درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Purpose: Flexible working hours can impact employee productivity. Therefore, the current research aimed to present a model for flexible working hours in public organizations, emphasizing increasing the productivity level of knowledge workers. Methodology: The present study was applied in objective and mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) in execution. The qualitative study population included all academic and organizational experts familiar with the research domain, with a sample size of 25 determined based on theoretical saturation principle and selected through purposive sampling. The quantitative study population comprised all staff members of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, with a sample size of 205 determined by Cochran's formula and selected through simple random sampling. Data for qualitative and quantitative sections were collected respectively using interviews and researcher-made questionnaires and analyzed with thematic analysis and exploratory factor analysis methods in Maxqda and Smart-PLS software, respectively. Findings: Qualitative findings revealed that flexible working hours encompassed 15 sub-themes in 3 main themes: floating work hours, floating work location, and collaborative work; and employee productivity comprised 20 sub-themes in 3 main themes: self-management, self-control, and self-organization. Quantitative findings indicated that all themes of flexible working hours and employee productivity had a factor loading and extracted variance mean higher than 0.50 and Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability higher than 0.80. Other findings showed that the themes of floating work hours, floating work location, and collaborative work had a direct and significant effect on flexible working hours, and the themes of self-management, self-control, and self-organization had a direct and significant effect on employee productivity, and flexible working hours had a direct and significant effect on employee productivity (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that flexible working hours play an effective role in enhancing the level of employee productivity. Therefore, to improve employee productivity, the themes of floating work hours, floating work location, and collaborative work can be utilized.

EU has developed a plethora of initiatives to deal with the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. From Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and the so-called Barcelona Process to European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), different regional programs have been implemented in the Mediterranean region. The diversity and increasing number of countries involved have led to a feel of Mediterranean bazaar with diverging directions. Thus, one question appears to remain unanswered: In what ways have ideational foundations affected the EU initiatives in the Southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea? The research hypothesis states that differences in ideational foundations of the Mediterranean powers, namely, France, Italy and Spain, in moments of crisis have led to the multiplication of initiatives and brought in at times conflicting arrangements between the north and the south of the Mediterranean Sea. The research question was answered under the Constructivist Institutionalism using the qualitative methodology of content analysis.  Research findings reveal that when confronted with moments of self-doubt (crisis), each of the Mediterranean powers has effectuated an institutional change according to its established ideas and cognitive filters.

Purpose: The status and position of women in the management system face numerous challenges and problems. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the objective of explaining the managerial position of women in sports assemblies at the national and international levels. Methodology: This study was applied in terms of its objective and mixed (qualitative and quantitative) in terms of its implementation method. The population in the qualitative part consisted of sports experts, professors, and high-ranking sports managers, from whom 16 individuals were selected as the sample through purposive sampling based on the principle of theoretical saturation. The population in the quantitative part included sports experts, athletes, professors, and high-ranking sports managers, from whom 141 individuals were selected as the sample through random sampling based on the Cochran's formula. The research tools were semi-structured interviews in the qualitative part and researcher-made questionnaires in the quantitative part, the psychometric indices of which were confirmed. Data were analyzed using coding methods and exploratory factor analysis. Findings: The findings from the qualitative part revealed that the managerial position of women in sports assemblies at the national and international levels encompasses 54 concepts in 27 subcategories and 10 categories, including identity formation in managerial spaces, division of labor capability, overcoming gendered spaces, effective control, program orientation, field management and leadership, social support for women's management, management practice, organizational efficiency, networks, and communication skills. Moreover, the quantitative findings indicated that all 27 observed variables had a positive standardized factor loading and a critical ratio greater than 1.96 with each of the 10 latent constructs, thus confirming their validity, and their reliability was calculated to be higher than 0.70 using Cronbach's alpha. In addition, the model of women's managerial position in sports assemblies at the national and international levels fitted well, having a direct and significant effect on all 10 constructs of identity formation in managerial spaces, division of labor capability, overcoming gendered spaces, effective control, program orientation, field management and leadership, social support for women's management, management practice, organizational efficiency, networks, and communication skills (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, to improve the managerial position of women in sports assemblies at the national and international levels, it is possible to create conditions for the realization of the identified subcategories and categories.

