Designing a human resource development model for employees of municipalities in Tehran Province

الموضوعات : Curriculum Research

Amin Asadi ¹ , Abbas Khorshidi ² , Nader Barzegar ³ , Saeed Moradi ⁴

1 - PhD candidate, Department of Educational Management, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran.
2 - Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran.
3 - Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran.
4 - Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran.

تاريخ الإرسال : 11 الأربعاء , جمادى الأولى, 1446 تاريخ التأكيد : 12 الثلاثاء , شعبان, 1446 تاريخ الإصدار : 10 الإثنين , رمضان, 1446

الکلمات المفتاحية: Development Model, Human Resources, Municipality Employees, Tehran Province Municipality,

ملخص المقالة :

Human resources are the most crucial components of any organizational structure and developing a human resource model to improve the efficiency of organizations is crucial. This research aimed to design a human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran province. To serve that end, a qualitative design was adopted and data was collected and analyzed based on grounded theory approach. The target population in this research included university professors and experts in human resource management. A total of 15 participants were selected for interviews using snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. The participants included both male and female with at least seven years of experience in their profession. The research utilized a semi-structured interview to establish a human resource development model for municipal employees. The interview prompts were developed by examination of various national and international models. Subsequently, indicators were identified through open coding and classified into components, and dimensions through axial and selective coding. Ultimately, 4 dimensions, 19 components, and 135 indicators were established for the human resource development model for municipal employees. Finally, the paper provides some implications for an enhanced efficiency in the performance of Tehran province municipalities considering the developed human resource model.

المصادر:

Babaei-Rayni, A., Daneshfard, K., & Mirsepassi, N. (2021). Designing a Human Resource Development Model to Enhance the Effectiveness of Government Agencies (Case Study: Kerman Governorate). Public Organization Management, 9(35), 45-60.
Bahari, A., Hanifi, F., & Sharifi, A. (2022). Identifying the effective factors education policy based on the haracteristics of the third millennium. Curriculum Research, 1(2), 121-131.
Behravan, Z., & Iravani, H. (2020). Human Resource Development Management: Innovative Educational Approaches. Tehran: University of Tehran Press.
Dash, S., & Pati, U. C. (2018). The Effect of HRD Practices for High-Performance Work Systems: An Empirical Study on IT Industries in India. Revista ESPACIOS, 39(41), 15-34.
Banmairuroy, W., Kritjaroen, T., & Homsomba, W. (2022). The effect of knowledge oriented leadership and human resource development on sustainable competitive advantage through organizational innovation’s component factors: Evidence from Thailand’s new S- curve industries. Asia Pacific Management Review. 27(3), 200-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2021.09.001.
Ghaffarshoja, N., Vahdat Borashan, R., & Hassani, M. (2022). Structural Modeling of the Impact of Entrepreneurial Thinking and Professional Commitment on Professors' Effectiveness with the Mediating Role of Satisfaction from Organizational Climate among Professors of Islamic Azad University of Urmia Branch. Curriculum Research, 2(4), 39-49.
Hadawinejad, M., & Ahmadi, S. A. (2018). Diagnosis on City Councils and Municipalities Interactions: A Study on the Cities of Lorestan Province. IUESA. 6(21), 1-14.
Hajiloo, M., Mohammadi, N., Doroudi, H., & Mansori, A. (2021). Designing an education based human resource development model with a good governance in Iranian medical universities: A Qualitative Research. Educ Strategy Med Sci, 14(4), 161-171.
Harel, G. H., & Tzafrir, S. S. (2017). The effect of human resource development practices on the perceptions of organizational and market performance of the firm. Human Resource Management, 38(3), 185-199
Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej. (2021). Human resources development as an element of sustainable HRM-with the focus on production engineers. Journal of Cleaner Production 278(12):124008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124008.
Martin,G. (2020). Designing an effective managers model. Human Resource Management Journal. 30(1), 54-69.
Mohammadkhani, K., Shiriyaychi, H., & Nasirighorghani, B. (2020). Designing a Comprehensive Model of Human Resource Development Based on Organizational Excellence and Maturity: Meteorological Organization of Iran. Public Administration Perspective, 11(43), 147-158.
Paydari, M. (2022). Proposing a Human Resource Development Model in the Municipality of Shiraz Using a Mixed Exploratory Design. Development of Quarterly Journal of Training & Human Resources, 32(9), 301-320.
Philip, A. A. (2017). The Impact of Human Resources Development on Workers Productivity in Federal Polytechnic Idah, Kogi State Nigeria. Current Trends in Biomedical Engineering & Biosciences, 8(2), 62-68.
Seyed Naghavi, M., Alvani, S.M., Ghorbanizadeh, V., & Hosseini, S.S. (2019). A Human Resource Development Model in Iranian Public Organizations with a New Public Service Approach: Ministry of Energy. Modiriat-e-Farda Journal, 18(58), 19-34.
Tabyaniyan, H., & Zahani, I. (2021). Examining the Importance of Human Resource Development: Municipality of Mashhad). In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Human Sciences and Management Development in Society, Tehran.

