Journal of Human Resource Management

Journal of Human Resource Management

The Challenges of Selecting and Appointing Managerial Jobs in Iran's Administrative System (Studied Case: National Employment Administrative Organization)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 MSc., Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Prof., Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Associate Prof., Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/jhrs.2024.195963
Abstract
Background & Purpose: In Iran's administrative system, the task of selecting and appointing government managers is very important. The people who are entrusted with these central positions have the power to shape and influence the direction of public administration and the implementation of policies. Choosing the right public administrators is not just a routine procedure and it is a decision that can have far-reaching consequences for the effectiveness and success of the administrative apparatus. A selected team of capable and competent managers can create positive transformations in the administrative system and strengthen efficient governance. By choosing capable managers, Iran's administrative system can actively address challenges and implement effective policies.
Methodology: The current research is qualitative and was carried out using thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the research was made up of experts from both academic and executive departments, and a semi-structured interview was conducted with 17 experts using snowball type targeted sampling. Interview data were coded and then analyzed using MAXQDA software. The validity of the findings was confirmed with the help of the agreement coefficient between two coders.
Findings: In this section, the harms and challenges of managers' choices and appointments in Iran's administrative system were dealt with. Finally, 53 basic themes were extracted in the form of five overarching themes including “political influence and dynamics”, “evaluation and measurement”, “accountability and transparency”, “resource management”, and “procedural issues”. And, a classification process and the overarching theme of "political influence and dynamics" were recognized as the most important factors influencing managerial appointments.
Conclusion: This research shows the critical challenges related to the selection and appointment of managers in the administrative system and its complex landscape. The most important of these challenges is the general issue of "political influence and dynamics," which emphasizes the need to improve processes to minimize external pressures on managerial appointments. In this regard, the current study aims to promote transparency, reduce political interference, apply advanced evaluation methods, use modified measurement tools, pay attention to knowledge and experience, optimize competency models and eliminate organizational deficiencies, and provides recommendations for selecting managers.By addressing these challenges and implementing targeted organizational reforms, the selection structure of managers in Iran's administrative system can be moved towards more responsible and efficient choices. This will ultimately help to improve the level of accountability, efficiency and overall effectiveness of the administrative system in the development and progress of the country.
Keywords

