Key Success Factors for Academic Library Managers in Utilizing Modern Information Technologies to Improve Organizational Performance

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify and analyze the key factors that enable academic library managers in Iran to successfully utilize modern information technologies to enhance organizational performance. This applied study employed a qualitative grounded theory approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 managers, deputies, and senior experts from academic libraries. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Participants were selected purposefully and theoretically to ensure direct experience with information technologies in academic library contexts. The analysis resulted in six main categories: individual and professional competencies, technological infrastructure, organizational culture and staff motivation, institutional support and policymaking, change management and innovation, and performance evaluation and organizational learning. The central phenomenon identified was “knowledge-based and technology-oriented management,” reflecting the dynamic interaction of managerial capabilities, organizational conditions, and institutional support. The findings indicate that successful technological adoption occurs when managerial skills, supportive infrastructures, and a learning-oriented culture converge, leading to improved performance, higher user satisfaction, enhanced human capital, and strengthened organizational learning. The study concludes that technological success in academic libraries is multidimensional and depends on the alignment of individual, organizational, and institutional factors. Effective use of technology is achieved when it is integrated with knowledge management, transformational leadership, and a culture of continuous learning.