نص كامل:



                                                                              

Curriculum Research		Volume 6, Issue 1 Mar. 10, 2025
Designing a human resource development model for employees of municipalities in Tehran Province
Article info	Abstract
Article Type:	Human resources are the most crucial components of any organizational structure and developing a human resource model to improve the efficiency of organizations is crucial. This research aimed to design a human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran province. To serve that end, a qualitative design was adopted and data was collected and analyzed based on grounded theory approach. The target population in this research included university professors and experts in human resource management. A total of 15 participants were selected for interviews using snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. The participants included both male and female with at least seven years of experience in their profession. The research utilized a semi-structured interview to establish a human resource development model for municipal employees. The interview prompts were developed by examination of various national and international models. Subsequently, indicators were identified through open coding and classified into components, and dimensions through axial and selective coding. Ultimately, 4 dimensions, 19 components, and 135 indicators were established for the human resource development model for municipal employees. Finally, the paper provides some implications for an enhanced efficiency in the performance of Tehran province municipalities considering the developed human resource model.
Original Research
Authors:
Amin Asadi1  Abbas Khorshidi2 Nader Barzegar3  Saeed Moradi4
Article History:
Received: 2024/11/13 Accepted: 2025/02/11 Published: 2025/03/10
	Keywords: Development Model, Human Resources, Municipality Employees, Tehran Province Municipality

 

---

[1] . PhD candidate, Department of Educational Management, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran. Email: [e-mail]

[2] . Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran (Corresponding Author). Email: [e-mail]

[3] . Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran. Email: [e-mail]

[4] . Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran. Email: [e-mail]

1. Introduction

        Human resources are the most crucial components of any organizational structure capable of moving a country towards development. The correct use of human resources, as the most important and largest asset of any society, has always been a significant concern for governments (Bahari et al., 2022). In other words, every organization needs trained and specialized personnel, recognized as one of the most influential factors in the economic, social and cultural development of any country, to accomplish its objectives (Philip, 2017). When the abilities of the current workforce sufficiently meet these requirements, training may not be urgently needed. However, if the organization's employees lack the necessary knowledge, information and skills, it can lead to numerous financial, administrative and other problems (Behravan & Iravani, 2020). Thus, the development of human resources is consistently regarded as a primary challenge for organizations because it is critical for innovation, quality, continuous growth and other essential factors for survival in a competitive and modern business landscape, where human resources are the creators of ideas. While the latest production technologies can be purchased and utilized, the knowledge and skills of humans are far more intricate and require substantial time and investment to develop (Ghaffarshoja et al., 2022).