Abd Sabour, F. (2012). Presenting the model of conceptualization and pathology of meritocracy in the organization. Human Resource Studies, 3(4), 21-44. (in Persian)
Azmy, S. E. (2018). Recruitment strategy to hire the best people for organization. Journal of Management and Leadership, 1(2).
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Clarke, V. & Braun, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Thematic Analysis, 1-100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1035719X211058251
Clarke, V., Braun, V., & Hayfield, N. (2015). Thematic analysis. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods, 3, 222-248.
Faramarzi, S., Sepahvand, R., Vahdati, H., Nazripour, A. H., & Mirahaed, H. T. (2019). Presenting a manager selection pattern based on competence: A case study of Shahrekord and Isfahan Universities of Medical Sciences. Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, 21(2), 104-109. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.34172/jsums.2019.18
Farhadinejad, M., Lili Dost, F. & Hassani, M. (2022). Examining the current situation and drawing the optimal situation of the appointment system in Iran's government organizations. Organizational resource management researches, 12(2), 85-110. (in Persian)
Fefta Wijaya, A., Kartika, R., Zauhar, S. M. (2021). Challenges of Meritocracy Vs Mediocrity on the Placement of Senior Officials of Indonesia's Civil Servants Apparatus. Psychology and education, 58(3), 1094-1112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17762/pae.v58i3.3104
Ghasemi, Sh., Memarzadeh Tehran, Gh., Jazni, N., Sayad, S. & Hassanzadeh, A. (2022). The pattern of selection of managers of state-owned companies based on clauses 3 and 4 of the general policies of the administrative system. Strategic and macro policies, 10(37), 42-72. (in Persian)
Haraghi, M. & Darvishi, A. (2018). Providing a model for selecting professional managers of government organizations. Organizational Behavior Studies, 8(4), 51-85. (in Persian)
Hickman, E. (2021). The problems with appointing on merit: A human capital analysis. Journal of Corporate Law Studies, 21(1), 109-134. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14735970.2020. 1844536
Jafarpour, M., Hosni Moghadam, S. & Yarahamdi, M. (2022). Pathology of the ways of appointing business managers in state-owned companies of the country, Bimonthly Journal of Business Studies, 4(41), 56-71. (in Persian)
Javadifard, F., Amirkabiri, A,. Dehgan, M. (2021). Designing and explaining the competence model of Tehran municipality managers. Human Resource Studies, 11(1), 102-126.
(in Persian)
Kapur, R. (2018). Recruitment and Selection. International Journal of Advancement in Social Science and Humanity.
Kleinmann, M., & Ingold, P. V. (2019). Toward a better understanding of assessment centers: A conceptual review. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 6, 349-372.
Knorr, M., Hissbach, J. & Hampe, W. (2018). Interviews, Multiple Mini-Interviews, and Selection Centers. Selection and recruitment in the healthcare professions: research, theory and practice, 113-138.
Korani, F., Karimi Taher, R. (2011). Decision making to select managers with fuzzy prioritization based on competency model. Human Resource Studies, 1(1), 41-68. (in Persian)
Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An Introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Lopes, A. V. & Vieira, D. M. (2020). Appointments for commissioned posts and interest groups: Uses, motivations, and challenges presented in recent research. READ. Revista Eletrônica de Administração (Porto Alegre), 26(2), 439-462.
Mohamed Al-Saba, R.A.Q. (2022). Evaluation of the implementation of merit criteria in the selection of senior bureaucratic officials in Egypt. Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, 5(5), 417- 434. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHASS-07-2021-0123
Mohammad, A. (2020). A review of recruitment and selection process. Available in:  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341787517_A_Review_of_recruitment_and_selection_process
Monang, J., Sudirman, I., Siswanto, J., & Yassierli, Y. (2022). Competencies for superior performance across management levels in the provincial government executive offices. Journal of Management Development, 41(1), 24-50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-02-2021-0048
Naderi Khurshidi, A., Nikokar, Gh. & Karmi, M. (2009). Designing a pattern for appointing managers. Human Resource Management Research, 1(4), 91-113. (in Persian)
Nash, A. N. (1966). Development of an SVIB key for selecting managers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 50(3), 250. https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/recruitment-factsheet/
Nieman, S. (2023). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Qualitative Social Work, 22(3), 606-608. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250231170275
Pak, D. & Kozhakhmet, S. (2020). The evaluation of assessment centers, structured interviews, and personality tests as the methods of personnel selection in HRM. Global Scientific Journal, 8(6).
Salman, M., Ganie, S. A. & Saleem, I. (2020). The concept of competence: A thematic review and discussion. European Journal of Training and Development, 44(6/7), 717-742. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-10-2019-0171
Shivanjali, S. M. & Tripti, S. (2019). Competency mapping, a strategic perspective in employee retention. International Journal of Recent Technology & Engineering, 8(2). DOI: http://www.doi.org/10.35940/ijrte.A2196.078219
Stephen, E. G., Cinjel, D. N., Apikins, M. W. & Samuel, I. A. (2018). Recruitment, Selection, and Placement of Human Resources. International Civil Service Commission, 188- 200.
Sudirman, I., Siswanto, J., Monang, J., & Aisha, A. N. (2019). Competencies for effective public middle managers. Journal of Management Development, 38(5), 421-439. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-12-2018-0369
Vincent, V. (2019). 360° recruitment: A holistic recruitment process. Strategic HR Review, 18(3), 128-132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-02-2019-0006
Volume 14, Issue 1
Winter 2024
Pages 64-84

  • Receive Date 02 November 2023
  • Revise Date 06 February 2024
  • Accept Date 09 February 2024