Content Analysis

The Iranian Distance Education Journal (IDEJ) is one of the most critical journals in electronic education that publishes articles in the field of distance education. This research aims to review and analyze the content and citations of IDEJ articles. The research method, content analysis, and citation were done using Excel and SPSS software. The research findings showed that 81 articles were published in 10 issues of this quarterly magazine, from number 1 of volume A to number 2 of volume 4. Findings show that 83 percent were written in groups, the rest were written individually, 54% were university faculty members, and Payam Noor University had the most significant number of authors. Quantitative methods were used more with 66%, the keyword "e-learning" with 14 repetitions had the most extensive range of articles, and three professors from Payam Noor University had the most significant articles. Also, some authors were from Brazil, Nigeria, and Alaska, and women are as active as men. Suggestions were also made to correct the deficiencies and develop the magazine.

Conflict of Interest is a familiar phenomenon among Public Administration experts yet research wise, it has not received much attention. While government officials are accused of corruption and having Conflicts of Interest more than any other individual, research shows that only 1% of Conflict-of-Interest studies has been devoted to investigating the subject in the field of Public Administration. A Conflict of Interest occurs when an official is forced to choose between carrying out his/her administrative duties or following his/her personal interests. These interests include an individual’s financial or non-financial interests as well as the financial and non-financial interests of his/her relatives or friends. The research method of this article is based on citation analysis and drawing a citation network. The findings show that Sah, Moore, Loewenstein, and Cain are key experts in the field. The study of Cain et al (2005) is the key one that has the most relevance to other studies in this field and the study of Miller (2001) is also central which has been cited a lot. American Journal of Bioethics, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology are esteemed scientific journals that have been most benefited from publications, communications, and citations, respectively. Ethics is the concept that has been co-occurrence with the conflict of interest. This means that a conflict of interest is inherently a normative and behavioral concept. Finally, it should be noted that given the results of this research, the concept of Conflict of Interest will remain a foundation for corruption in governments and public organizations if Public Administration experts and scholars remain as inattentive to the issue as before. Research into Conflict of Interest has been mainly focused on normative and behavioral approaches which means that there is a need for new researchers taking new approaches to break out of this cycle.

This study aims to analyze 45 definitions of digital transformation (DT) to identify key drivers and propose a conceptual framework to outline their impact on business performance. Through content analysis, 24 key drivers were identified, focusing on the frequency of occurrence across the definitions. The analysis highlights drivers such as IT technologies & innovation, business model, business performance, customer experience, and operational processes. The results show a significant emphasis placed on various drivers of DT, reflecting its multidimensional nature. Key drivers include technological innovation, organizational adaptation, customer-centric strategies, and change management practices. By conceptualizing the relationships between key drivers and performance outcomes, the proposed conceptual framework provides theoretical insights into the mechanisms underlying digital transformation and its impact on business performance. The proposed framework integrates technological, strategic, organizational, and cultural dimensions. The analysis underscores the complexity and multidimensional nature of DT as a strategic phenomenon and offers drivers on which the organizations should focus to face the challenges of digital disruption. This paper's original theoretical contribution lies in synthesizing various definitions of digital transformation from the past two decades to propose a comprehensive definition of Corporate Digital Transformation.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to provide a framework for innovative social media marketing strategies to address the impacts of health crises on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Method: This research is applied in nature, based on a survey-exploratory approach, and employs a qualitative methodology. The statistical population consists of experts in urban management and human resources management. Using the theoretical sampling method, interviews were conducted with 15 experts until theoretical saturation was achieved. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis. Findings: The research findings resulted in a comprehensive model comprising five main themes and eighteen sub-themes. These include: driving factors (online brand communities, social listening, customer participation marketing, prosumer (producer-consumer) influencer marketing, gamification), strategic factors (increasing engagement, product/service development, increasing brand awareness, creating word-of-mouth advertising, increasing brand credibility), facilitating factors (brand associations, strengthening brand identity), primary outcomes (correctly understanding consumer needs and opinions, creating value for consumers),  secondary outcomes (market development and new customer acquisition, sales promotion, loyalty promotion). Conclusion: The study provides a practical framework to enhance SME resilience through innovative social media strategies during health crises, emphasizing key driving, strategic, and facilitating factors along with their outcomes.