        Governmental and non-governmental organizations in Iran are inevitably faced with certain challenges within the country in addition to global transformations and trends. On one hand, hierarchical organizational structures lead to slow processes, low productivity, underperformance, unrealistic assessments of human resources, and sometimes dissatisfaction among employees and clients. On the other hand, the establishment of a twenty-year vision document for the country and its announcement by the highest authority mandates officials to create conditions that will elevate Iran to the status of the leading economic, technical and scientific power in the region by the year 1404. Achieving this goal undoubtedly requires extensive planning across different dimensions, one of which is examining the state of the country's administrative system and improving its development indicators including enhancing and growing its human resources.

        Municipalities are regarded as one of the most significant service organizations both in the country and globally. In fact, a municipality can be defined as a non-governmental, non-profit and community organization that administers and manages urban affairs with government authorization and community resources. Its purpose is to create and manage public facilities, establish and enforce urban regulations and meet the common local needs while distributing the costs of services logically and fairly among the city's residents and service users (Tabyaniyan & Zahrani, 2021). The general and fundamental definition of a municipality in Iran is that it is a public, non-governmental and independent institution established by law in cities, responsible for local activities and providing services to citizens and urban residents. According to Article 3 of the Municipalities Law, municipalities are independent legal entities (Hadawinejad & Ahmadi, 2017).

 

2. Review of the Related Literature

        Various national and international studies have been conducted in the area of human resurce development. For instance, the findings of a study by Paydari (2022) revealed that the human resource development model within Shiraz municipality can be defined through several factors: overarching categories that include strategic, educational and growth-related factors. The organizing categories for strategic factors comprise human resource management strategies and employee performance management. The organizing categories for educational factors consist of organizational needs assessment, human resource needs assessment, and training for human resources. The organizing categories related to growth involve professional development of employees and cognitive development of employees, as well as the enhancement of human resources. Similarly, Hajiloo, Mohammadi, and Doroudi (2021) identified ten factors within six categories for a training-centered human resource development model based on good governance including: causal factors (accountability-transparency), core category (governance capacity building-development), contextual factors (attitude-identity formation), intervening factors (coordination), strategies (outcome orientation-effectiveness and roles-responsibilities) and outcomes (cultural-social development, individual development, educational development).

        Besides, in the model proposed by Babaei-Rayini, Daneshfard, Mirsepassi (2021), three dimensions shape the human resource development model: individual (competency development, knowledge and information sharing, commitment, mutual trust), organizational (employee training, organizational justice, compensation system, meritocracy, talent management), and environmental (economic, political, cultural-social). Mohammadkhani, Shiriyaychi, and Nasirighorghani (2020) identified and validated a comprehensive human resource development model based on organizational excellence and growth, comprising four aspects: philosophy and objectives, theoretical foundations, implementation mechanisms and evaluation and re-engineering.

        In the international context, Banmairuroy, Kritjaroen, and Homsombat’s (2022) study concluded that leadership style components can affect organizational competitiveness particularly knowledge-based leadership. Additionally, factors such as human resource training, attention to employee competencies, existing organizational culture, organizational justice, consideration for employees' financial well-being and compensation can positively affect organizational competitiveness. Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej (2021) also reported that factors such as motivation, employee participation, transparency of regulations and rules, the presence of strategic policies in the organization, organizational justice, allocation of necessary resources and management are critical components for human resource development. Dash and Pati (2018) found that three parameters related to human resource development actions; namely, organizational climate, organizational structure of human resources, employee training and evaluation and welfare and financial security measures, as well as organizational technology, have positive correlation with work system performance, while two other parameters such as career path planning and other company initiatives show negative relationship with work system performance. Finally, a study by Harel and Tzafrir (2017) indicated that, besides employee training methods, selection measures and attention to employee competencies and the professional abilities of managers, organizational structure and culture significantly impact perceived market performance.

        Understanding the precise dimensions of employee growth and development and providing fundamental and logical solutions for their empowerment and improvement are among the key responsibilities and concerns of organizational managers. Municipal organizations are no exception in this regard, as change is an inevitable necessity for any organization. However, a proper change should be systemic, meaning that all aspects should be taken into account. The significance of this issue is also evident in the Human Resources Deputy of Tehran's Municipalities. To meet customer needs, it is compelled to implement substantial changes and growth in its operational processes to align itself with both internal and external environmental conditions. Moreover, these changes should be carried out systematically.         To date, various models for human resource development have been formulated, some of which are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1.

