Political Sensitivity and Compensation for Senior Managers: An Analysis of the Mediating and Moderating Role of Political Networking and Institutional Pressure in State Ministries in Iran

Compensation for sensitive political careers has always been a topic of discussion for academicians, policymakers and social activists. The subject of this article is the assumption that the parameters affecting the compensation of such services are based on an equality-based or equity-based approach and are the result of the risks or responsibilities underlying within the organizational positions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of political sensitivity on the compensation of senior managers in Iranian state ministries with the mediating role of political networking and the moderating role of institutional pressure.

The present study is applied in terms of purpose and correlational descriptive in terms of data collection. In this study, 471 senior managers of 18 state ministries were considered as the statistical population at the level of Deputy Minister or Chief of General Staff and then 234 senior managers were selected based on simple stratified sampling method using Cochran formula.

Political sensitivity has a significant direct impact on compensation for senior managers' services. It is also proved effective indirectly and through the mediating variable of political networking in which sensitive political office holders manage stakeholders and participate in power and coalition network which will finally affect their service compensation. However, the institutional pressure resulted from social norms moderates the relationship between political sensitivity and compensation.

Political sensitivity is one of the most important factors affecting the compensation of senior managers that affect the compensation of senior managers either directly or through political networking and forced, imitative and normative institutional pressures. Research results in the areas of political sensitivity, institutional pressures, and political networking develop theoretical innovations and help managers, institutions, and executive parties understand how political sensitivity affects senior managers' compensation emphasizing political networking and institutional pressure.