The Strategic Plan for the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) is a mid-term framework introduced by UNESCO in 2016, aiming to guide member countries in addressing social development issues aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This article employs a qualitative content analysis to identify the social issues highlighted in the MOST program, extract the proposed solutions, and critically evaluate the program. The central research question explores what social issues and solutions are presented in the MOST strategic plan and what criticisms arise from these proposals. The hypothesis suggests that the program adopts a positivist approach, treating the world as an object to be shaped by predetermined goals through strategic planning, which generates societal problems. The influence of globalization, cultural hegemony, and a drive for global unification through education and culture to facilitate world management and coordination is evident. The study analyzes the policymaking cycle within the program, including agenda-setting, operational mechanisms, policy support, and capacity building for implementation and evaluation. Key social issues covered in the program include women's and girls' rights, poverty eradication, governance, peace, urbanization, environmental challenges, migration, gender equality, digital technologies, and growing inequalities. The conclusion reinforces that the MOST program reflects a positivist stance, aiming for societal transformation based on globalized ideals of control and coordination, reinforcing the hegemonic role of education and culture.

Objective: The present study aimed to develop a pre-marital counseling model based on Davis's (2005) Work Adjustment Theory. Methods: The research was qualitative in nature and utilized content analysis. The environment for this study included all texts related to the aforementioned theory. Participants were selected purposefully from texts on work adjustment within the period from 2013 to 2022. The criterion for the number of texts was based on the principle of data saturation. The data collection method involved line-by-line examination of texts, based on questions related to the components of adjustment in this theory. Data derived from the text analysis were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Findings: The results of the content analysis indicated that all content from Davis's Work Adjustment Theory can be summarized into three main concepts: compatibility, interaction, and adjustment. When adapted to pre-marital counseling, these concepts were described as follows: the concept of compatibility is divided into two subcategories: satisfaction for the family and satisfaction with the family. The concept of interaction includes sub-concepts of adjustment styles. The third concept, adjustment, encompasses the style of managing marital life tasks. Accordingly, the compatibility-based pre-marital counseling model was designed based on these three dimensions. Conclusion: Overall, given the process of extracting this model, it can be qualitatively stated that this model is valid.

Objective: This study aims to analyze and compare the representation of social harms threatening the family institution in Iranian cinema during the 1990s and 2000s. The primary objective is to explore the evolution of these representations across two decades, reflecting broader social and cultural changes in Iranian society. Methods: The research utilizes a quantitative content analysis method to systematically examine a sample of 40 Iranian films—20 from the 1990s and 20 from the 2000s. These films were selected to represent a broad cross-section of Iranian cinema. Data were collected using a structured coding sheet, focusing on the depiction of various social harms, including norm violation, lawbreaking, migration, unemployment, divorce, infidelity, delinquency, and more. The analysis was conducted using SPSS software to identify trends and shifts in the portrayal of these issues over time. Findings: The findings indicate a significant shift in the representation of social harms in Iranian cinema from the 1990s to the 2000s. In the 1990s, the most prominently depicted social harms were norm violation, lawbreaking, migration, and unemployment. By the 2000s, the focus shifted to divorce, infidelity, and delinquency, reflecting changing social dynamics and concerns in Iranian society. The study also found that while certain issues, such as violence and prostitution, remained relevant across both decades, their representation in cinema evolved, reflecting broader societal changes. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Iranian cinema serves as a crucial medium for reflecting and critiquing social issues, with the portrayal of social harms evolving in response to changing societal concerns. The findings highlight the dynamic relationship between cinema and society in Iran, with films playing a vital role in both mirroring and influencing public discourse on social issues.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the components of enhancing dyadic ego strength (facilitating the transition from "I-ness" to "We-ness" in marital relationships) specifically for married individuals. The research setting included all texts related to the concept of "We-ness." Methods: The method for selecting texts was purposive sampling from among the aforementioned texts or related constructs within the time frame of 2010 to 2025, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The number of texts was determined according to the principle of data saturation. Data collection involved line-by-line analysis of texts based on questions relevant to the concept of "We-ness." The data obtained from the textual analysis were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method proposed by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Findings: Content analysis of the texts revealed that dyadic ego consists of four key concepts: (1) essence (with sub-concepts of attention to marital union and dyadic identity); (2) dimensions of dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of cognitive, positive emotional, negative emotional, and behavioral aspects); (3) pathways to achieving dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of generative meaning of the marital bond, family values, and family goals); and (4) obstacles to achieving dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of individualism, lack of self-differentiation, and insecure attachment). Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that dyadic ego is a mechanism that transforms the process of "I-ness" into "We-ness," and for its realization, couples must engage in pathways to attain it and overcome its obstacles.