Human resource development models

Title of model and researcher	Results
Model for effective human resource management (Martin, 2020)	Stakeholders, Managerial factors, Situational factors, Organizational policies, Training and Empowerment of organizational members
Human resource development model (Seyed Naghavi et al., 2019)	This includes four key components: participation of human resources in organizational decisions, development of human resource competencies, human resource management, training of human resources, and empowerment of human resources.
Human resource development model (Babaei-Rayini et al., 2021)	The final model of the research comprises three main dimensions: individual (competency development, knowledge and information sharing, commitment, mutual trust), organizational (employee training, organizational justice, compensation system, meritocracy, talent management), and environmental (economic, political, socio-cultural).
Comprehensive human resource development model based on organizational excellence and growth        (Hajilo et al., 2021)	The final model was evaluated based on four aspects: 1- Philosophy and goals, 2- Theoretical foundations, 3- Executive mechanism, 4- Evaluation and re-engineering. With an average score above 3, it indicates that the model is validated.

 

The conceptual model of this study was derived from the examination and study of different models, theories and frameworks. This model consists of six important factors: training and development taken from the model provided by Seyed Naghavi et al. (2019) and Martin (2020); managerial factors derived from the model presented by Seyed Naghavi et al. (2019), Babaei-Rayini et al. (2021) and Martin (2020); structure-technology model proposed by Hajiloo et al. (2021); and individual factors and the financial conditions of the organization developed by Babaei-Rayini et al. (2021).

Figure 1.

Conceptual model of the present research

 

 

        Based on the aforementioned points, the researchers attempted to address the following main research question and its sub-questions:

1.       What is the appropriate model for the development of human resources among municipal employees in Tehran Province?

1.1.                      What are the indicators of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province?

1.2.                      What are the components of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province?

1.3.                      What are the dimensions of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province?

1.4.                      How are the dimensions, components and indicators of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province prioritized?

 

3. Methodology

        The design of the research was qualitative, and data were collected based on grounded-theory framework. The statistical population included university professors and experts in human resource management. The participants included both male and female and their age ranged from 32 to 59 years old with at least seven years of experience in their careers. Using snowball sampling and based on theoretical saturation, 15 experts were selected. Three pluralistic methods were utilized to verify the reliability of the findings: retesting the research method with 0.89 reliability index, inter-coder reliability testing yielding 0.81value, and using data collected from new interviewees to test the model's reliability with an index of 0.83. These results ensured dependable coding procedure. The validation results of the findings are shown in Table 2.

        Data collection involved an in-depth, semi-structured interviews and interview prompts were developed using the review of theories, models, findings of both national and global studies on human resource development models (see sub-questions). Each interview session lasted approximately 20 minutes, allowing for in-depth discussions and reflections of the participants. The interviews were conducted in Persian to ensure that participants could express their thoughts comfortably and accurately. All sessions were audio-recorded with the participants' consent, which was obtained prior to the interviews. This process adhered to ethical guidelines, ensuring that participants were fully informed about the purpose of the study and their right to withdraw at any time without consequence. Before the interviews began, participants were assured that their responses would remain confidential and would be used solely for research purposes. The audio recordings were subsequently transcribed and translated into English for interpretation and analysis.

        Data analysis was performed using a coding approach. Indeed, the most important part of the interview data analysis included coding (open, axial and selective) which was conducted as follows: Interviews were transcribed, translated into English and the data were standardized. Academic equivalents were selected for them in line with the theoretical literature of the research which led to a list of concepts. These concepts were then categorized (Open coding). The emerged categories were linked to one another to create relationships among the codes generated in the open coding phase (Axial coding). Finally, the process of integrating, refining and enhancing the categories was carried out. The researchers organized and arranged the categories in a specific manner to present and form a model which was made possible by identifying the main category.

