Designing a Human Resource Ecosystem Model at Payame Noor University Using Grounded Theory

Abstract

The present study aimed to design a human resource ecosystem model at Payame Noor University using a grounded theory approach and to identify its dimensions, strategies, and outcomes within the framework of sustainable human resource management. This qualitative basic research was conducted using grounded theory methodology. Participants included academic experts and senior managers of Payame Noor University who were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. A total of 15 participants were interviewed until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using MAXQDA software in three stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Reliability of the findings was assessed through inter-coder agreement and Holsti’s coefficient. The findings revealed that the human resource ecosystem model consisted of six major components: causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, central phenomenon, strategies, and consequences. Among causal conditions, organizational factors had the highest frequency and were identified as the most influential component. In the contextual dimension, maintenance and retention of human resources were recognized as the most significant factor. Legal-environmental limitations emerged as the most influential intervening condition. Regarding strategies, performance-based payment systems and merit-based recruitment were identified as the most critical strategic mechanisms. In terms of consequences, employee welfare and organizational well-being represented the most important outcomes of the human resource ecosystem. The results further indicated that promoting organizational sustainability and green culture management could significantly improve economic productivity, employee satisfaction, and sustainable organizational development. The findings suggest that establishing a sustainable human resource ecosystem at Payame Noor University requires structural reforms, redesigning compensation systems, strengthening supportive infrastructures, and reducing legal and environmental constraints. The proposed model, by explaining the systematic relationships among human resource components, offers a practical framework for improving organizational productivity, sustainable development, and employee welfare in the university context.