Designing an Implementation Model for Realizing Environmental Policies Based on Sustainable Development in Iran through the Application of Knowledge Management

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of designing an implementation model based on the application of knowledge management to improve the implementation of environmental policies in government institutions of the country. The present study is considered to be applied in terms of purpose and strategic in terms of approach. The research population consisted of 50 experts, managers, and specialists from government organizations active in the field of the environment who were selected purposefully. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale that was designed with a focus on three dimensions of knowledge management (acquiring, sharing, and evaluating knowledge) and five key factors of policy implementation (organizational structure, resources, communications, executives' orientation, and organizational culture). Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Pearson correlation test were used to analyze the data using SPSS software. Also, to strengthen the analysis, the country's upstream environmental documents were also examined using qualitative analysis. The first component, which includes the resources and orientation of the implementers, had the highest explanatory power among the identified components with an eigenvalue of 3.377 and a share of 22.514% of the total variance. After that, the organizational culture component with an eigenvalue of 2.629 and a share of 17.527% is located, which indicates the importance of the values, beliefs, and norms governing the organization in accepting and implementing environmental policies. The final designed model consists of three layers, which are: the central layer: implementation of environmental policies; the middle layer: four rearranged executive components; and the outer layer: three dimensions of knowledge management. By providing a systematic, localized, and data-driven approach, this model has the ability to explain inter-organizational interactions, evaluate organizational learning, and policy coherence in the executive structure of the Islamic Republic of Iran government, and is considered a scientific response to the challenge of the lack of an effective executive model in this area.