Table 2.

Instrument validation calculation

Measurement type	Total number of codes	Number of agreements	Number of disagreements	Test-retest reliability
Pluralism in interviewees	139	58	25	0.83
Test-retest reliability	112	50	22	0.89
Inter-coder reliability	104	42	29	0.81

                

4. Findings

        The following results were obtained in response to the research questions which are detailed below: “What are the indicators of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province?”

        To answer this question, the researcher identified instances related to human resource development. Initially, academic documents and records were examined and an interview checklist was prepared. Subsequently, experts' opinions were elicited. Through semi-structured interviews with the experts, numerous instances were identified which indicated that human resource development for municipal employees in Tehran province could differ from other institutions and organizations. The semi-structured interviews with the experts resulted in identifying 150 initial codes (key concepts). Through the analysis and coding of the interviews, the initial codes were modified and some were removed or refined. Finally, 135 codes were recognized as open codes which are shown in Table 3.

        The next question focused on “What are the components of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province?” After identifying the open codes (indicators) related to human resource development from the interview texts, the researchers categorized these indicators. Given that the primary unit of analysis for open and axial coding was concepts, during the analysis, concepts were created directly from the participants' interview transcripts or by identifying common themes in their usage through labeling by the researchers. The transcriptions of the interviews were systematically examined to identify the indicators and components which resulted in the identification of 19 components as factors contributing to human resource development. Thus, several concepts (indicators) formed a general category which is referred to as an axial code. The identified axial codes along with the open codes (indicators) are shown in Table 3.

Table 3.

