Journal of Management and Business Solutions

Various countries—particularly developing nations such as Iran—have increasingly become major destinations for medical tourism due to their lower costs and acceptable quality of medical services. The primary objective of this study is to examine the role of value proposition differentiation in specialized medical centers in attracting and retaining health tourists. The concept of value proposition refers to the set of tangible and intangible benefits offered by a medical center to patients in order to meet their needs more effectively than competitors. This study analyzes different components of the value proposition, including the quality of medical services, service costs, physician specialization, and welfare services. Moreover, the conducted reviews indicate that differentiation in the value proposition increases the attractiveness and competitiveness of medical centers in the global medical tourism market. Methodologically, this research was conducted using a descriptive–analytical approach, employing both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings indicate that factors such as physician specialization, quality of medical services, competitive costs, and supplementary services such as accommodation and transportation have the greatest impact on attracting medical tourists. Furthermore, the provision of high-quality services and post-treatment follow-up are among the most influential factors affecting the retention of health tourists.

Conspiracy delusion in Iranian government organizations—recognized as one of the most destructive psycho-social phenomena—is associated with intensified political behaviors, reduced social capital, weakened cooperation, and the deterioration of employees’ psychological well-being. It constitutes a serious obstacle to organizational development and performance improvement. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying and ranking the factors influencing the prevention of conspiracy delusion, with a specific focus on political behavior in Iranian government organizations. Using a mixed-methods approach, thematic analysis was applied in the qualitative phase, and the fuzzy DEMATEL method was employed in the quantitative phase. The statistical population consisted of 15 experts (senior and middle managers, human resource specialists, researchers in psychology and organizational behavior, and policymakers in the Civil Service sector) who were studied through in-depth semi-structured interviews and a fuzzy DEMATEL questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using MAXQDA 2020 and MATLAB software. A total of 157 semantic statements were categorized into 17 sub-themes, which were subsequently grouped into six main dimensions: individual psychological factors, socio-cultural factors, political-institutional factors, informational-media factors, economic factors, and organizational-managerial factors. The findings indicated that socio-cultural factors (D+R = 3.524), organizational-managerial factors (D+R = 3.489), and political-institutional factors (D+R = 3.455) possess the highest overall importance and interaction levels, while economic factors (D+R = 1.878), with the highest D–R value (1.234), play the strongest causal and foundational role. For the first time, this study proposes a fully localized and multidimensional model for preventing conspiracy delusion that simultaneously integrates foundational economic factors and highly interactive upper-level dimensions within a unified causal network. By combining thematic analysis and fuzzy DEMATEL, the model enables precise and scientific prioritization of factors. This model can significantly contribute to reducing destructive political behaviors, enhancing organizational trust, improving cooperation, and promoting employees’ psychological well-being and performance in Iran’s public sector.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the mediating role of internal communication in the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational productivity. Accordingly, several hypotheses were proposed, and a conceptual model was developed for the research. The statistical population of this study consisted of all employees of Tejarat Bank branches in East Azerbaijan Province, totaling 1,350 individuals in 2021. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 300 participants was selected. A questionnaire was used to measure the research variables. Intellectual capital was assessed using Bontis’s Intellectual Capital Questionnaire (1998), organizational productivity using the questionnaire developed by Ulsaneya et al. (2012), and internal communication using the instrument provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (2007). The results of hypothesis testing, conducted through structural equation modeling using SMART PLS3 software, indicated that intellectual capital has a positive and significant effect on the productivity of Tejarat Bank and on internal communication. Likewise, internal communication has a positive and significant effect on the productivity of Tejarat Bank. The mediating role of internal communication in the relationship between intellectual capital and the productivity of Tejarat Bank in East Azerbaijan Province was also confirmed.

This study examines the impact of industrial exposure and exogenous shocks on the innovation index. The main objective of the research is to analyze the effects of industrial transformations and the growth of national and global industries on countries’ innovation performance using the Bartik Instrument. The research variables include the innovation index, the share of primary industries, industry growth, and economic and institutional control variables for selected upper-middle-income countries during the period 2015–2023. The model estimation method is based on two-stage least squares (2SLS) panel data analysis using the Bartik Instrument, with control variables including GDP per capita, human capital, research and development expenditures, technological infrastructure, and institutional indicators. The findings indicate that greater industrial exposure, accompanied by the growth of key industries, has a positive and significant effect on the innovation index, such that countries with a higher share of growing industries have experienced higher levels of innovation. Other control variables also yield notable results; in particular, human capital and technological infrastructure amplify the effect of industrial exposure on innovation. The results further suggest that a targeted policy mix involving key industries, human capital, and technology can substantially enhance national innovation capacity in upper-middle-income countries.

