Identifying and Prioritizing Factors Influencing the Organizational Commitment of Librarians and Staff in Public Libraries

Narimani, Iman; Karimi, Reza; Nasiri, MohammadReza

doi:10.61882/publlij.2025.2071774.1026

Identifying and Prioritizing Factors Influencing the Organizational Commitment of Librarians and Staff in Public Libraries

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Iman Narimani ¹

Reza Karimi ²

MohammadReza Nasiri ¹

¹ PhD Student in Knowledge and Information Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

² Department of Knowledge and Information Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

10.61882/publlij.2025.2071774.1026

Abstract

Purpose: This study is applied in approach and utilizes a mixed-methods design. Initially, the Fuzzy Delphi method was employed to identify and screen the factors affecting the level of organizational commitment. Subsequently, the Marcus normalized weighted decision matrix technique was used to prioritize these factors.
Methods: This study was conducted in terms of an applied approach and a mixed method. To conduct the study, first, using the Fuzzy Delphi method, the factors affecting the level of organizational commitment were identified and screened, and then the Marcus Normalized Decision Matrix technique was used to prioritize these factors.
Results: The results indicated that the factors influencing the level of organizational commitment among librarians and staff in public libraries, in order of priority, are: familiarity with work procedures, job satisfaction, compensation and benefits systems, motivational incentives, career/organizational goal setting, organizational justice, and the existence of a coherent performance appraisal system. Conversely, factors such as clarity of the decision-making process and workplace health and safety, while important, received lower scores and thus occupy lower priority rankings.
Conclusion: The results of the study demonstrate that the most significant factors influencing organizational commitment include familiarity with work procedures, job satisfaction, compensation and benefits systems, motivational incentives, and career goal setting. Accordingly, organizations should focus on improving job training, motivational systems, and enhancing professional communication.

Keywords

Organizational belonging

Librarians

Public libraries

Abbasi, Z. (2015). Researching between Organizational Culture & Organizational Belonging (Case study: Tehran's Sepah Bank). (Master’s thesis). Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch. [In Persian]

Albrecht, S. L. (2010). Employee engagement: 10 key questions for research and practice. In S. L. Albrecht (Ed.), Handbook of employee engagement (pp. 3–19). Edward Elgar Publishing. https:..doi.org.10.4337.9781849806374.00007

Alfes, K., Shantz, A. D., Truss, C., & Soane, E. C. (2013). The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: A moderated mediation model. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(2), 330–351. https:..doi.org.10.1080.09585192.2012.67995

Anitha, J. (2014). Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 63(3), 308–323. https:..doi.org.10.1108.IJPPM-01-2013-0008

Avery, D. R., McKay, P. F., & Wilson, D. C. (2007). Engaging the aging workforce: The relationship between perceived age similarity, satisfaction with coworkers, and employee engagement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(6), 1542–1556. https:..doi.org.10.1037.0021-9010.92.6.1542

Babaei Khalaji, M., Ahmadi, S. A. A., & Shahbazi, M. (2013). Investigating of the effective factors on employee engagement of nurses in Farabi Eye Hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Public Administration, 5(4), 39–56. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.22059.jipa.2013.50387

Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2008). Towards a model of work engagement. Career Development International, 13(3), 209–223. https:..doi.org.10.1108.13620430810870476

Barahouei, A. (2021). Identify and prioritize the factors affecting employee engagement at the University of Chabahar (Master’s thesis). Chabahar International University. [In Persian]

Bashiri, F. (2021). Explaining the Relationship between Social Capital and Organizational Belonging of Teachers with Their Job Success (Case Study: Malekshahi Primary School Teachers) (Master’s thesis). Bakhtar Institute of Higher Education, Ilam. [In Persian]

Baumruk, R., Looi, P. W., & Marusarz, T. (2004). What makes a best employer? Hewitt Associates.

Behbahani, J. (2022). Investigating The Effect of Organizational Reputation on Work Affiliation Considering Motivating Language as mediating variable (Master’s thesis). Kherad Institute of Higher Education, Bushehr. [In Persian]

Carasco-Saul, M., Kim, W., & Kim, T. (2015). Leadership and employee engagement: Proposing research agendas through a review of literature. Human Resource Development Review, 14(1), 38–63. https:..doi.org.10.1177.1534484314560406

Chehri, S. (2021). Environmental evaluation of public libraries from the point of view of librarians based on the criteria of the five s (5s) decoration system: (Study of public libraries in Kermanshah) (Master’s thesis). Razi University. [In Persian]

Choo, L. S. (2016). A study of the role of work engagement in promoting service‐oriented organizational citizenship behavior in the Malaysian hotel sector. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 35(4), 28–43. https:..doi.org.10.1002.joe.21682

Crawford, E. R., LePine, J. A., & Rich, B. L. (2010). Linking job demands and resources to employee engagement and burnout: A theoretical extension and meta‐analytic test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(5), 834–848. https:..doi.org.10.1037.a0019364