Components and indicators of the human resource development model

Components	Indicators
Beliefs	1. Trust and faith of employees in the organizational philosophy and mission
	2. Adherence to professional ethics
	3. Mastery of the principles of the Islamic religion
	4. Commitment to the Islamic community
	5. Having purity and honesty in behavior and speech
	6. Having religious/revolutionary insight
Efficiency	7. Attention to individuals' education in the organization
	8. Attention to continuing education programs
	9. Consideration of individuals' experience and work history
	10. Attention to individuals' special skills (familiarity with foreign languages, various software)
Motivation	11. Motivating employees by encouraging creative and innovative thinkers both intellectually and practically
	12. Focusing on the positive aspects of individuals' talents and striving to effectively utilize employees' potential
	13. Creating a spirit of enthusiasm and vitality in employees for maximum effort and compassion
	14. Assisting in solving employees' personal problems
	15. Attending to employees' needs and striving to meet them
Behavioral Characteristics	16. Having energy and diligence
	17. Flexibility in dealing with issues
	18. Ability to accept changes
	19. Self-control in difficult situations
	20. Openness to criticism from other colleagues
	21. Risk-taking within the organization
	22. Having a high tolerance threshold
	23. Adherence to principles and principled behavior
Structure	24. Existence of a clear organizational structure at all levels of the organization
	25. Presence of an information and communication system within the organization regarding human resource development
	26. Having a designated authority responsible for implementing and advancing programs
	27. Interaction between substructures and the overarching structure regarding human resource development
	28. Development of appropriate methods and guidelines for human resource development
	29. Systematizing methods regarding the organizational structure with a forward-looking perspective
Strategic Policies	30. Formulation of practical and operational policies for human resource development within the organization
	31. Monitoring the implementation of policies related to human resource development within the organization
	32. Institutionalizing policy-making regarding human resource development within the organization
	33. Aligning policies with organizational goals concerning human resource development
	34. Evaluating policies regarding human resource development within the organization
	35. Continuous feedback on policies related to human resource development within the organization
	36. Developing programs for a desirable future arising from human resource development
Culture	37. Developing a culture of human resource development within organizations
	38. Creating shared beliefs in development among the organization’s human resources
	39. Establishing shared values regarding development among the organization’s human resources
	40. Having a value oriented perspective on development among all members of the organization
	41. Introducing exemplary models of human resource development among employees
	42. Cultivating a culture of stability and job security among employees
	43. Establishing an organizational culture that encourages professional development and enhances employees' capabilities
	44. Implementing various programs to emphasize the importance of human resource development
	45. Strengthening the culture of human resource development through management systems
	46. Promoting a culture of meritocracy and deservingness
Organizational Intelligence	47. Thoroughly understanding competitors
	48. Planning tasks and setting expectations for employees within the organization
	49. Ensuring transparency in regulations, rules, and organizational policies
	50. Having insight and a realistic view of the future
	51. Recognizing the factors influencing the dynamism of the organization
Organizational justice	52. Creating the groundwork for providing adequate rights
	53. Utilizing experienced experts for economic consulting within the organization
	54. Addressing administrative and economic corruption within the organization
	55. Attention to the fair distribution of wealth within the organization
	56. Dealing with unnecessary and unreasonable tariffs within the organization
	57. Establishing relationships among individuals based on the exchange of valuable resources within the organization
	58. Promoting an educational environment for advancement within the organization
	59. Providing educational opportunities for all employees within the organization
Capability	60. Encouraging the reflection process (learning how to learn)
	61. Training to develop one's decision making framework and model
	62. Understanding and recognizing employees' learning styles
	63. Training in customer, centric techniques
	64. Training in systems thinking
	65. Training in teamwork
	66. Training in knowledge transfer
	67. Training in applying knowledge
	68. Holding regular meetings to review laws, regulations, and circulars
	69. Continuous training and development of employees at all levels of the organization
Evaluation	70. Clarity of expectations from employees by management
	71. Clarity of evaluation criteria within the organization
	72. Obligation for managers to document employee performance and behaviors
	73. Informing employees about the results of their performance evaluations
	74. Utilizing standard evaluation methods within the organization
Managerial Skills	75. Awareness of group decisions and needs
	76. Supporting group members in critical situations
	77. Understanding current situations to make the right decisions for the organization's future
	78. Efforts to meet the needs of group members
	79. Commitment to the mental and spiritual growth of each individual in the organization
	80. Controlling the components of the organizational system (inputs, behaviors, and outputs)
	81. Justifying democratic principles through participation
	82. Involvement of all stakeholders in organizational leadership
	83. Leadership's emphasis on the commitment and capabilities of organizational members
	84. Individuals' commitment to the organization's goals
	85. Achieving results that satisfy all stakeholders in the organization
	86. Maximizing employee participation through their development and involvement in affairs
	87. Challenging the current situation and creating change to foster innovation and improvement opportunities through learning
	88. Developing and maintaining collaborations to create added value for the organization
Resource Provision and Allocation	89. Provision of necessity gift cards
	90. Providing organizational housing
	91. Offering loans and financial facilities
	92. Establishing a welfare council
	93. Allocating land for construction
	94. Creating opportunities for leisure and holidays
	95. Paying salaries and wages based on performance
	96. Paying salaries and wages based on work history and experience
	97. Paying salaries and wages based on seniority
	98. Providing opportunities for promotion for deserving employees
	99. Utilizing the experiences of retired individuals to achieve organizational goals
	100. Ensuring job and psychological security
Infrastructure Development	101. Establishing a fast and suitable technological structure for communications
	102. Having an electronic system to address issues
	103. Ensuring access for all individuals to the network
	104. Creating a platform for virtual networks and the rapid exchange of news and information
	105. Establishing a quick and easy platform for resolving employee issues, and for submitting comments and suggestions
Technology Development	106. Allocating sufficient budget for updating technology equipment in the organization
	107. Implementing short-term courses to familiarize with technological advancements
	108. Developing a knowledge-based structure in contrast to a non knowledge-based structure in the organization
	109. Ensuring access for all employees to software and hardware technology in the organization
	110. Availability of secure electronic software for recording employees' experiences and knowledge
	111. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the organization's information systems and technology
Cultural	112. Emphasizing Iranian-Islamic ethical values within the organization
	113. Emphasizing the diverse local values of individuals
	114. Collective and public attachment to religious symbols, rituals, and institutions
	115. Commitment to the essence of religion and fundamental values, and the universality of these values
	116. Emphasizing respect for the customs and traditions of various individuals in the organization
	117. Emphasizing language and literature
	118. Emphasizing territorial and climatic characteristics
	119. Emphasizing religious awareness
	120. Emphasizing local culture
	121. Participation and willingness to practice religious rituals and ceremonies
	122. Religious symbols, rituals, and institutions
Social	123. Acceptance of individuals by others within the organization
	124. Allowing individuals to take risks within the organization
	125. Acceptance of individuals' mistakes within the organization
	126. Encouraging collective discussions within the organization
	127. Attention to individuals' intrinsic motivations within the organization
	128. Creating a favorable systemic atmosphere in the organization
	129. Inspiring leadership for the employees of the organization
Environmental	130. Attention to small-scale environmental goals within the organization
	131. Attention to large-scale environmental goals within the organization
	132. Attention to how environmental goals are performed within the organization
Political	133. Establishing trust and confidence in the political system
	134. Acceptance of the legitimacy and effectiveness of the organization's political system
	135. Loyalty to the political institutions of the organization

