Presenting a Competency Model for Managers with a Sustainable Human Resource Management Approach in Government Organizations in Ardabil Province

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to design and explain a managerial competency model based on a sustainable human resource management (HRM) approach in government organizations in Ardabil Province. This research was interpretivist in philosophy, exploratory in purpose, and qualitative in design. It employed a grounded theory strategy using the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 university professors and senior managers in government organizations. The analysis involved open, axial, and selective coding. Peer debriefing and member validation ensured credibility, while inter-coder agreement assessed reliability. Findings revealed 14 main and 33 subcategories forming a paradigm model. The core phenomenon comprised general (behavioral) and functional (task-related) competencies. Causal conditions included competitive advantage, future-oriented management, and public value management. Contextual conditions involved perceived organizational support, organizational culture, and systems thinking among managers, while intervening conditions encompassed traditional culture, risk aversion, and political or social constraints. Strategies emerged as organic and mechanical organizational competencies. The main outcomes were sustained employee performance (behavioral and job-related) and sustainable organizational performance (economic, green, and social). The results demonstrate that institutionalizing managerial competencies within a sustainable HRM framework enhances efficiency, social accountability, environmental and economic sustainability, and the overall effectiveness of government organizations. The proposed model provides a strategic foundation for competency-based selection, evaluation, and development of public sector managers.