De Simone, S., Planta, A., & Cicotto, G. (2018). The role of job satisfaction, work engagement, self‐efficacy and agentic capacities on nurses’ turnover intention and patient satisfaction. Applied Nursing Research, 39, 130–140. https:..doi.org.10.1016.j.apnr.2017.11.004

Edwards-Dandridge, Y. M. (2019). Work engagement, job satisfaction, and nurse turnover intention (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University). https:..scholarworks.waldenu.edu.dissertations.6323

Faraghi, M., & Jenani, H. (2018). The Effect of Career Optimism on Physical Education Teachers’ Work Engagement and Thriving at Work in Urmia City. Teacher Professional Development, 3, 71–90. [In Persian] https:..tpdevelopment.cfu.ac.ir.article_810.html

Gebauer, J., & Lowman, D. (2009). Closing the engagement gap: How great companies unlock employee potential for superior results. Penguin Group.

Ghadi, M.Y. (2024). Linking job crafting to work engagement: The mediating role of organizational happiness. Management Research Review, 47(6), 943–963. https:..doi.org.10.1108.MRR-01-2023-0042

Imani GolehPardSari, M.N., Hanifi, F., & Mohhosseini, A. (2022). Developing a model to increase work engagement among faculty members of Islamic Azad University. Social Psychological Research, 12(45), 101–120. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.22034.spr.2021.295123.1665

Isakhani, A. (2011). Designing a comprehensive model of employee engagement using a mixed approach (Doctoral dissertation). Faculty of Management and Economics. [In Persian]

Isakhani, A. (2013). Explaining the role of job resources and personal resources in employees work engagement. Public Administration, 5(2), 73–96. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.22059.jipa.2013.36744

Isakhani, A., Fani, A. A., & Danaeifard, H. (2012). Explaining the Relationship Between Work Engagement and Organizational Commitment. Public Management Researches, 5(16), 23–38. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.22111.jmr.2012.670

Jalilian, H. R. (2017). Investigating the Effect of Individual and Organizational Factors on Employee Organizational Belonging. Organizational Behavior Studies, 6(3), 105–132. [In Persian] https:..obs.sinaweb.net.article_28802.html

Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4), 692–724. https:..doi.org.10.2307.256287

Karatepe, O. M., Rezapouraghdam, H., & Hassannia, R. (2020). Job insecurity, work engagement and their effects on hotel employees’ non‐green and nonattendance behaviors. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 87, Article 102472. https:..doi.org.10.1016.j.ijhm.2020.102472

Karimi, R., & Asadzadeh Baghi, M. (2024). A Meta-Analysis of Studies on Quality Assessment of Public Libraries Using the LibQUAL Model. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries, 30(1), 48–65. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.61186.publij.30.1.48

Kissi, E., Ikuabe, M. O., Aigbavboa, C. O., Smith, E. D., & Babon-Ayeng, P. (2024). Mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between supervisor support and turnover intention among construction workers. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 31(13), 102–120. https:..doi.org.10.1108.ECAM-06-2023-0556

Kume, E. (2021). The factors affecting work engagement among teachers in lower secondary schools in Albania. GPH-International Journal of Educational Research, 4(2), 37–48. https:..gphjournal.org.index.php.er.article.view.374

Kunerth, B., & Mosley, R. (2011). Applying employer brand management to employee engagement. Strategic HR Review, 10(3), 19–26. https:..doi.org.10.1108.14754391111121874

Laguía, A., Topa, G., Pocinho, R. F. D. S., & Fernández Muñoz, J. J. (2024). Direct effect of personality traits and work engagement on job crafting: A structural model. Personality and Individual Differences, 220, 112518. https:..doi.org.10.1016.j.paid.2023.112518

Leigh, B. (2005). The 7 hidden reasons employees leave. AMACOM.

Li, W., Jahan, Y., Kawai, M., Fukushima, Y., Kazawa, K., & Moriyama, M. (2022). Factors affecting employees’ work engagement in small and medium-sized enterprises. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10702. https:..doi.org.10.3390.ijerph191710702

Macey, W. H., Schneider, B., Barbera, K. M., & Young, S. A. (2009). Employee engagement: Tools for analysis, practice, and competitive advantage. Wiley-Blackwell. https:..doi.org.10.1002.9781444306538

Mirzakhani, Sh. (2022). Evaluating the opinions of public library librarians Markazi province state about activities in cyber space (Master’s thesis). University of Qom. [In Persian]

Mohammadian Bazvand, M. (2021). The causal model intention to leave the job based on psychological capital and work affiliation with the mediating role of organizational commitment in primary school teachers (Master’s thesis). Payame Noor University, Kermanshah Center. [In Persian]

Abolghasem Mosalman, T., Nakhaoda, M., Fahimifar, S., & Khandan, M. (2022). he Relationship between Nurses' Engagement and Knowledge Management (Case Study: Firoozabadi Hospital in Tehran). Sciences and Techniques of Information Management, 8 (3), 251–282. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.22091.stim.2021.7295.1637