        

        The next question dealt with “What are the dimensions of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province?” During the selective coding phase, the identified components were organized into more abstract categories, which shaped the dimensions of the human resource development model. This resulted in 135 open codes (indicators) being classified into 19 axial codes (components) which were then categorized under 4 selective codes (dimensions). The dimensions, components and indicators revealed from the data are shown in Table 4.

Table 4.

Dimensions, components and number of indicators of the human resource development model

Dimensions	Components	Number of Indicators
Individual	Beliefs	6
	Efficiency	4
	Motivation	5
	Behavioral Characteristics	8
Organizational	Structure	6
	Strategic Policies	7
	Culture	10
	Organizational Intelligence	5
	Organizational Justice	8
	Capability	10
	Evaluation	5
Managerial	Managerial Skills	14
	Resource Allocation	12
	Infrastructure Development	5
	Technology	6
Environmental	Cultural	11
	Social	7
	Environmental	3
	Political	3

        

        Finally, the last question was “How are the dimensions, components and indicators of the human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province prioritized?” In the final stage, the Delphi technique and brainstorming sessions were conducted to review and analyze all identified dimensions, components and indicators. Initially, these were sent to 20 experts and their feedback was collected. The gathered feedback was incorporated into the findings and they were sent back to the experts for their confirmation.

        In the theoretical validation of the model, the components and indicators of the human resource development model for municipal employees were structured and validated by experts. Next, the content validity ratio (CVR) was calculated to confirm the model components. For further validation, another brainstorming session with five academic experts was conducted, during which expert opinions were incorporated and they were asked to prioritize the dimensions, components and indicators. The results are shown in Table 5.

Table 5.

Prioritization of dimensions and components of the human resource development model for municipality employees

Dimensions	Priority	Components	Priority
Individual	1	Beliefs	1
		Efficiency	2
		Motivation	3
		Behavioral Characteristics	4
Organizational	2	Structure	1
		Strategic Policies	2
		Culture	3
		Organizational Intelligence	4
		Organizational Justice	5
		Capability	6
		Evaluation	7
Managerial	3	Managerial Skills	1
		Resource Allocation	2
		Infrastructure Development	3
		Technology	4
Environmental	4	Cultural	1
		Social	2
		Environmental	3
		Political	4

 

        Ultimately, the human resource development model for municipal employees was designed as follows.

 

Figure 2.

The human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran Province

 

5. Discussion and Conclusion

        This study aimed to design a model for developing the human resources of municipal employees in Tehran Province. Overall, 135 indicators, 19 components and 4 dimensions for this model were emerged from a qualitative study using grounded theory approach.

