Developing a Model for Managers’ Meritocracy in Mashhad Municipality by Adopting a qualitative approach (Thematic Analysis)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• hamidreza movahedizadeh ¹
• Serajhoddeen Mohebbi ²
• Parvaneh Gelerd ³

¹ 1 Ph.D. Student. Department Of Public administration, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran

² Assistant Professor. Department Of College of Management Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

³ Assistant Professor Department Of College of Management Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/tmj.2022.70869.1128

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The effectiveness of managers is highly dependent on different factors like competency, skills, aptitude, knowledge, and insight. these factors play a vital role in managers’ success and, subsequently, much effort and search are going on to employ those who have these required competencies. This can provide an appropriate environment for them to be effective managers. there are many benefits to the competency approach. For example, implementing it in employee development programs is one of the organization's inherent abilities.
 

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Many types of research have been carried out in different countries to model the factors affecting meritocracy. For example, one study refers to four key skills for managers’ meritocracy: self-management, interpersonal, technical, and administrative skills. Another research found that a manager’s competencies and qualifications should include emotional awareness, self-confidence, self-assessment, trustworthiness, maintaining order, flexibility, innovation, responsibility, seeking information, production efficiency, decision quality, and stress management. in another study, the manager’s competencies are divided into four categories: cognitive, functional, social, and meta competency. One another proposed a holistic domain model of managerial competencies that comprise six key domains: intrapersonal, interpersonal, leadership, technical/business, career, and mentoring skills.
 

METHODOLOGY

In this research, thematic analysis is used which is a method for determining, analyzing, and expressing patterns (or themes) within the data. here, the six-step method of clark and brown (2006) is conducted on interview contents. research participants include university professors and managers and experts of the municipality of mashhad, 21 of which were interviewed. the collected data were analyzed using nvivo software. then, based on the identified model, a questionnaire was developed and distributed among the research participants in order for conducting the friedman test and prioritizing the identified factors.
 

RESULTS & DISCUSSION



Previous studies have suggested that the competencies of managers include: individual, interpersonal, organizational, and insight competencies. according to these researches, indicators such as freshness and extraversion, humility, patience, challenge, age, and resistance to pressure are important for meritocracy. Based on the identified pattern composed of 122 open codes, 15 axial codes, and 4 selected codes, the current study concludes that the competencies needed by managers can be categorized into three dimensions: individual (attitudinal and behavioral), occupational (knowledge and skill), and value (organizational culture).
 

CONCLUSION & SUGGESTIONS

In regard to prioritizing the merits required by mashhad municipality managers, research findings showed that the behavioral axial code is the most important in individual competency, the leadership code is the most important in managerial competency, and the skill code is the most important in job competency. In order to establish a meritocracy system in the mashhad municipality, it seems necessary to pay attention to four categories (individual, managerial, job, and value). Accordingly, being open to criticism, sending accurate reports to all levels, communicating with urban elites, using human resources, and using specialist forces should be considered in a meritocracy system.

Keywords

• meritocracy
• Mashhad Municipality
• Qualitative Approach

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