Obeidat, B. Y., Tarhini, A., & Aqqad, N. (2016). The impact of transformational leadership on organizational performance via the mediating role of corporate social responsibility. International Business Research, 10(1), 199. https:..doi.org.10.5539.ibr.v10n1p199

Ongore, O. (2014). A study of relationship between personality traits and job engagement. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 141, 1315–1319. https:..doi.org.10.1016.j.sbspro.2014.05.22

Popli, S., & Rizvi, I. A. (2016). Drivers of employee engagement: The role of leadership style. Global Business Review, 17(4), 965–979. https:..doi.org.10.1177.097215091664570

Pourvali, H. (2020). Explain the Relationship between Organizational Silence with Organizational Health and Work Relatedness (Case Study: Customs of Mazandaran Province) (Master’s thesis). Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch. [In Persian]

Rahnama, M.R., Kharazmi, O. A., & Beigi Nasrabadi, F. (2015). Investigating the Effect of Job Demands on Job Engagement. Management Studies in Development and Evolution, 24 (78), 89–108. [In Persian] https:..jmsd.atu.ac.ir.article_1810.html

Saffie, N.A. M., & Rasmani, K. A. (2016). Fuzzy Delphi method: Issues and challenges. In 2016 International Conference on Logistics, Informatics and Service Sciences (LISS) (1–7). IEEE. https:..doi.org.10.1109.LISS.2016.7854490

Saki, S., Zerehsaz, M., & Haseli, D., (2024). Identifying the job titles and competencies of the public Library librarians based on the content analysis of job advertisements. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries, 30(3), 352-370. https:..doi.org.10.61186.publij.30.3.352

Saks, A. M. (2006). Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21(7), 600–619. https:..doi.org.10.1108.02683940610690169

Schaufeli, W. B., & Bakker, A. (2003). UWES-Utrecht work engagement scale. Preliminary manual, 1(1), 3-60. https:..doi.org.10.3389.fpsyg.2017.01799

Sepehvand, R., & Mohammiyari, Z. (2017). Identifying and ranking the factors influencing on interests of work and work engagement of employees of National Iranian Gas Company (case study: gas company employees of Ilam). Strategic Studies in Petroleum and Energy Industry, 8(31), 129–152. [In Persian]

Shaaban, S. (2018). Predicting Big-Five personality traits relation with employees’ job engagement in government sector in Egypt. International Journal of Business and Management Review, 6(1), 33–43.

Shafieipour, S.F., Deyanti, R., Zare-Zeydi, A., & Metani, M. (2018). The effect of organizational silence on work engagement in Tehran Postal District 16. Science and Engineering Elites, 3(1), 13–24. [In Persian] https:..elitesjournal.ir.editor_file.f2.pdf

Shah Hosseini, M. (2020). The effect of employee engagement on organizational performance (Master’s thesis). Payame Noor University, Garmsar Center. [In Persian]

Stanković, M., Stević, Ž., Das, D. K., Subotić, M., & Pamučar, D. (2020). A new fuzzy MARCOS method for road traffic risk analysis. Mathematics, 8(3), 457. https:..doi.org.10.3390.math8030457

Stević, Ž., Pamučar, D., Puška, A., & Chatterjee, P. (2020). Sustainable supplier selection in healthcare industries using a new MCDM method. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 140, 106231. https:..doi.org.10.1016.j.cie.2019.106231

Tavakoli, GH., Salimi, M., & Ramazan, M. (2021). The Pathology of the Work Belongings of Knowledge Workers in the Defensive Industries. Research in Human Resource Management, 13(3), 169–200. [In Persian] https:..hrmj.ihu.ac.ir.article_206617.html

Varamesh, Z. (2020). Investigation the Impact of Ethical Leadership and Ethical Literacy on Job affiliation of Ardabil Provincial Tax Administration Staff (Master’s thesis). Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch. [In Persian]

Vera, M., Martínez, I. M., Lorente, L., & others. (2016). The role of co-worker and supervisor support in the relationship between job autonomy and work engagement. Social Indicators Research, 126, 1143–1156. https:..doi.org.10.1007.s11205-015-0931-8

Yasin Ghadi, M. (2024). Linking job crafting to work engagement: The mediating role of organizational happiness. Management Research Review, 47(6), 943–963. https:..doi.org.10.1108.MRR-01-2023-0042

Yeganefar, M., Ebrahimi, R. & Abyari, A. (2023). Experiences of librarians of public libraries in COVID-19 Pandemic: A case study of Tehran City Park Central Library. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries, 29(3), 336–353. [In Persian] https:..doi.org.10.61186.publij.29.3.336

Yoerger, M., Crowe, J., & Allen, J. A. (2015). Participate or else!: The effect of participation in decision-making in meetings on employee engagement. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 67(1), 65–80. https:..doi.org.10.1037.cpb0000029

Zare, M. (2020). Investigating the effect of employees' belonging on the performance of the Social Security Organization with regard to the mediating role of psychological empowerment (Master’s thesis). Payame Noor University, Garmsar Center. [In Persian]