        The dimensions of the proposed model included individual, organizational, managerial and environmental aspects, and 19 components such as beliefs, efficiency, motivation, behavioral characteristics, structure, strategic policies, culture, organizational intelligence, organizational justice, competence, evaluation, managerial skills, resource allocation, infrastructure development, technological development, cultural, social, environmental and political factors. Further, the identified components were composed of specific indicators (135). These findings framed within dimensions, components and indicators can result in the development of human resources among municipal employees based on the results.

        The results of this study are consistent regarding components of organizational justice, talent management and attention to political, cultural and social environments with the findings of Babaei-Rayeni et al. (2021). Regarding the emphasis on evaluation components, our results align with the findings of Mohammadkhhani et al. (2020). In terms of the focus on technology infrastructure, management and leadership style, organizational justice and financial resource allocation, the findings support the research conducted by Banmairuroy, et al. (2021). Additionally, the results of the study concerning motivation, employee justice, management, and organizational justice are consistent with the findings of Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej (2021).

        In interpreting the findings, it can be stated that this model reveals some critical factors for the development of human resources in municipalities. Today, organizations employ various strategies to achieve their objectives including business and financial strategies. However, the most crucial strategy is human resource management because human resources are the most valuable asset of organizations. Effective human resource management involves strategic and sustainable approaches to harness the potential of employees in achieving organizational goals. If human resources are effectively managed, they can play a vital role in economic growth and development of the organizations. Therefore, organizations must create an environment that not only attracts human resources but also maximizes the utilization of individuals' capabilities and talents.

        Additionally, the results indicate that human resource development includes different dimensions, with the individual dimension being the most important in this study. In explaining the individual dimension, it can be stated that attention must first be given to the beliefs of municipal employees, with a focus on their religious and revolutionary beliefs through education and development initiatives. Following this, the efficiency of human resources should be assessed considering their experiences, educational backgrounds and individual skills to determine how these factors can enhance their performance. Furthermore, it is essential to evaluate how much the municipality inspires and motivates the employees. To achieve this, the municipality should implement motivational and incentive programs. Finally, attention must be paid to the behavioral characteristics of municipal employees. If problems are identified in this area, strategies should be developed to enhance employees' flexibility, self-regulation skills, adaptability to change, alignment with the municipality's goals and a strong work ethic.

        The organizational dimension serves as the second aspect of the human resource development model for municipal employees. In this regard, it is essential first to reform the structure of human resource development which means that a dedicated unit should be clearly defined for this aim. To achieve this, a legal framework should be established within the organizational structure along with the preparation and drafting of relevant guidelines and regulations. Subsequently, appropriate strategies and policies for human resource development should be formulated in all higher-level documents and made accessible to all stakeholders. Furthermore, a culture of human resource development should be cultivated by identifying shared values and implementing awareness programs to foster social acceptance of this culture. The promotion of smart technologies and organizational justice should be prioritized in the municipality's programs which allows employees to monitor their status through electronic systems and ensures that all developmental programs are accessible to everyone. This leads to individual participation, empowering employees and continuous assessments of their capabilities.

        The third aspect of human resource development pertains to the managerial dimension. Managers in the municipality should be capable of using three key resources: finance, tool, and human. Additionally, various educational programs should be planned to enhance the skills of municipal managers in line with employee development. The necessary infrastructure for human resource development such as electronic systems, virtual platforms and systems for providing feedback, suggestions and criticisms should be established and made readily accessible to all employees. Moreover, various technologies should be developed so that all staff can utilize them within the municipality, which facilitates their tasks as much as possible.

        Ultimately, the environmental dimension emerged as the fourth aspect of the human resource development model in this study. In this regard, attention must be paid to the diverse cultures, values, rituals, customs, languages, ethnicities and religions of the employees within the municipality. From a social perspective, it is important to encourage individuals to take risks in their work, promote teamwork, take responsibility for their mistakes and foster an inspiring atmosphere within the organization. Consideration for environmental issues should be evident in both micro and macro-level plans. Finally, trust must be established concerning the political system governing the municipality, ensuring that employees have confidence in the prevailing political institutions and remain loyal to them.

 

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