Organizational readiness to accept the model of excellence in Islamic Azad University: A Mixed Approach

The readiness of organizations to establish management systems is an important issue. The purpose of this study is to provide a model for organizational readiness to accept the model of excellence in the Azad University. In this study, a combined (qualitative and quantitative) sequential exploratory method was used. The method used in the qualitative part of the research is foundation data theory. In the present study, in order to collect data in the qualitative part, the interview tool was used and in the quantitative part, a questionnaire was used. The statistical population of the study includes professors of management in the free universities of Guilan province. In the qualitative section, in order to conduct interviews, the opinions of 10 professors related to the research topic and in the quantitative section, in order to complete the questionnaires, the opinions of 150 people were used. In order to analyze the data obtained from the interviews, the coding method was used in MAXQDA software and in order to discover the relationship between the identified factors, the interpretive structural modeling method was used in MICMAC software. Data analysis from semi-structured interviews consisted of 180 open source code in the form of nine classification concepts and in four main categories including managerial and attitudinal-behavioral factors (as link variables), external factors (as independent variables), and the establishment of the excellence model. (As dependent variables) were divided. Data analysis of the quantitative part of the research was also performed using the partial least squares method in smartPLS software. The results of the quantitative part of the research also showed that all three factors include managerial factors (creating an atmosphere conducive to change, planning and organizing, learning, commitment), attitude-behavioral factors (perceived usefulness and perceived ease) and external factors (policies and rules). Upstream, credits, and culture) have a significant role on the readiness of the free university in implementing the model of excellence, and among these, managerial factors have played the most effective role. Also, the attitude-behavioral factors of the performers have an effective role on the readiness of the university to establish a model of excellence. On the other hand, external factors, both directly and indirectly and through managerial factors and attitudinal-behavioral factors have an effective role in the readiness of the Azad University to establish a model of excellence, so that this factor is the main motivator of Azad University affiliates to establish a model of excellence. . Findings show that the readiness of universities to establish models of excellence depends to a large extent on the performance of its managers. Highly committed managers can create a positive atmosphere in the university for the acceptance and implementation of those models with proper planning, control and supervision, and thus address many internal problems such as attitudes and behavioral factors of members of the organization, which mainly manifest themselves in the face of change. Data and even overcome external problems