Developing a Model for Enhancing Organizational Commitment of Tabriz Municipality Employees Based on Urban Sustainable Development
Keywords:
Organizational commitment, sustainable urban development, data-based theory, Employee engagement, exemplary leadershipAbstract
The study aimed to design a comprehensive model for enhancing the organizational commitment of Tabriz Municipality employees within the framework of urban sustainable development principles. This qualitative applied research employed the grounded theory approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 managers, experts, and employees of Tabriz Municipality, selected via purposive and theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s three-stage systematic coding (open, axial, and selective) to identify causal, contextual, intervening, strategic, and consequential dimensions of the model. Validation and reliability were ensured through participant feedback, coding triangulation, and diverse sampling. Five main causal factors were identified: job role meaning-making, effective participation, managerial modeling, organizational growth opportunities, and sustainable organizational culture. Contextual factors included cultural alignment, effective communication structure, structural support, and regulatory context. Intervening conditions such as managerial instability, financial limitations, technological weakness, public awareness gaps, and learning constraints hindered sustainable commitment. Six strategic approaches were found to strengthen commitment: educational empowerment, participatory governance, sustainability-based performance evaluation, modeling leadership, sustainability-linked career pathways, and organizational culture reinforcement. These strategies led to multiple positive outcomes, including employee intrinsic growth, organizational cohesion, operational efficiency, improved local governance, and enhanced urban quality of life. Sustainable organizational commitment is achievable through the integration of personal motivation, supportive organizational structures, participatory culture, and exemplary leadership. Strengthening commitment to sustainability represents not merely a managerial policy but a strategic mechanism to institutionalize sustainability values in municipalities and foster livable, inclusive, and resilient urban systems.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sajjad Ebadi (Author); Naser Faqehi Farahmand; Morteza Honarmand Azimi (Author)
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