale", the efficiency score of the calculation exchanges, ranking and finally the strategies to improve the efficiency of inefficient exchanges have been extracted. The difference in the number of inefficient exchanges in the two scales indicates the proof of the theory of "scale inefficiency", the non-functioning of the exchanges at the optimal scale and the waste of resources by the exchanges. The weak position of the counties in the ranking table necessitates the selection of "heads of telecommunications of the counties" according to individual and professional competencies. Also, it was found that the lack of "competitive-motivational environment", "decision-making power" and "risk-taking" and the existence of "various organizational and legal restrictions" are important factors in the inefficiency of the exchanges.

The aim of the current research was to investigate the impact of organizational trust on boosting organizational adaptability. In terms of purpose, the present study was applied, in terms of data collection, it was descriptive-correlational, and in terms of the data type, it was a mixed study. The statistical population of the research included experts (to identify the factors that make up the variables) and all the managers of the organizations (to answer the quantitative questionnaire). The number of experts and managers was estimated to be 52 and 3489 respectively. The sampling method of the qualitative part was purposeful judgmental in which 32 people were selected to identify the factors. Then, a structured interview was conducted using an open questionnaire, and based on the principle of theoretical adequacy, the required data was gathered through interviews with 13 people. The responses went through content analysis to determine the factors that make up organizational trust and adaptability. Based on these factors, a quantitative questionnaire was designed and 346 employees were selected by stratified random sampling procedure to answer the aforementioned questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were confirmed using relevant tests. To analyze the data, normality tests, structural equation models, and SPSS and SmartPLS software were used. The results revealed that organizational trust and its four dimensions including institutional, vertical, horizontal and environmental trust dimensions have a positive significant effect on organizational adaptability.

Today, with the rapid spread of the Corona pandemic, problems have arisen for businesses, especially small and medium-sized businesses. On the other hand, marketing capabilities are considered essential in determining the heterogeneous evaluation of product quality for customers, which helps the strategic direction of small and medium-sized businesses in the critical conditions of the Corona pandemic. Hence, the purpose of the current research was to explain the effect of the Corona pandemic on efficiency considering the mediating role of marketing capabilities and strategic orientation. The direction of the research was applied and descriptive in terms of purpose. The statistical population of the research included 2200 managers and senior employees of small and medium-sized businesses in Tehran province, from among whom, a sample of 335 people was recruited using a stratified sampling procedure. A survey method was used for the data collection and PLS method was used for the data analysis. Based on the results, the effect of the Corona disease pandemic on efficiency, marketing capabilities and strategic orientation and the role of strategic orientation on efficiency were confirmed. Moreover, the indirect role of mediating variables of marketing capabilities and strategic orientation in the relationship between the Corona disease pandemic and efficiency was confirmed. However, the effect of marketing capabilities on performance was rejected. This research advises senior managers of small and medium-sized businesses to pay extra attention to strategic orientation and marketing capabilities in order to reduce threats and increase the possibility of survival and take advantage of future opportunities in the post-corona era.

Efficient supply chain as well as the proper management of its components play an important role in supply chain productivity. The steel industry is one of the mother industries and needs to further enhance its chain productivity. The purpose of the present study is to identify key factors affecting the productivity of national steel supply chain. In order to identify the factors affecting steel supply chain productivity, the SCOR model has been used and its indices have been validated by CVR and CVI forms as well as by steel industry experts, based on which the designed questionnaire was distributed among the managers and experts of the steel industry and the data were collected. Finally, the data analysis was performed using confirmatory factor analysis with structural equations and PLS software. The factors affecting supply chain productivity were confirmed by 30 indices and 6 factors.The results revealed that all 6 factors influence steel supply chain efficiency, however, among these factors, the enabler’s factor

The aim of the current research is to design a model for evaluating the performance of Payam Noor University employees based on the components of happiness from the perspective of the Iranian Islamic progress model. After collecting the questionnaires, the obtained information was summarized and classified using descriptive statistical methods, and to test the research questions from the tests; Independent t, variance analysis ANOVA, One Sample T-Test and structural equations using partial least squares method (Smart PLS software) were used to design the employee performance evaluation model based on happiness from the perspective of Islam. The results show that the status of each of the research variables and their dimensions are in an acceptable state, except for the evaluation dimension related to the employee performance variable. In general, happiness from the perspective of the Iranian Islamic development model has a positive and significant effect on the performance of Payam Noor University employees. After all, cheerfulness in life has a positive and meaningful effect on motivation. Mental health has a positive and significant effect on ability, clarity, organizational support, motivation, evaluation, and credibility. Then, the feeling of happiness has a positive and meaningful effect on credit and the environment. The dimension of positive thinking has a positive and significant effect on ability, clarity, organizational support and motivation. Self-esteem dimension has an inverse effect on organizational support, motivation, evaluation and credibility and the environment.