Purpose: The efficacy of postmethod pedagogy (PMP) in Iran remains undetermined despite the growing attention being paid to it. A multitude of factors may contribute to differing levels of motivation among teachers in effectively implementing postmethod principles. The Achievement Goal Theory (AGT), rooted in a socio-cognitive perspective, provides a framework for understanding the types of goals individuals tend to pursue in achievement situations. Hence, this study aims to investigate the goal orientations of experienced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who are practicing postmethod tenets. Methodology: The current study employed an applied qualitative approach to explore the goal orientations of 18 experienced EFL teachers from various language institutes in Kermanshah, Iran. Participants were selected in two phases: first, a postmethod questionnaire was administered to identify respondents familiar with Postmethod Pedagogy (PMP) principles. Next, a semi-structured interview was conducted to elicit their goal orientations while adopting PMP conditions. Field notes were also used to document the researcher’s reflections and opinions, facilitating data analysis. The researchers utilized a three-stage approach for data analysis, following the inductive data coding method of open, axial, and selective coding. Findings: After analyzing the interview transcripts, it became apparent that the implementation of postmethod pedagogy tenets in teachers' teaching practice was influenced by their achievement goal orientations. This included learning, relational, and performance-approach goal orientations. The findings revealed that expert teachers predominantly exhibited learning goal orientations. In contrast, performance-approach goal orientations were the least prevalent among these educators. Conclusion: Examining teachers’ goal orientations through the socio-cognitive lens of postmethod language teaching can benefit the growth and development of teacher training programs, curriculum planning, and policymakers.

Purpose: One of the critical issues in addressing migrant students is the improvement of cultural adaptation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the drivers for enhancing cultural adaptation in addressing migrant students through education. Methodology: This study was applied in terms of its objective and utilized a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) in terms of execution. The study population in both sections consisted of managers and teachers familiar with the research field, from which 18 individuals were selected as samples based on the principle of theoretical saturation using purposive sampling. The research instruments included literature review, semi-structured interviews, and a researcher-made questionnaire. Initially, experts were interviewed, and then 15 of those who expressed willingness evaluated the importance of the extracted drivers. In this study, the coding method was used to identify the drivers for improving cultural adaptation in addressing migrant students through education, the importance and uncertainty method to identify key drivers, and the structural analysis method using MICMAC software to understand the influence of the drivers. Findings: The findings indicated that the most important drivers for enhancing cultural adaptation in addressing migrant students through education were, in order, training managers on how to interact with migrant students, short-term training for teachers, training all students on how to interact with migrant students, training parents on how to teach communication principles with different cultures, training teachers by school managers, short-term training for school managers, training managers on how to deal with errant teachers, training migrant students on how to handle other students' behaviors, in-service training for teachers, training teachers through brochures, and training migrant parents to enhance their children's communication skills. Additionally, the drivers' impact levels were ranked, with the training of parents on communication principles with different cultures, training managers on interacting with migrant students, training managers on dealing with errant teachers, training migrant parents to enhance their children's communication skills, training all students on interacting with migrant students, short-term training for teachers, in-service training for teachers, training teachers by school managers, short-term training for school managers, training teachers through brochures, and training migrant students on handling other students' behaviors being the most influential. Conclusion: Cultural specialists and planners in the country can utilize the identified drivers from the present study, considering their importance and impact, to improve cultural adaptation in addressing migrant students through education.

Purpose: In the context of rapidly evolving digital landscapes, digital media literacy has become a foundational element in primary education, crucial for preparing students to navigate and influence their digital surroundings effectively. This study aims to identify and describe the key components of digital media literacy as taught in primary schools, focusing on the insights of faculty members from Iran to understand how these components are integrated into the educational system. Methodology: Employing a qualitative research design, this study gathered data through semi-structured interviews with 21 faculty members who are directly involved in teaching digital media literacy in primary schools across Iran. Theoretical saturation was achieved to ensure comprehensive coverage of the concepts. Data were analyzed using NVivo software to facilitate a thorough thematic analysis, identifying the core components of digital media literacy education. Findings: The analysis revealed five main themes central to digital media literacy in primary education: Transfer, Usage, and Digital Competence; Computer Fundamentals; Online Basics Skills; Word Processing, Spreadsheet, and Presentation Skills; and Database and Data Security Skills. Each theme comprised several categories that detailed specific skills and knowledge areas essential for comprehensive digital literacy, ranging from basic computer operations to advanced data management and security. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of a robust digital media literacy curriculum in primary education, highlighting specific skills that are crucial for students' development as competent digital citizens. It also points to the need for ongoing teacher training to keep pace with technological advancements, ensuring that educators are well-equipped to impart these essential skills.