Designing and Validating an Organizational Inertia Model in the General Directorate of Social Security of Razavi Khorasan

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to design and validate an organizational inertia model for the General Directorate of Social Security of Razavi Khorasan.

Methodology: This study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, integrating grounded theory in the qualitative phase with a survey approach in the quantitative phase. The qualitative participants were 12 managers and experts in human resource management and organizational behavior at the General Directorate of Social Security of Razavi Khorasan. They were selected through purposive and snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to Strauss and Corbin’s systematic grounded theory approach using MAXQDA. In the quantitative phase, 196 eligible employees were selected through simple random sampling from a population of 450 employees. A researcher-developed questionnaire derived from the qualitative findings was used for data collection. Its face and content validity were evaluated by experts, while construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency and composite reliability were examined through Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability coefficients. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings: Qualitative analysis identified 203 indicators organized into 27 components, 13 dimensions, and six principal categories: causal conditions, the central phenomenon, strategies, consequences, contextual conditions, and intervening conditions. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the retained items had acceptable factor loadings. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability coefficients for the model components exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.70. Moreover, the model-fit indices, coefficients of determination, and path coefficients supported the adequacy of both the measurement and structural models, thereby confirming the validity of the proposed organizational inertia model.

Conclusion: Organizational inertia is a multidimensional, context-dependent, and systemic phenomenon arising from the interaction of behavioral, psychological, managerial, structural, and environmental factors. Its effective management therefore requires coordinated interventions across individual, organizational, and environmental levels.