The role of universities in economic and social development in recent years has been the subject of debate among researchers and policymakers in higher education to such an extent that, in their view, entrepreneurial universities are recognized as a key player in competition, economic growth and wealth. In this study, using a mixed method (qualitative-quantitative), a model for the development and implementation of entrepreneurship in the Islamic Azad University has been provided. The statistical sample of the study in the qualitative section included 20 university officials, entrepreneurial managers, professors, science and technology park managers, entrepreneurship specialists, managers of knowledge-based companies, private companies, business education officials, science and technology park director, robotics company CEO, and the students who were purposefully selected and interviewed.The sample of the quantitative section included 365 people who answered the questionnaire. The coding process (open, axial and selective) was used to analyze the qualitative data and Amos software was used for analyzing the quantitative data. The research findings in the qualitative part indicated that the model includes infrastructure, management, environmental human resources and operational dimensions. In the quantitive data analysis, the model indicators showed a good fit.The coverage value of p was equal to 0.313, which indicates the suitability of the model. On the other hand, the root mean square of the estimation error as an important index had a value of 0.07 which is less than 0.1. Other pattern fit indicators such as TLI 0.92, NFI 951/0, CFI 94/0, IFI 94/0, RFI 0.911 and normalized Chi-square index to 1.45 degrees of freedom indicate optimal fit and pattern confirmation.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the stress caused by Covid 19 on individual performance with a mediating role of emotional intelligence. The present study is an applied research in terms of purpose and a descriptive-correlational research in terms of data collection procedure. This research was conducted among 250 employees of South Khorasan Gas Company. Using Cochran's formula, the number of sample size was 152 people who were selected by simple random sampling procedure. The required data was gathered using standard questionnaires; for the questions related to the stress caused by Covid-19 Thorsen et al.'s questionnaire (2010), for the questions related to individual performance the Romas Villagrasa questionnaire (2019), and for the questions related to emotional intelligence the Weng and Lau questionnaire (2002) were used. In addition to using standard questionnaires, the face validity of the data collection instrument was approved by the relevant experts. Moreover, the reliability of the final questionnaire, measured by Cronbach's alpha, was reported to be 0.805 and favorable. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The results of the data analysis showed that the stress caused by Covid-19 has a negative effect on the personal performance of employees and their emotional intelligence. Additionally, it was found that emotional intelligence has a positive significant effect on the employees’ individual performance and that their emotional intelligence has a mediating role in the relationship between the stress caused by Covid-19 and their individual performance.

Concerns related to environmental issues on the one hand and limited resources available for different organizations on the other hand make it mandatory to pay attention to productivity and quality management of products and services, especially among small and medium- sized enterprises. The purpose of this research was to explain the relationship among factors affecting employee productivity, quality management and environmental management. The statistical population of this research is managers, employees, and supervisors of small and medium-sized companies in Yazd province, which are active in 5 industrial branches (chemical-cellulose, food, clothing, textile, mineral, metal-electrical). The data collection instrument in this research was a questionnaire. Initially, using the questionnaire of the pair-wise comparisons of identified factors and presenting a conceptual model of the study through the interpretive structural modeling, the opinions of nine managers of small and medium-sized companies in Yazd province were sought. Then, in order to fit the obtained model, using the structural equation modeling approach and Smart PLS3 software, 400 questionnaires were distributed among the employees and supervisors of small and medium-sized enterprises in Yazd province through available sampling procedure, of which 265 questionnaires returned. The results of the analyses showed that the culture of cooperation, leadership and performance feedback has a positive significant effect on customer focus and training. Also, it was revealed that training and focusing on the customer has a positive significant effect on innovativeness, environmental policies and strategies, environmental investment, defined processes and organization and management support.

The aim of the present study was to develop productivity indices, employing a qualitative approach and case study, for administrative system of executive organs in Semnan province. The statistical population of the study included specialists (experts) and managers at various levels of executive organs in the year 2020, from among whom 25 people were selected based on the principle of theoretical saturation and through purposive sampling procedure. The study instrument consisted of a semi-structured interview and the reviews of the existing documents in this field. The obtained data were validated using participant feedback method and its validity was measured and confirmed through quality criteria (to be reliable). The data were analyzed via thematic analysis method. The results of the data analysis led to the identification of 295 basic indices, 55 sub-indices 1 and 14 sub-indices 2 in the field of productivity of executive organs that were classified into four main indices including individual factors with three sub-indices (job and employee correspondance, job attitude and job satisfaction, motivation), group factors with three sub-indices of the commitment of human resources (organizational, professional, moral), team and communication network (team building and communication network), management (management style, management skills, negotiation, merit reward, communication between managers and employees, organizational and extra-organizational cooperation , suggestion system), organizational factors with eight sub-indexes of organizational structure (reduction of formality, reduction of complexity, attention to context, lack of administrative concentration), organizational culture (compatibility, mission, flexibility, involvement in work), human resource management (attraction, training, retention, application), human resource planning (merit system, updating human resources information system, organizing and adapting human resources, reforming and revising jobs, taking advantage of women's capabilities, empowering employees, organizational change and transformation), establishment and development of electronic systems and new technologies (administrative automation, infrastructure), intra- and inter-organizational coordination (relationships and communication, cooperative decision-making, operation integration, supervision and monitoring), responsibility and accountability (legal, organizational, moral, social, ecological), the health of the administrative system (protection of citizens' rights, the system for dealing with administrative violations, commitment to law, transparency, administrative and financial discipline) and environmental factors with two sub-indexes(physical environment, behavioral environment). Based on the findings, the researcher presented a pattern of the productivity indices for executive organs in Semnan province. It is hoped that the findings of the present study can improve productivity in executive organs.