Public Administration Perspective

Identification and Cognitive Mapping of Obstacles to the Implementation of the Agile System of Strategic Management of the Performance of Public Sector Employees

Document Type : Based on PhD Thesis

Authors

1 PhD candidate in public administration, Kish International Campus, Tehran University, Kish, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Kish International Campus, University of Tehran, Kish, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: When a business faces problems and unsatisfactory results, it is time for transformation. To define an appropriate change strategy, the organization must understand the context of the transformation and the main needs driving it. Understanding the reasons for the change will help implement it and reduce some of the unnecessary costs the organization may incur. Researchers consider strategic agility as an ongoing ability for moment-to-moment strategic sensitivity, agile collective commitment, rapid and powerful resource renewal and expansion, and as an antidote to the pain of the repetitive succession of success, decline, resilience, crises, and updates. They also consider strategic agility to result from a combination of stability in processes and people, values and ambitions, sensitivity and flexibility in views, fluidity in expanding resources, and leadership unity in creating collective commitments. Organizations use strategic agility to respond flexibly to the needs of their stakeholders in the face of various risks and pressures. The agility of the employee performance management system alone is not enough, and government organizations must respond to problems on their own by using strategic methods. In this regard, the present research explains the obstacles and limitations of implementing an agile system for the strategic management of employee performance.
Design/ methodology/ approach: The current research is part of applied research and is of a mixed type. To carry out the current research, the interpretive structural approach (ISM) was used, which is a cognitive mapping method for leveling and determining the relationships between indicators. To implement ISM, determining the relationships and priorities of the elements in the system is on the agenda. The validity of this method, considering its mathematical basis, examines whether the interpretive structural model correctly and accurately interprets the information in the data. Due to the standardization of the questionnaire and the data collection method, the validity of this method is different from statistical methods, and it is included in the essence of its mathematical modeling. Also, reliability in interpretive structural modeling refers to the continuity of reliability and whether the interpretive model can maintain stability and honesty in different conditions and with increasing data volume. In this way, the validity and reliability of this method ensure the accuracy and reliability of the analyses and the results obtained, which were examined in this research and confirmed by experts according to its mathematical foundations from both perspectives. The current research is part of applied and mixed research. The statistical population of the research comprised senior managers of government organizations who were interviewed with five groups of experts, totaling 18 people, which continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. To collect data, interviews were used in the qualitative part, and a researcher-made questionnaire was used in the quantitative part. The required items were collected from this statistical population in a specific way (18 people) using standard questionnaires. The qualitative part of this research, relying on critical systems, which is one of the categories of research in liberating operations, fundamentally examined and identified the system from the perspective of different stakeholders. Quantitatively, this structure has been leveled, and their relationships have been determined by examining the interpretive structure.
Research Findings: The research findings identified 11 obstacles, and the results show that conflicts in the rules and, as a result, the separation of informal groups in the system are the most fundamental factors preventing the growth of this system.
 Limitations & Consequences: This research was conducted in the public sector, with special cases related to this sector, and the results may face limitations in other sectors.
Practical Consequences: This research helps public sector managers identify the obstacles and limitations in the way of the agile system of strategic management of employees' performance, enabling them to address these challenges with appropriate strategies.
 Innovation or value of the Article: This research adds to the knowledge of this field by presenting a model for the implementation of the agile system of strategic management of employees' performance and examining its limitations.
Paper Type: Original Article

Keywords

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Public Administration Perspective
Volume 15, Issue 1 - Serial Number 57
2024
Pages 88-110