In today’s world, with the rapid advancement of digital technologies, the transformation of customer behavioral patterns, the emergence of new fintech companies, and the increasing level of transparency in the expectations of key stakeholders, the banking industry has come under greater pressure to maintain and strengthen its brand position. These challenges have not only intensified competition but have also underscored the necessity of brand reconstruction as a vital strategic approach. Brand reconstruction, as a powerful tool, plays a fundamental role in ensuring the sustainable success of businesses and preserving their competitive advantage, especially in dynamic environments such as banking, which require continuous adaptation to change. The objective of this research was to determine the validity of the brand reconstruction model of Refah Bank of Workers. This study, based on its purpose, was applied research conducted using a survey method. The statistical population consisted of deputy managers and managers of Refah Bank of Workers across the country, totaling 1,200 individuals, from which a sample of 291 respondents was selected according to the Morgan table using cluster sampling. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. Validity and reliability were confirmed using convergent and discriminant validity criteria and a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.983. For data analysis, SmartPLS 3 software and structural equation modeling were employed. As a result, the GOF value was 0.605, indicating that the designed model possesses appropriate validity.

In the competitive world of electronic commerce, achieving a strong online reputation plays a key role in attracting customers and sustaining business performance. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the validity of a model for enhancing the reputation of online brands. Based on its purpose, this research is classified as fundamental–applied and was implemented using a quantitative descriptive–survey method. The statistical population consisted of customers of the online brand Digikala in Khuzestan Province. Given that the population exceeded 10,000 individuals, a sample of 384 participants was selected based on Morgan’s table, and sampling was performed using a convenience sampling method. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire. The questionnaire’s validity was confirmed using convergent and discriminant validity criteria, and its reliability was verified with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .971. Data analysis was conducted using SmartPLS 3 software and structural equation modeling. According to the findings, the model for enhancing the reputation of online brands comprises ten main factors (cultural factors, customer experience management, website quality, website security, store social responsibility, social media marketing, content marketing, targeted and intelligent advertising, product and service quality, and customer satisfaction). The GOF value of the model was calculated as .416, indicating strong model fit and validity.

Organizations—particularly those operating in the public and governmental sectors—require employees who act with commitment and a strong sense of responsibility, going beyond their formal job descriptions to achieve organizational goals and enhance societal satisfaction. In this context, the concept of heroic behavior, defined as performing duties in a self-sacrificing manner that exceeds expectations, holds significant importance. Such behaviors not only contribute to improving organizational performance but also play a key role in fostering public trust and satisfaction. The present study aimed to design an interpretive structural model of heroic behavior among employees of the Iranian Organization for Registration of Deeds and Properties, using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). This research is exploratory in purpose and qualitative in approach. Data were collected through interviews with 15 experts selected via snowball sampling. Thematic analysis was applied to categorize and analyze the information extracted from interview transcripts and related documents. In line with the study objectives, semi-structured interviews and document analysis based on a thematic analysis strategy were used for data gathering. The final analysis yielded 14 basic themes, 3 organizing themes, and 1 overarching theme. The organizing themes encompassed individual factors, organizational factors, and group factors, which ultimately informed the development of the final model using ISM. The results of this study can provide valuable guidance for managers and policymakers in creating a dynamic, efficient, and responsible organizational environment.

The main objective of the present study was to identify the key risk indicators within the perspectives of the sustainable Balanced Scorecard for evaluating the performance of Sepah Bank branches in Qazvin Province and to determine causal relationships using the fuzzy DEMATEL method. The statistical population consisted of 460 employees of Sepah Bank in the Qazvin region. In fact, all Sepah Bank personnel, including staff in both operational and administrative units, constituted the study population. A purposive sampling method was used. From an operational standpoint and in terms of data collection, the necessary field investigations were conducted by attending the organization, examining the prevailing conditions and regulations, and exploring feasible information-gathering procedures. Given that the research was case-based, the first step involved examining the current methods and conditions governing the identification of risk-generating indicators in the organization under study, as well as the variables and indicators affecting this area, in order to obtain an overall understanding of the organization’s background on this subject. The data collection tools consisted of note-taking from previous studies and a DEMATEL questionnaire administered in the field. Considering the nature of the topic, a questionnaire was used to collect the data. The information obtained from experts was categorized to determine, from among the indicators extracted from scientific articles, those most suitable for the present research. The experts’ opinions regarding each alternative were then aggregated to produce a single consolidated judgment. After collecting the required data, MATLAB and EXCEL software programs were used at various stages to perform the necessary computations. In addition, SPSS software was employed to examine the regression equation. Initially, the key risk indicators were identified across the five dimensions of the extended Balanced Scorecard framework for performance evaluation. Subsequently, using the DEMATEL method, the causal relationships among the five perspectives were analyzed. The results indicated that the sustainability-related perspective, based on the DEMATEL output, functioned as an independent causal perspective influencing the other dimensions; therefore, sustainability-related risks were identified as influential factors affecting other components and the overall performance of the bank. In response to this research question, it is emphasized that based on the results of the fuzzy network analysis method and insights from banking experts, 30 quantitative and qualitative risks were identified in accordance with the perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard.