Explaining the Pattern of the Role of Educational Managers in the Cultural Development Process: A Data-Based Theory

The purpose of this study is to explain the role and duties of educational managers in the process of cultural development in the dimensions of national-religious identity, social order and cohesion, cultural goods and services and international cultural interactions. The qualitative research method is data foundation theory with a systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin. The statistical population in this study includes managers and experts who had executive experience or research background in the field of culture implementation. The sampling method started purposefully and continued with the snowball method until reaching the theoretical saturation level, and a total of 12 experts were interviewed. The research findings were designed and classified in the form of 209 open source 58, basic concept and 19 central codes and 5 selected categories under the headings of causal factors, research phenomenon, contextual factors, interfering factors, strategies and consequences in a paradigm model. Findings showed that educational managers play two roles in the process of cultural development; One in the form of cultural management and the other in the form of cultural leadership. In the position of cultural management, they play executive and structural roles. Educational managers in the position of cultural leadership also play content roles. The most important causal conditions affecting the role of managers included measures to achieve national identity and consumption of cultural goods. Underlying and interfering factors were identified in both external and internal issues.